14.3 Neo-Baroque trends in 20th and 21st-century music

Neo-Baroque music emerged in the 20th century, blending Baroque elements with modern techniques. Composers like Stravinsky and Hindemith revived Baroque forms, counterpoint, and ornamentation, while adding contemporary twists.

This fusion of old and new expanded the classical repertoire and sparked renewed interest in Baroque music. Neo-Baroque works showcase the enduring influence of Baroque style and reflect postmodern aesthetics in their eclectic approach.

Understanding Neo-Baroque Music

Concept of Neo-Baroque music

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• Emerged in the 20th century, drawing inspiration from the Baroque period (c. 1600-1750)
• Composers incorporate elements and techniques from Baroque music into their contemporary compositions
• Characteristic features include
  • Use of Baroque forms (concerto grosso, suite, passacaglia)
  • Emphasis on counterpoint and polyphonic textures
  • Incorporation of Baroque-style ornamentation and figuration
  • Tonal harmony, often with a modern twist or extended tonality
  • Revival of Baroque instruments (harpsichord, recorder)
  • Juxtaposition of Baroque elements with modern compositional techniques and aesthetics

Composers of Neo-Baroque style

• Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
  • Composed "Pulcinella" (1920), a ballet based on themes attributed to Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
  • Created "Dumbarton Oaks Concerto" (1938), a concerto in the style of a Baroque concerto grosso
• Paul Hindemith (1895-1963)
  • Wrote "Kammermusik" series (1922-1927), a set of chamber works incorporating Baroque forms and techniques
  • Composed "Ludus Tonalis" (1942), a piano work modeled after J.S. Bach's "The Well-Tempered Clavier"
• Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959)
  • Composed "Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano, and Timpani" (1938), a work inspired by Baroque concerto grosso form
• Michael Nyman (b. 1944)
  • Created "The Draughtsman's Contract" (1982), a film score that incorporates Baroque-style music
• Peter Maxwell Davies (1934-2016)
  • Composed "Eight Songs for a Mad King" (1969), a theatrical work that includes elements of Baroque music and extended vocal techniques

Analyzing and Evaluating Neo-Baroque Music

Reinterpretation of Baroque elements

• Reinterpretation of Baroque forms and structures
  • Adapting concerto grosso form to feature modern instruments and extended techniques
  • Incorporating Baroque dance forms (sarabande, gigue) into contemporary compositions
• Integration of Baroque compositional techniques
  • Using counterpoint and fugal techniques in a modern context
  • Employing Baroque-style ornamentation and figuration within a contemporary harmonic framework
• Juxtaposition of Baroque and modern elements
  • Combining Baroque instruments with modern orchestration and electronic elements
  • Contrasting Baroque-inspired passages with avant-garde or experimental techniques

Significance in contemporary classical music

• Revival of interest in Baroque music and historically informed performance practice
  • Neo-Baroque composers helped spark a renewed appreciation for Baroque music and its performance traditions
• Expansion of the contemporary classical music repertoire
  • Neo-Baroque works contribute to the diversity of styles and influences in 20th and 21st-century classical music
• Demonstration of the enduring influence of Baroque music
  • The Neo-Baroque movement highlights the continued relevance and adaptability of Baroque musical elements in a modern context
• Reflection of postmodern aesthetics
  • Neo-Baroque music often embodies postmodern ideas (eclecticism, pastiche, blurring of boundaries between musical eras and styles)