BAROQUE1600-1750

HISTORICAL PEOPLE & EVENTS

• Sir Frances Bacon: 1561-1626

• Rene Descartes: 1596-1650

• Galileo Galilei: 1564-1642

• Sir Isaac Newton: 1642-1727

• Johannes Kepler sets forth astronomical laws: 1609

• Thirty Years’ War: 1618-48

• Mayflower brings English colonists to New England: 1620

• English Civil War: 1642-49

• Reign of Louis XIV in France: 1643-1715

GROWING MIDDLE AND UPPER CLASS

• Patronage system still important for musicians, but public concerts emerge

• Beginnings of capitalism & joint stock ventures: important means for funding large opera productions

• Italian influence: very important in the arts

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BAROQUE MUSIC

• Basso Continuo (continuous bass)

• Chords: vertical harmony important; often improvised

• Tendency towards homophony

• Development of major/minor tonalities

• Rhythm: could be free (recitatives) or speech-like; or strongly measured (metric) with bar now the norm; strong downbeats

• Emotion in music was essential to this era: the idea of affections

• Dramatic/energetic/decorative/sense of motion & movement

FLORENTINE CAMERATA

• Late 16th century: gathering of poets, composers, & noblemen in Florence, Italy

• This group promoted a revival of interest in Greek Tragedies

• Wanted to recreate “original” or authentic performances of Greek tragedies

• Were convinced that, originally, the tragedies were sung (chanted) in some way

• Felt that the text should be delivered as a “solo” with simply bass line (“monody”)

OPERA

• In Renaissance Era, drama & spectacle were combined in various genres, especially Intermedio musical interludes between acts of a play

• Jacopo Peri, Dafne (1598) wrote first opera: “staged drama, sung throughout, with music designed to convey the character’s emotions.”

• Emilio de Cavalieri: Rappresentatione di Anima et di Corpo (Representation of the Soul & the Body): February 1600

• Earliest Surviving Opera: Jacopo Peri’s Euridice: October 1600

CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI (1567-1643)

• Born Cremona, Italy

• 1590: Begins employment under the Duke of Mantua (Vincenzo Gonzaga)

• By 1602: Master of the Duke’s music chapel

• 1613-1643: Choirmaster at St. Mark’s Venice (one of the most important positions in music in Italy at that time)

• Early career: wrote madrigals (1st 5 books were published from 1587-1605)

• Several years later, the Duke of Mantua’s elder son asked Monteverdi to write “fable in music” for the local learned academy

MONTEVERDI’S ORFEO

• Performed twice

• First time: Sat., February 24, 1607 (Male nobility only were in the audience)

• Second performance: a few days later: women were also admitted into this performance

• In first performance: soprano parts were taken by men (though the Duke had women in his employ; since the first performance was for an all-male audience, the singers needed to be all-male)

GIOVANNI GABRIELI (C. 1553-1612)

• Choirmaster of St. Mark’s

• Wrote polychoral (antiphonal) works

• “Sacred” or “Grand’ Concerto

• Very influential

• Similar compositions continue to be written generations after Gabrieli

• Ex. Grand Concerto: In ecclesiis

EARLY ORATORIO

• Sacred dialogues, combined elements of narrative, dialogue, etc.; not usually intended for staged performance

• Most often performed in the oratory of a church (Later, performed in palaces & other venues as a substitute for opera during Lent)

• Usually in Latin--- occasionally in vernacular languages from late 17th c. onwards

• Ex: Historia di Jephte by Giacomo Carissimi

HEINRICH SCHUTZ (1585-1672)

• Greatest German composer of mid 17th c.

• Student of Gabrieli

• From 1617 to the end of his life: Master of the Chapel

• Reputedly wrote the first German opera (does not survive)

• Wrote variety & quantity of church music

• Composed German Psalter, Latin Motets, Scared Symphonies, Oratorios, incl. the Seven Last Words of Christ

• Style: Venetian magnificence

• Use of word painting and bold dissonances

• Example: Saul, was verfolgst du mich

DANCE MUSIC

• The Suite:

• Multi-movement instrumental work, made up of a series of dance movements

• Paired dances (slow/fast) had existed since the Middle Ages

• France

• Ordres: often written for harpsichord

• Example: La Visionaire (French overture)

• Germany

• Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, and Gigue

• Example: Pieces de clavecin

HENRY PURCELL (1659-1695)

• Leading composer of the English Baroque

• Held many important positions in his life, including organist at Westminster Abbey and organist of the Chapel Royal

• Composed much music: instrumental and vocal, sacred and secular

• Best known for his opera, Dido and Aeneas, which incorporates elements of French opera (after Lully), English spectacle (“masque”) and Italian opera (presence of several arias)

THE SONATA

• Term used very frequently in Italy from 17th century onwards

• From the Italian, “sonare” (to make sound)

• Various sub-genres existed: ensemble vs solo sonata

• Ensemble sonata: consisted of 2-4 solo players plus basso continuo

• Most common ensemble sonata: trio sonata, requiring 4 players, 2 solo (melody line) plus 2 bass players (playing basso continuo)

• Solo Sonata: for 1 melody player plus basso continuo (usually requires 3 players)

• Sonatas also are divided up into 2 categories, based on format of movements:

• Sonata da camera (“Chamber sonata”): basically a dance suite, first movement might be an abstract movement or prelude

• Sonata da Chiesa (“Church sonata”): Succession of slow/fast movements (fast movements might be dance-inspired but would not have dance titles). Movements given abstract titles such as Largo, Allegro, etc.

ARCANGELO CORELLI (1653-1713)

• Italian violinist and composer

• 1671 onwards: lived and worked in Rome, Italy

• Wrote series of sonatas and concerti grossi

• Did not “invent” the sonata form, but did popularize (as well as the concerto grosso)

• Violinist and teacher: his music exploited the cantabile qualities of the violin (as opposed to virtuosic writing for the violin)

• Corelli’s music was well-known in his lifetime, with many printed editions made in London, Amsterdam, Paris, etc., as well as Rome.

• Corelli’s music served as models for many generations following, especially Handel, Bach, and Vivaldi

• Trio and solo sonatas ultimately begin to be written by composers in England, France, and Germany

HISTORY OF THE VIOLIN

• Antecedents of the violin: the medieval rebec and fiddle (fiedel)

• By 1520, early violin in existence; initially popular primarily as a dance instrument or for outdoor ceremonies & events, since it was louder than the viola da gamba

• Very rapidly becomes important as a concert or solo instrument, of equal importance to the viola da gamba

• 1520-1550: The Viola and Cello (larger instruments in the violin family) evolved

• Cremona, Italy: becomes a center for violin making

• 16th and 17th century: the Amati family were very important in the development of the violin

• Nicolo Amati (1596-1684) taught Andrea Guarneri and Antonio Stradivarius (“Stradivarius”)

• Antonio Stradivarius (1644-1737): violin maker

RENAISSANCE ENSEMBLES

• The ideal Renaissance Instrumental Ensemble tended to be fairly small, and consisted of similar instruments in different sizes: such as a consort of viols or recorders

• The Baroque era brought with it increased interest in enlarging instrumental ensembles, and also, in having instruments of differing timbres playing together (an early example of this is: Monteverdi’s Orfeo

• Large, instrumental ensembles begin to be common

• These ensembles might be used for accompanying operas, opera-ballets, for dance music, or as an independent musical entity

• Ensembles could vary from 9 to 10 players or more, up to huge, massed, outdoor orchestras of hundreds of players for special festive occasions

• At the same time, chamber music (solo sonatas, trio sonatas, etc.) was flourishing

• By the end of the 17th century, distinction between chamber music (1 on a part) and orchestral ensembles (larger ensembles, often with multiple players on a part) begins to be made

ANTONIO VIVALDI (1678-1741)

• Educated for both the priesthood and for music

• Known as “il prete rosso”

• From 1703-1740, employed off and on as conductor, composer, and music teacher at the Pio Ospedal della Pieta (Hospital of Pity) in Venice. Very high standards of music attained

• Traveled throughout Europe (opera producer)

• Wrote 49 operas

• Wrote 500 concertos (violin, cello, flute, oboe, guitar, bassoon, piccolo)

• Wrote Numerous sonatas, cantatas, motets, etc.

• Famous violinist, noted for beautiful cantabile playing, and also for virtuoso, brilliant, technical displays

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750)

• Came from a long line of musicians in Germany and studied with his father

• Organist and young musician

• Appointed to the select body of singers who formed the 'Mettenchor' (Mattins Choir)

• Lost Soprano voice but became a violinist in the orchestra and as an accompanist at the harpsichord

• 1703-1707: Organist at Arnstadt

• 1707-1708: Organist at Muhlhausen

• 1708-1717: Court organist & concertmaster for the Duke of Weimar

• 1717-1723: Music Director for Prince Cothen

• 1723-1750: Cantor of St. Thomas’ Church and School in Leipzig (one of the foremost positions in Germany)

BACH’S WORKS

• Organ works: Preludes, Fugues, Chorale Preludes, etc.

• Clavier suites: 3 sets of 6 suites each

• Instrumental works: Solo Violin Poxtitas (6), Solo Cello Suites (6), Solo Flute (1), 6 Brandenburg Concertos, and Concertos for solo violin and harpsichord

• Bach’s Vocal Music (1723-1750)

• 58 Cantatas per year required

• Mass in B Minor (1747-49)

ORATORIOS

• Usually based upon Old Testament stories

• Intended for concert hall performance

• Most important innovation is in the use of the chorus: influenced by the English choral tradition

• Inventive

• Inexhaustible flow of melodies and ideas

• Use of chorus is idiomatic: everything fits the vocal parts well

• Texture: varied, from homophonic to polyphonic

• Musical symbolism and word painting

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685-1759)

• Born in Halle, Saxony (part of Germany)

• Early musical studies: violin, harpsichord, organ

• Parents want him to study law: goes to Halle University, soon drops out to pursue music: goes to Hamburg, Germany (age 18)

• 1703-06: In Hamburg: Violinist in Hamburg Opera, the eventually Director of Opera

• Wrote first opera (Italian opera) Almira, in 1705

• 1706-1710: Handel is in Italy, where he is regarded as one of the up & coming opera composers of his generation

• 1709: Wrote Agrippina

• 1710: Handel is appointed Music Director at the Electoral Court of Hanover (for the Elector, George Ludwig) in Germany

• Early on in, while he is tenure for the Elector George, Handel asks for permission to leave the Elector (and his musical duties) in order to travel to London

HANDEL CONTINUED

• However, in 1714, Queen Anne (the ruling monarch) of England dies without heir, and the closest Protestant successor to the throne is he Elector George

• Royal Activity, organized 1718-1719 as a joint stock venture of 60 noblemen to produce operas in England

• 1720-28: Handel wrote operas for the Royal Academy

• 1728: John Gay’s opera, the Beggar’s Opera (in English): symptomatic of the gradual lessening of interest in Italian opera in England

• 1729: Royal Academy stopped producing operas; Handel took it over

• 1730s: two competing opera companies: Handel’s company & Opera of Nobility: eventually the two companies went nearly bankrupt; the Opera of Nobility folded

HANDEL CONTINUED

• 1739: Handel started to write Oratorios

• 1741: Wrote Messiah for performance in Dublin, Ireland

• Texts were drawn from Old and New Testament

• In three parts: Advent (birth of Christ), Passion (Resurrection), and Book of Revelation

• Wrote suites and sonatas for keyboard

• Had instrumental works include Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks; many orchestral works

• Wrote operas

• Wrote secco (basso continuo and melodies) and accompanied recitatives (more instruments)

• Also wrote a few instrumental symphonies and ballets

ORCHESTRA INSTRUMENTS

Harpsichord

Organ

OPTIONAL INSTRUMENTS

Timpani

OboeRecorder

Bassoon

Flute

Trumpet