Essay on Baroque Music

The Baroque Period

The baroque period started around 1600 and terminated in 1750. Baroque is borrowed from the Portuguese word barroco. Baroque period was before the commencement of the classical period. Music of this era was penned in innumerable styles by many composers in a series of 150 years. The baroque period assembled all forms of music and ideas. This was a period when writers explored with different instruments, forms, and polyphonic textures. During this time new musical styles, such as opera, cantata, and concerto evolved.

Evolution of Musical Forms

As forms, such as motet or dances, from prior eras continued to be used, the growth of new genres sparked the need to evolve due to interest in music. Forms within the Baroque era evolved from this immense interest in music specifically cantata, opera, and oratorio, which were classified under vocal music. The urge to develop extensive forms in the instrumental dimension led to the emergence of sonata, suite, and concerto, which were classified under instrumental music.

Opera

Opera is sung with the embellishment of instruments and a presentation on stage. This form involves the expression of emotions at a specific point in the activity by the characters involved. Opera includes narrating and dialogue in songs that approach the arias and the plot (Kerman np). During the 17th century, opera was correlated with group activities of musicians, poets, and Florence scholars. The first opera Jacopo Peri’s Dafne was founded on a libretto by Ottavio Rinuccini, which was executed in Florence in 1598. The original masque executed leading-edge is Claudio Monteverdi’s Orfeo in 1607. The first allegories course was acquired from Greek fable with an aim to exhilarate music of archaic cultures. The first operas were executed exclusively dignified circles for proposed guest. In 1637 general opera houses were established in Venice and the form was modified to the inclination of the audience. Later on, in the 17th century, Italian form of opera spread to all European countries.

Cantata

Cantata consists of duets, choruses, and set pieces which are recitatives. Composed for basso continuo and solo voice, cantata commenced as secular work originating from Italy in the early 17th century. Its performance was mainly dedicated to exclusive cordial gatherings (Kerman np). During mid-century, performances were highly done by professionals and were often not published. Towards the end of 17th century, cantatas consisted of orchestral embellishments and incorporated de capo aria. Italian cantata composers include Antonio Cesti, Luigi Rossi, Alessandro Stradella and others.

Concerto

Concerto is borrowed from the Italian word concertare meaning unite. In the 18th century, this genre consisted of both voices and instruments. Revered works consisting of both instruments and voices were termed as concertos while comparable materialistic work was termed as cantatas or arie (airs). Composers of extensive revered concertos include Claudio Monteverdi, Heinrich Schutz, Michael Praetorius, Johann Hermann and Samuel Scheidt. In the late 17th century, concerto evolved to a group of instrumental solists and orchestra (Kerman np). The solo concerto, which highlighted one instrument, was highly preeminent in the 18th century. Antonio Vivaldi was the most proficient writer with approximately 350 works. Majority of the solo concertos were penned for violin, while others were penned for trumpet, flute, bassoon, and oboe concertos.

Baroque Music Characteristics

Baroque period led to new sound values with characterized contrast that was the most assertive aspect and the climax of baroque music. In the concerto genre, dissimilar instruments and timbers were vital in the composition of baroque music. Composers were more specific on the instruments to be used in a particular piece of work. The violin and the trumpet were highly used in the composition.

Monody and Basso Continuo

Monody, which is both melody and harmony, was another feature in Baroque music. Monody was disclosed during the Baroque period. In this era, composers focused less on polyphony and concentrated more on one voice with a simple accompaniment or monody. Claudio Monteverdi’s work Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda is an illustration of monody (Kerman np). On the emphasis of one melody and bass line, basso continuo was introduced. In this method, a tune and bass line are penned and the symphonic filler is highlighted in shorthand. The Baroque era is also named after basso continuo, which means the age of the detailed bass.

Instrumentation and Performance Technique

Various instrumental resonances were popular in baroque music after dismissal for quite a long time. Baroque era incorporated the use of pitch in their compositions. Timbre was also used and the harpsichord was the major keyboard instrument. Other instruments, like the viol and lute, were still used while string instruments used gut strings to produce a mellow tone. Performance technique was key during this era. The bow vibrato technique, which is the waving movement of the bow, was of broad preference (Kerman np). The finger vibrato technique, when the string player places the fingernail on the string to augment the tenor, was scarcely used for articulate periods.

Notable Musicians of the Baroque Era

Some of the Baroque era musicians are Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), one of the best composers whose popular works were “The Unaccompanied Cello Suites,” ”Double Violin Concerto,” ”Air on a G String”; Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713), an Italian composer, tutor, and violinist, whose popular works were ”Christmas Concerto,” ”Concerto Grossi,” ”Sonata da camera in D Minor”; George Philip Telemann (1681-1767), friend to both Handel and Bach, was a great composer and musician. His popular works were ”(The) Paris Quartets,” ”Viola Concerto in G,” ”Trio Sonata in C Minor.” Majority of musicians in Baroque era were mostly from Germany and Italy. Some of the Italian musicians were Arcangelo Corelli, Girolamo Frescobaldi, Claudio Monteverdi. German musicians included Heinrich Schutz, Georg Philipp Telemann, Jean-Baptise Lully. Previously Baroque music was highly criticized in comparison to the present times, when it is highly appreciated and recognized as a trend of art. Oratorio, opera and concerto genres commenced during this era and are still used today.

Works cited

Kerman, Joseph, Gary Tomlinson, and Vivian Kerman. Listen. Macmillan, 2011.