The Baroque: 1600-1750

The Baroque: 1600-1750

›  creative works of the early 18th century recognized for their grandeur, depth, and technical mastery

›  Baroque art

›  The Palace at Versailles (Louis XIV) is the most impressive building of this period.

›  Built in the mid–1600s

›  Grand and symmetrical with almost 1000 rooms

›  Geometrically organized landscape with pools, trees, and elegant gardens

›  Baroque audiences

›  Small, elite aristocratic audiences

›  public venues with the advent of opera (Venice & Rome)

›  Subscription concert series (London, then France & Germany)

›  Public opera houses were built in Venice and Rome.

›  Baroque Musical Characteristics

›  Contrasts in dynamics

›  Highly emotional

›  Regular programming

›  Mathematical

›  Musical forms

›  Operas

›  Dramatic music, staging, lighting, and costumes

›  Form involved recitatives and arias

›  Cantatas

›  Very short, unstaged operas

›  Oratorio

›  Opera–like work on religious theme, but not staged

›  Passion

›  Similar to an oratorio, based on the last days of Jesus' life

›  Chorale

›  Protestant hymn with a simple melody and regular rhythm sung in unison by entire congregation

›  Concertos

›  Contrasted the soloist(s) with the larger orchestra

›  Henry Purcell (1659–1695)

›  Most talented English composer of late 17th century

›  Organist at Westminster Abbey in London

›  Dido and Aeneas: famous opera

The late Baroque:

›  The period between 1700 and 1750 A.D.

›  Forms that were established in the 1600s were developed and enhanced by the foremost composers of the late Baroque period.

›  Vivaldi

›  J.S. Bach

›  Handel

Antonio Vivaldi:

›  Father was violinist at St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice

›  Learned music at an early age

›  Trained for the priesthood

›  Called "The Red Priest" because of his red hair

›  Compositions include:

›  Solo and trio sonatas

›  Oratorios

›  Sacred music

›  Approximately 600 concertos

›  Hi most famous concertos are in a group called The Four Seasons (1725)

›  Solo concertos which have passages where other instruments of the orchestra join with the soloist

›  Early instances of program music, (music that tells a story)

Johann Sebastian Bach:

›  One of the most influential composers of Western Art Music

›  Date of his death marks the end of the Baroque period (1750)

›  Lived in Germany

›  Wrote most of his music "to order" at the request of the person who employed him

›  Wrote a LOT of fantastic organ music.

Goerge Frideric Handel:

›  Career was remarkably different from Bach's, but their lives overlapped almost exactly.

›  While Bach lived in a small region in Germany, Handel traveled widely through Europe and became an international celebrity.

›  Career was built on the nearly 40 operas he wrote for the London stage.

›  Famous oratorio

›  Messiah (his most popular work)

›  "Halleluyah" chorus from Messiah