Baroque Instrumental Music

This is the first time that we see instrumental music sharing the same stature as vocal music.

For the first time, there was a clear separation of Vocal and Instrumental music

Baroque Instrumental Practice

There were no ‘classics’, so contemporary composers were very prolific

Modulations and chromatic harmonies and melodies.

Virtuosity (music that shows off the technical skills of the performer)

Baroque Instrumental Evolution

Early Baroque Instrumental music uplifted musical line rather than blend. Late Baroque music will focus more on the idea of blend and refined orchestration.

Keyboard Music

Equal tempered tuning

Keyboard Instruments

Three main instrumentsOrgan: sacred venues and some home chapels• Tracker Action• Great, positive, and portative organ

Harpsichord: basso continuo for orchestra and dance music. Solo instrument. Strings plucked by a Plectrum.Clavichord: strings struck by hammers made originally from bone. Precursor to the piano.

Positive organ Portative organ

Baroque Organs

Harpsichord, ca. 1675Made by Michele TodiniRome, Italy

Harpsichord, ca. 1675Made by Michele TodiniRome, Italy

Harpsichord

Clavichord

The keyboard, allowed composers to think

vertically (tonal system) rather than

horizontally (modal system)

more than one note could be played at a time.

Types of Instrumental Music

Improvisatory styleToccata

Prelude

Fantasia

Existing melodyChorale prelude

Theme & Variations

Fugal styleRicercare

Fantasia

Capriccio

Fugue

Dances

ToccataFrom Italian verb toccare (to touch)

A work with very fast monophonic melodies with chromatic harmonies;

Free, irregular metres and rhythms;

Often improvised on the organ

The Chorale Prelude

Originally, an introduction to a hymn (chorale); Bach was the preeminent composer of Chorale Preludes

Later written down as a composition (a single variation on a chorale)

Dietrich Buxtehude 1637-1707

The Baroque Suite

Instrumental dance music from the Renaissance period now refined in a new style of sound and compositional technique.Pastiche of different international styles of dance forms.First function was dancing at social functions.Other functions: dinner music.

Overture (Optional)Allemande Germany 4/4 time Moderate Courante French 3/4 time Moderate Sarabande Spain 3/4 time Slow

Other Dances (Optional)MinuetGavotteBourree

Gigue England 6/8 time Fast

Order of the Dance Suite

Types of Dances

Allemande German Quadruple

Courante French Triple

Jig (Gigue) English/French 6/8 or 6/4

Sarabande Spanish Triple

Minuet Italian peasant Triple

Gavotte French pastoral Duple peasant

Bourree’ French lively Duple peasant

Passepied Fast French minuet

Triple peasant

Jacques Champion Chambonnieres (1601-1672)

the founder of the French

harspichord school

not the first, but the first with “celebrity”

Jacques Champion de Chambonnières (c.1601-1672)

influenced Couperin and Rameau

Chambonnieres, D’Anglebert, and de la Guerre were important early clavecinists

“clavecin” is French for “harpsichord”

Jean Henry D’Anglebert (1629-1691)

Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre (1666-1729)

François Couperin 1668-1733

He was known as Couperin le Grand"

(Couperin the Great) to distinguish him from the other members of his musically talented

family.

L’art de toucherle clavecin

Innovations

Instrument building familiesStradivarius, Guarneri, and Amati

StringsCat gut

Slightly different playing technique….bowing

Woodwinds: mellow sound as opposed to a more brassy sound in modern times.

Innovations

BrassOriginally a military instrument for signals

Without valves

Key changes made by inserting longer or shorter crooks in the horn.

The Sonata

Evolved from the Renaissance canzona, which had several contrasting sections

Early in the 17th century, “sonata” referred to any piece for instruments

Later, “sonata” meant a piece for 1 or 2 melody instruments with basso continuo

The Sonata

Chamber Sonata: Sonata da CameraA group of dances.

Number of movements vary

Church Sonata: Sonata da ChiesaSerious collection of pieces

Containing polyphonic/contrapuntal texture.

Often 4 movements SFSF

The Baroque Sonata Form

Four MovementsSLOW

FAST

SLOW

FAST

The Sonata

Trio Sonata: sonata for any combination of two instruments and basso continuo. (which means 4 players)

Archangelo Corelli (1653-1713)

Studied in Bologna-center of violin playing in Northern Italy.

Worked in Rome under the patronage of several wealthy benefactors.

The Concerto

A three movement piece (FSF) music that is created from two masses or bodies of sound.

Concertare – to contend with or to compete with.

The Two Masses of Sound

Concertino: small group.

Tutti or ripieno: large group (orchestra)

tutti (all) ripieno (full)

Three types of concerto

Solo concerto: A concerto featuring a soloist contending with an orchestra.

Concerto Grosso: A concerto featuring a small group contending with a larger group.

Concerto ripieno: A concerto in which all take part; no long solos

Concerto

Several contrasting movements1st movement uses ritornello form

Contrast between performing groups is VIMP

Orchestra (aka tutti)15-25 strings

+ harpsichord

louder dynamicssimpler music

Soloist(s)1 to 5 playersmay feature woodwinds, brasssofter dynamicstechnical, virtuosic

vs

Movement 1 fast, energetic, ritornello form

Ritornello form a way of arranging musical ideas (melodies?) in a piece

R1 S1 R2 S2 R3 S3 R4 S4 etc RX

Ritornello Form

Ritornello sectionsplayed by tuttirecurring theme or part of it

Solo sections

played by soloist(s)

new material

Contrast between sections is VIMPRitornello provides unity “musical glue”

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C CC

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