Paul

Larocque
(Joseph)
 Defining “Baroque”

 Derived from the Italian “barocco,” meaning
“bizarre.”
 The term was coined in the 1860s to describe the
architecture of 17th and 18th century Italy, Germany,
and Austria.
 It began to hold its modern meaning sometime in the
mid-1900s.
 Background & Historical
Context

 Outside of the musical world…
 Art – Rembrandt
 Literature – Shakespeare (died early in the period)
 Science – Galileo (early in the period); also, the
Catholic church was attempting to ban the ideas of
Copernicus…heliocentric universe.
 Philosophy – Descartes, Wolff
 Background & Historical
Context

 The Protestant Reformation (1517), spearheaded by
Martin Luther, greatly influenced the religious
“tide.” The Lutheran church made high use of the
chorale as a form of worship music.
 In Germany, the church was one of the driving forces
behind the creation of music.
 The other major force behind new music was patrons
– wealthy members of society (typically dukes or
other high ranking officials), who kept court
musicians/composers, and commissioned musical
pieces in exchange for room, funding/pay, etc.
 Background & Historical
Context

 In England, the 1600s brought about a great deal of
political turmoil.
 1649 Kings Charles I is put on trial and executed by
Parliament.
 The Commonwealth is established, and in 1653, Oliver
Cromwell becomes Lord Protector…his short reign
ended with the restoration of the monarchy;
however….
 The restored monarchs, Charles II, and later James II,
were not that popular either, so…
 Background & Historical
Context

 Parliament ousted James II and called upon his
daughter, Mary, and her husband, William of Orange
to reign.
 They reigned jointly beginning in 1689.
 Queen Mary’s death in the 1690s left a hole in the
heart of the country.
 The composer, Henry Purcell was called upon to write
the Queen’s funeral ode.
 NOTE: Queen Mary II (referenced above) is not the
queen known as “Bloody Mary.” Queen Mary I
reigned over a century previous.
 Background & Historical
Context

 Composers travelled all over Europe; this was
known as the Grand Tour. It was customary to visit,
stay with, and study under other composers. As a
result, many stylistic differences were passed
between people, and thus integrated into different
musical traditions from country to country. Also,
this helped create a universal baroque vocabulary.
Europe in the Baroque

 Characteristics of the Period

 Contrast used as a dramatic element…
 Differences between loud/soft, soloists/ensembles,
various instruments, etc.
 Composers become more precise about
instrumentation than in previous periods, that is,
they often dictated what instrument was to be used
for a piece, rather than allowing the musician(s) to
decide.
 Characteristics of the Period

 Basso continuo or continuo – a bass part underlying
a piece of concerted music, which is to be played on
a keyboard instrument, as well as a sustaining string
or wind instrument.
 Favoring of the harpsichord; the strings are plucked
and the musician cannot alter the volume through
touch.
 High popularity and use of the violin.
 Characteristics of the Period

 In Germany, counterpoint and fugue are the focus,
therefore, the organ and voice are of high
importance.
 In Italy, the sonata and concerto are being formalized
and popularized.

The organ of the

Thomaskirche,
Leipzig.
 Technical Terms

 Aria – a solo vocal piece with instrumental
accompaniment.
 Recitative – Vocal style in which a text is declaimed
in the rhythm of natural speech, with slight melodic
variation and little instrumental accompaniment.
 Polyphonic - having two or more voices or parts,
each with an independent melody, but all
harmonizing; contrapuntal (opposed to
homophonic).
 Technical Terms

 Fugue - a polyphonic composition based upon one,
two, or more themes, which are enunciated by
several voices or parts in turn, subjected to
contrapuntal treatment, and gradually built up into a
complex form having somewhat distinct divisions or
stages of development and a marked climax at the
end.
 Counterpoint – melodic material that is added above
or below an existing melody to fit together like
puzzle pieces.
 Vocal Music

 Opera – “A drama that is primarily sung,
accompanied by instruments, and presented on
stage. Operas typically alternate between recitative,
speech-like song that advances the plot, and arias,
songs in which characters express feelings at
particular points in the action. Choruses and dances
are also frequently included.” (Baroque.org)
 Vocal Music

 Oratorio – “An extended musical drama, with text
based on religious subject matter, intended for
performance without scenery, costume or action.
Oratorio originally meant ‘prayer hall.’ By the mid
17th century, they were performed in palaces and
public theaters, and were growing increasingly
similar to operas. However, the subject matter,
division into two parts (instead of 3 acts), and
absence of staged action still set them apart.”
(Baroque.org)
 Vocal Music

 Some composers associated with the oratorio are:
 Italy – Vivaldi
 Germany – Bach
 England – Handel
 “In Germany, music composed for the Lutheran
church gradually became fused with elements of the
oratorio.” (Baroque.org)
 Vocal Music

 Cantata – “An extended piece consisting of a
succession of recitatives and set pieces such as arias,
duets, and choruses. Cantatas originated in 17th
century Italy, and began as secular works composed
for solo voice and basso continuo. They were most
likely performed at private social events.”
(Baroque.org)
 J. S. Bach’s 200-plus cantatas were almost all written
for weekly church services.
 Instrumental Music

 Sonata – “is used to describe several types of pieces
in the baroque era; it most commonly designates a
work in several movements, for one or more
instruments (most frequently violins), and basso
continuo; a sonata for 2 violins, or other treble
instruments, and bass was referred to as a trio
sonata.” (Baroque.org)
 Instrumental Music

 Concerto – “Derived from the Italian ‘concertare,’
meaning to join to together/unite, the concerto took
several forms during the era. Early in the period, a
concerto was simply a composition that united a diverse
ensemble consisting of voices, instruments, or both.
Later, the concerto took on its modern definition, a multi-
movement work for an instrumental soloist and orchestra.
The concerto grosso alternates a small group of soloists
with a larger ensemble. The most dominant type of
concerto in the 18th century was the solo concerto, which
featured a single instrument in contrast with an ensemble.
The most prolific composer of the solo concerto was
Vivaldi.” (Baroque.org)
 Instrumental Music

 Suite – “Based on the traditional pairing of dances in
the Renaissance, the suite was the first multi-
movement work for instruments. It was essentially a
series of dances in the same key. Baroque suites
were scored for either solo instruments or an
orchestra; those written for one/two melody
instruments and continuo are sometimes titled
sonata de camera.” (Baroque.org)
 Some Major Baroque
Composers

 Italy – Arcangelo Corelli and Antonio Vivaldi
 Germany – Johann Sebastian Bach
 Germany & England – George Frideric Handel
(predominantly England)
 Arcangelo Corelli
1653-1713

 Born in Fusignano, Italy; studied in Bologna, Italy.
 Established himself in Rome in the 1670s, and
worked for some important musical patrons.
 i.e., Queen Christina of Sweden, 1679
 Arcangelo Corelli

 Formed a very close bond with another patron,
Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni, nephew of Pope Alexander
VIII.
 Note: Such a bond was atypical of the norm.
 His instrumental music was arguably the most
popular in all of Europe.
 Upon his death, he left his entire estate to Cardinal
Ottoboni.
 History has hailed Corelli as the “Father of Modern
Violin Technique,” and “The Father of the Concerto
Grosso.”
 Antonio Vivaldi
1678-1741

 Born in Venice, Italy; he was trained in music as a
child but…
 Ordained to the priesthood in 1703.
 Antonio Vivaldi

 After only a year, Vivaldi decided that he no longer
wanted to celebrate mass. He cited “tightness of the
chest” as his reason. While his complaints may have
legitimately indicated a health issue, some have
argued that he fabricated his health problems in
order to leave the priesthood and pursue a career in
music.
 Began working as a violin teacher for the Ospedale
della Pietà in 1703/04.
 A Note on Ospedali

 Ospedali were often called orphanages, but in fact,
they were boarding schools for the illegitimate
daughters of Venetian noblemen and their
mistresses. They were funded by generous
donations from their “anonymous” benefactors.
Left: The
Metropole
Hotel, Venice.
Right:
Ospedale della
Pietà Church.
 Antonio Vivaldi

 Worked for the Ospedale until 1709, and then from
1711 on. From 1709-11, Vivaldi was not with the
Ospedale. He may have been working for the Teatro
Sant’ Angelo at this time. (Where he later staged
many of his operas.
 In 1713 Vivaldi staged his first opera at the Teatro.
 Vivaldi was commissioned to write works by foreign
rulers as well, such as Louis XV of France.
 Antonio Vivaldi

 Cardinal Ottoboni (the same who was a patron of
Corelli) also became a patron of Vivaldi.
 In addition to writing many operas, Vivaldi also
wrote a number of concertos…one of the most
famous being “The Four Seasons.”
 Much of Vivaldi’s music, including 73 sonatas and
over 100 concertos was written for his students at the
Ospedale.
 Johann Sebastian Bach
1685-1750

 Born in Eisenach, Thuringia, Germany.
 The Bach family was already well established as a
musical family; J.S. Bach’s father was the court
trumpeter for the Duke of Eisenach.
 J.S. Bach

 At a young age, his father taught him to play both
violin and harpsichord.
 When he was 9 years old, his mother passed away;
less than a year later Bach’s father also passed away.
Bach and his brother, Johann Jakob, were taken in by
their eldest brother, Johann Christoph.
 In addition to perfecting his skills on harpsichord,
J.S. also learned to play organ from his brother, J.C.
 J.S. Bach

 At the age of 18, Bach decided to look for
employment as an organist. While waiting for the
organ at Arnstadt to be completed, he was offered,
and accepted the post of violinist at the court of
Duke Johann Ernst, brother of the Duke of Weimar.
 In July 1703, after testing the new organ, he was
offered the post of organist, and accepted.
 Bach was granted leave in 1705 to see the organist
Dietrich Buxtehude…
 J.S. Bach

 Bach extended his leave without permission, and
upon returning to his post, instituted new variations
to the music, and refused to work with the boys
choir, whom he felt were undisciplined. As a result
he was reprimanded by the town council.
 The council later lodged a complaint that Bach had
been entertaining a woman to musical performances
in the church, after hours. At this point Bach began
seeking employment elsewhere.
 J.S. Bach

 Bach held a number of other positions in various
towns throughout his life. He remained an organist
and was appointed to the post of Kapellmeister. He
also served as director of the Collegium Musicum in
Leipzig.
 During his time in Weimar, Bach had a brand new
organ rebuilt, because he felt that it wasn’t large
enough.
 Bach was a master at the organ, and much of his
music was written for the church.
 George Frideric Handel
1685-1759

 Born “Georg Friederich Händel” in Halle, Thuringia,
Germany.
 Handel’s father intended for him to study law.
 At the age of 18, Handel took a job as a violinist in
Hamburg. The following year, his first two operas
were produced.
 Handel

 Handel studied in Italy, with Arcangelo Corelli.
 Handel took the Grand Tour, and met many
influential people including the brother of the
Elector of Hanover (later King George I of England).
 Handel visited Hanover in 1710 and was appointed
Kapellmeister to the Elector. George immediately
sent him on a year’s leave to visit England.
 George Louis was naturalized in 1705 by an Act of
Parliament (England), and became King George I in
1714.
 Handel

 In 1717, the king requested a concert on the Thames,
and commissioned Handel to write new music for
the event. The result was Handel’s “Water Music.”
 King George died in 1727, and shortly before his
death, Handel was naturalized, thus becoming a
British subject. It was then that he adopted the
Anglicized form of his name.
 Handel was commissioned to write music for the
coronation of George II; “Zadok the Priest,” one of
the anthems, has been sung at every coronation
since.
 Handel

 In 1737, Handel suffered a stroke; many felt that he
would never write or perform again, but after six
weeks of therapy, he was seemingly healed, and
continued his work.
 Handel suffered a second stroke in 1743, and again,
was only temporarily “out of commission.”
 Handel lost his sight completely in 1752. He still
continued to perform his organ
concertos…completely from memory.
 Handel is buried in Westminster Abbey.
 Works Cited

“Baroque Composers and Musicians: Antonio Vivaldi.”
Sartorius, Michael. Baroque Music.org. Arton
Internet Publications, n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2012.
<http://baroquemusic.org/bqxvivaldi.html>
“Baroque Composers and Musicians: Arcangelo
Corelli.” Sartorius, Michael. Baroque Music.org.
Arton Internet Publications, n.d. Web. 18 Oct.
2012.<http://baroquemusic.org/
bqxcorelli.html>
 Works Cited

“Baroque Composers and Musicians: George Frideric
Handel.” Sartorius, Michael. Baroque
Music.org. Arton Internet Publications, n.d.
Web. 18 Oct. 2012. <http://baroquemusic.org/
bqxhandel.html>
“Baroque Composers and Musicians: Historical
Context, Geography, Biographical Notes.”
Sartorius, Michael. Baroque Music.org. Arton
Internet Publications, n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.baroquemusic.org/barcomp.html>
 Works Cited

“Baroque Composers and Musicians: Johann Sebastian
Bach.” Sartorius, Michael. Baroque Music.org.
Arton Internet Publications, n.d. Web. 18 Oct.
2012. <http://baroquemusic.org/
bqxjsbach.html>
“Baroque Music.” Music of the Baroque. Music of the
Baroque, 2012. Web. 5 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.baroque.org/baroque/
composers.htm>
 Works Cited

“Baroque Music.” Music of the Baroque. Music of the
Baroque, 2012. Web. 5 Nov. 2012. < http://
www.baroque.org/baroque/whatis.htm>
“Baroque Music Defined.” Sartorius, Michael. Baroque
Music.org. Arton Internet Publications, n.d.
Web. 18 Oct. 2012. <http://
www.baroquemusic.org/bardefn.html>