1.2 Key characteristics of Baroque music

Baroque music revolutionized harmony and composition with the basso continuo. This technique provided a flexible foundation for melodies, allowing for improvisation and unifying ensembles. It played a crucial role in developing tonal harmony and chord progressions.

Baroque music is characterized by ornate melodies, complex harmonies, and strong rhythms. Performers added ornamentation and improvisation, making each performance unique. Major genres included opera, oratorio, cantata, and various instrumental forms like suites and concertos.

Basso Continuo and Its Significance

Basso continuo in Baroque music

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• Basso continuo, or "continuous bass," is a harmonic accompaniment technique used extensively in Baroque music
  • Consists of a bass line played by a low instrument (cello, bassoon, viola da gamba)
  • Accompanied by a chordal instrument (harpsichord, organ, lute) which realizes the harmonies implied by the bass line
• Provides a harmonic foundation and supports the melodic lines played by other instruments or sung by vocalists
• Allows for flexibility and improvisation in the realization of the harmonies
• Unifies the ensemble and contributes to the overall texture of Baroque compositions
• Played a crucial role in the development of tonal harmony and the concept of chord progressions

Key Features of Baroque Music

Features of Baroque musical elements

• Melody
  • Ornate and elaborate, featuring frequent use of ornamentation (trills, turns, mordents)
  • Often based on short musical motifs or themes that are developed and varied throughout the composition
  • Tend to be longer and more complex compared to earlier musical styles
• Harmony
  • Characterized by the use of tonal harmony, with a clear sense of key and chord progressions
  • Employs a wide range of harmonic devices (suspensions, passing tones, appoggiaturas)
  • Makes use of contrasting textures (polyphony, homophony)
• Rhythm
  • Marked by a strong sense of meter and regular pulse
  • Features rhythmic patterns that are often based on dance forms (sarabande, gigue, minuet)
  • Employs various rhythmic devices (syncopation, hemiola, dotted rhythms)

Ornamentation and improvisation in performance

• Ornamentation
  • Decorative notes or flourishes added to the main melody to enhance expressivity and showcase the performer's technical skill
  • Includes trills, turns, mordents, appoggiaturas, and other embellishments
  • Often indicated in the musical score by symbols or small notes, but performers were expected to add their own ornamentation as well
• Improvisation
  • The art of creating or embellishing music spontaneously during performance
  • Performers were expected to improvise ornaments, cadenzas (solo passages), and even entire sections of a piece
  • Keyboard players (harpsichordists, organists) would improvise chordal accompaniments based on the figured bass (a system of numbers indicating the harmony)
• Both ornamentation and improvisation allowed performers to showcase their creativity, technical ability, and musical interpretation
• These elements added a sense of spontaneity and uniqueness to each performance, making Baroque music highly expressive and engaging

Major Genres of Baroque Music

Major genres of Baroque music

• Opera
  • A dramatic work combining music, singing, and theater
  • Originated in Italy around 1600 and spread throughout Europe
  • Features recitatives (speech-like singing), arias (solo songs), and choruses
  • Notable composers: Claudio Monteverdi, George Frideric Handel, Jean-Baptiste Lully
• Oratorio
  • A large-scale musical work for orchestra, choir, and soloists, typically based on religious texts
  • Similar to opera but without staging, costumes, or acting
  • Gained popularity in the mid-17th century, particularly in Italy and England
  • Notable composers: George Frideric Handel, Johann Sebastian Bach
• Cantata
  • A vocal work for one or more singers, typically accompanied by instruments
  • Can be either sacred (religious) or secular (non-religious) in nature
  • Consists of recitatives, arias, and choruses
  • Notable composers: Johann Sebastian Bach, Dieterich Buxtehude
• Instrumental forms
  • Suite: A collection of dance movements, often in the same key, for solo instruments or ensembles
  • Sonata: A multi-movement work for solo instrument or small ensemble, featuring contrasting sections and moods
  • Concerto: A composition for a solo instrument (or group of solo instruments) accompanied by an orchestra, often featuring virtuosic passages
  • Fugue: A contrapuntal composition in which a short melody (subject) is introduced and then imitated by other voices, creating a complex interweaving of parts
  • Notable composers: Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, Arcangelo Corelli, George Frideric Handel