14.2 Performance practices and interpretation

Baroque performance practices shaped the sound and style of music from 1600 to 1750. Key elements like basso continuo, terraced dynamics, and improvisation defined the era's unique musical character. These practices influenced how musicians approached composition and performance.

Baroque instruments evolved during this period, with developments in strings, woodwinds, and keyboards. The contrast between historically informed performances and modern interpretations highlights ongoing debates about authenticity and accessibility in Baroque music today.

Baroque Performance Practices

Key practices of Baroque music

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• Basso continuo
  • Provides harmonic foundation using keyboard instrument (harpsichord, organ) and bass instrument (cello, bassoon)
  • Realized from figured bass notation, a shorthand indicating chords and intervals
• Terraced dynamics
  • Features sudden changes between loud and soft sections, creating dramatic contrasts
  • Differs from the gradual dynamic changes characteristic of later musical periods (Classical, Romantic)
• Articulation and phrasing
  • Focuses on clear, crisp articulation to emphasize the clarity of melodic lines
  • Employs frequent use of slurs and detached notes to shape musical phrases
  • Shapes phrases according to the contours and expression of the melodic line
• Tempo and rhythm
  • Maintains a steady, consistent tempo within individual movements of a piece
  • Incorporates rhythmic patterns such as notes inégales (unequal notes) in French Baroque music to add variety
  • Frequently uses dance rhythms (sarabande, gigue, minuet) as the basis for instrumental compositions

Role of improvisation and ornamentation

• Improvisation
  • Expects performers to embellish and vary repeated sections, adding their own creative flair
  • Requires keyboard players to improvise over the figured bass, creating a unique accompaniment
  • Allows soloists to improvise cadenzas in concertos, showcasing their technical skill and musicality
• Ornamentation
  • Adds trills, mordents, turns, and other ornaments to the written music to enhance expression
  • Relies on performers' knowledge of appropriate style and placement of ornaments within the musical context
  • Uses ornaments to emphasize important notes and create expressive effects, such as tension and release
• Diminutions
  • Employs the technique of breaking down longer notes into shorter, more elaborate passages
  • Displays virtuosity and adds variety in both vocal and instrumental music
  • Allows performers to showcase their technical abilities and improvisation skills

Baroque Instruments and Interpretation

Development of Baroque instruments

• String instruments
  • Develops the violin family (violin, viola, cello) into its modern form during the Baroque era
  • Uses gut strings and shorter, lighter bows, affecting articulation and phrasing
  • Employs the Baroque bow grip (underhand) to allow for greater control and expressiveness
• Woodwinds
  • Features the Baroque flute, made of wood and with fewer keys than the modern flute
  • Utilizes the Baroque oboe, characterized by a wider bore and a more penetrating sound
  • Develops the bassoon from the dulcian, incorporating a wider bore and more keys for improved range and agility
• Brass instruments
  • Employs natural trumpets and horns without valves, limiting the available notes to the harmonic series
  • Requires specialized skill for trumpet players to perform clarino playing in the high register
• Keyboard instruments
  • Utilizes the harpsichord and organ as the primary keyboard instruments of the Baroque era
  • Recognizes the harpsichord's limited dynamic range but values its ability to facilitate quick, agile playing
  • Employs the organ for both solo and accompaniment roles, particularly in sacred music

Baroque vs modern performance

• Historically informed performance (HIP)
  • Aims to recreate the sounds and styles of the Baroque era as authentically as possible
  • Utilizes period instruments or modern replicas to achieve a historically accurate sound
  • Adheres to Baroque performance practices, such as ornamentation and articulation, to maintain stylistic integrity
• Modern interpretations
  • Performs Baroque music on modern instruments with updated techniques and technologies
  • Incorporates Baroque elements alongside influences from Romantic and modern musical styles
  • Emphasizes personal expression and individual interpretation, allowing for greater artistic freedom
• Balancing authenticity and accessibility
  • Debates the value of strictly adhering to historical practices versus making Baroque music accessible to modern audiences
  • Recognizes the need to engage contemporary listeners and make Baroque music relevant in today's musical landscape
  • Combines historical knowledge with contemporary musical sensibilities to create meaningful and impactful performances