Characteristics Of Baroque Music

Throughout history, many periods of music have existed, some of which have left behind enduring contributions to music altogether. The most important period of music however is the Baroque period. This is because the beginning of its era marked the introduction of dominant musical devices that have been used ever since. The term “baroque” was derived from the Portuguese barroco meaning “oddly shaped pearl” and refers to a period of European music or Western European art music that flourished from about 1600 to 1750. This period began when the Renaissance period of music – a period of music full of choral music and chants – began to change. The Baroque period brought with itself key devices such as variation in musical compositions, the enlargement of standard scales and chords and the process of varying one or more properties within a piece; that are used today. In contrast the renaissance period of music whereby music was often sang, contained simple rhythms and melodic lines and was mostly for the purpose of praise, the Baroque period of music started off the use of distinct melodies and harmonies opposed to the polyphony used in the Renaissance period. This new music was then called “…expansive and dramatic”. Famous composers and performers of this period include Henry Purcell, Arcangelo Corelli, Claudio Monteverdi, Antonio Vivaldi and many others.

In 1558 when Piero Mantovani attempted to steal the first cello created by Andrea Amati, he was cursed. Not by Andrea Amati, but rather the housekeeper. A wizened woman that dabbled, frequently, in magic. It was said that Piero, upon first seeing the instrument, was so overwhelmed with emotion that he had to have it. To possess it. To hold it, and polish it, and more importantly, to play it.

The Baroque period was identified as the “Age of Absolutism” because it was a period where rulers practiced their full power to control subjects. Also during the Baroque time frame music became more leant about where it was played. Instead it only being played at churches and occasionally in some courts, it was being played at specific functions and operas. It was at this time that operas were established for the first time in history. Musicians at this time were employed for aristocrat’s courts, churches and operas although they were considered high positions yet still viewed as servants. Some characteristics of Baroque music focused on the unity of mood, rhythm, dynamics and melodies. As for texture it consisted of being polyphonic with an emphasis on the highest and lowest melodies. Also the importance of bass and soprano and imitation were present. Word painting and symbolism kept making an appearance too. Chords and basso continuo were key elements to this period. A basso continuo is an accompaniment made up of bass parts usually played by two instruments. It was here that baroque orchestras started to gather which contained about ten to forty musicians. Through

Why is humanism such a big factor in past and present society? Humanism is an outlook of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. For the Renaissance, humanism was a big cultural movement that brought thought of Greek and Roman thoughts. Humanism was expressed in the Renaissance through the works of art, music, and literature.

Henry Purcell lived a short but influential life. He was known as one of the most important English composers of the Baroque period and is called the “English Orpheus.” He often incorporated Italian and French elements into his compositions. In the words of Sir Jack Allan Westrup (2015), “With alertness of mind went an individual inventiveness that marked him as the most original English composer of his time as well as one of the most original in Europe.” His musical sacred and secular musical pieces included operas, sonatas, choral, and theatre comedies.

In the Baroque era patronage is the most common way for an artists to get work. Patronage is the act of someone with a great deal of wealth giving their financial support to an artist to commission them to make a painting, a sculpture, a play or a piece of music. Since the Patrons hire the artists to not just make them beautiful art, but make them something that symbolizes their status and wealth, certain themes arise in these works of art. These are ones of ornamentation, grandeur, theatrical elements, and the notion that there is action happening beyond the frame. Artists like Bernini and Rembrandt are prime examples of how patronage affects their art, whilst still being part of the baroque era. These Baroque elements are so engrained in the system of patronage that even outside the Baroque era when an artist is commissioned through the patronage system their work can’t help but take on these and other baroque elements.

Both J.S. Bach and G.F. Handel use different aspects of music to compose important pieces of music. The baroque period is often known as the time when artists exaggerated their motion and produced drama through interpreted detail. Both of these composers used this baroque style to convey messages through their music. The similarity in their music was that it is in a spiritual manner. J.S. Bach’s style was a harmonic and motivation manner, which Handel’s is more of a narrative. A cantana is a piece of music for worship and a oratoria is a genre that addressees a religious theme.

The lower class wore light, dingy shades because they could not afford dyes that would give a pure color.

Baroque – a word derived from the Portuguese word “borocco” which means irregular pearl or stone – is a term used in fine art to describe a fairly complex idiom that originated in Rome during the period c.1590-1720, it embraced sculptures and paintings as well as architecture. Baroque art above all other movements reflected the religious tensions of the age in comparison with the idealism of the Renaissance movement (c.1400-1530) and the slightly forced nature of the Mannerism movement (c.1530-1600). This is notably displayed by the Catholic Church in Rome as a desire (as annunciated at the Council of Trent, 1545-63) to reassert itself in dawn of Protestant Reformation. This then makes it almost synonymous to the Catholic Counter-Reformation

In this research report, I aim to gain an understanding of how music is written and to gain knowledge of baroque music.

Miranda McKellen: Good morning! My name is Miranda McKellen, and for you new listeners, this is the finest radio station where we talk about the greatest music! Today we have many special guests, starting with our first one: Tom Jenson. Tom has been on our station before, and he discusses musical links from two distinct musical cultures. Today Tom will be sharing the musical links that he has found between the cultures of Baroque Music and Cool Jazz. Good morning Tom!

Baroque style flourished in a time during which variations of styles were expressed (Carl & Charles, 2012) and it embraces ramifications in artistic sense and its forms varied in every country and community (Hauser, 1999). It emerged when Roman Catholic Church adopted it to be the counter of the Protestant Revolution promoted by Martin Luthur, and the style gained its popularity in France and Roman court. Eventually it prevailed in Holland. The Baroque style of art is thought to be irregular and capricious by historians, and so comes its name – it is derived from the Portuguese word ‘Barrocco’, meaning imperfect pearl (Carl & Charles, 2012). According to Hauser (1999), the term Baroque at first is used to describe the music of its style that has no coherent melody.

The Renaissance and Baroque periods of music are two very similar and different eras. The Renaissance which began after the end of the Middle Ages in 1450 and ended the beginning of the 1600s, this is where the Baroque period starts. The beginning of the Renaissance period was compromised of sacred and religious music cultivating from the middle ages. Before the Renaissance period music had to be copied and re-written by hand, which was a very difficult task to do continuously. During the Renaissance period however, printing was invented, which made producing music easier and also changed a lot of other things in other areas. The Baroque period on the other hand, spanning 150 years from the beginning of the 1600s to 1750, was divided into three parts: The Early Baroque period, The Middle Baroque period and The Late Baroque period. While these two eras start right after each other, there are a lot of differences between them, this shows how much music can evolve through time.

Classical music had a less complicated texture than Baroque (more homophonic). It emphasis was on beauty, elegance and balance. It had more variety and contrast within a piece than Baroque (dynamics, instruments, pitch, tempo, key, mood and timbre). A composer for this period is Haydn. Joseph Haydn was born in Rohrau, Austria, a village on the border with Hungary. Haydn's parents had noticed that their son was musically gifted. When Haydn turned six, they accepted a proposal from their relative Johann Matthias Frank, a schoolmaster. Haydn was sent off with Frank to Hainburg never again to live with his parents. Life in the Frank household was not easy for Haydn. He began his musical training there, and could soon play

Symphony No. 5, Op.64, in E minor is the concert, performed by the Greenville Symphony Orchestra is the concerto reviewed in this paper. This piece was originally composed in 1888 and under the conducting of Tchaikovsky, performed at Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia. Edvard Tchivehal is the conductor for the Greenville Symphony Orchestra’s performance.