Questions/Outline for your paper
Length: 6-7 pages. Use a minimum of four to five sources. Include text citations and
bibliography.
Biography Questions: (This portion should be 2-3 pages long, please do not discuss pieces here)
1. When and when was he born?
2. Who were his parents and what did they do for a living?
3. How many siblings did he have, were they musical?
4. Who were his teachers and musical influences?
5. What was his religion?
6. Did religion influence his music?
7. Where did he go to school?
8. Where did he work and for whom?
9. Was he married and to whom?
10. Did he and his wife have children?
11. Did her children study music and with whom did they study music?
12. Did he have psychological disorders or illnesses?
13. If so, how were they treated?
14. What were some interesting things about his life or events that happened in his life that are
unique?
15. Where and when did he die and how?
16. Where is he buried?
17. Who did he influence or who were some of his most famous pupils?
Music Period, Genres, and Characteristics of his Style: (1-2 pages, please use your book upon which I
base my lectures for this portion of the paper)
•
In which period did he live including dates from the period? (Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque,
or Classical)
•
What was the historical context of this period (write one paragraph on this)
•
What were the musical characteristics of this period. (write one paragraph on these
characteristics) (see the pictures attached please for reference)
•
What types of genres did he compose (provide a list) For example, Beethoven composed 9
Symphonies, 1 Opera, 1 Mass, 32 Piano Sonatas, 5 Piano Concertos and 1 violin concerto.
Your Own Analysis (1-2 pages, please do not use 1st person)
•
Choose one or two pieces by your composer which you like. (choose one of these: Don Giovanni,
Symphony No. 40, Piano Concerto No. 23)
•
Define the Genre of the piece you chose.
•
Describe the pieces including instrumentation, number of movements, form of each movement
discussing one movement at a time.
•
Give some of your own thoughts but do not use the 1st person. (For example, you could say:
“The piece has lively rhythms.” Rather than saying: “I like the lively rhythms of this piece.”).
Concluding Paragraph
Please write a concluding paragraph.
Please use 4-5 Sources and cite them in your paper. Also, include a bibliography.
Characteristics of Baroque Music
Unity of Mood A baroque piece usually expresses one basic mood: what begins
joyfully will remain joyful throughout. Emotional states like joy, grief, and agitation
were represented at the time, these moods were called affections. Composers molded
Characteristics of Baroque Music
Unity of Mood A baroque piece usually expresses one basic mood: what begins
joyfully will remain joyful throughout. Emotional states like joy, grief, and agitation
were represented at the time, these moods were called affections. Composers molded
1 | Baroque Music (1600-1750)
123
a musical language to depict the affections; specific rhythms or melodic patterns were
associated with specific moods. This common language gives a family resemblance to
much late baroque music.
The prime exception to this baroque principle of unity of mood occurs in vocal
music. Striking changes of emotion in a text may inspire corresponding changes in
the music. But even in such cases, one mood is maintained at some length before it
yields to another.
Rhythm Unity of mood in baroque music is conveyed, first of all, by continuity of
rhythm. Rhythmic patterns heard at the beginning of a piece are repeated throughout
it. This rhythmic continuity provides a compelling drive and energy-the forward
motion is rarely interrupted. The beat, for example, is emphasized far more in baroque
music than in most Renaissance music.
Melody Baroque melody also creates a feeling of continuity. An opening melody will
be heard again and again in the course of a baroque piece. And even when a melody is
presented in varied form, its character tends to remain constant. There is a continuous
expanding, unfolding, and unwinding of melody. This sense of directed motion is fre-
quently the result of a melodic sequence, that is, successive repetition of a musical idea
at higher or lower pitches. Many baroque melodies sound elaborate and ornamental,
and they are not easy to sing or remember. A baroque melody gives an impression of
dynamic expansion rather than of balance or symmetry. A short opening phrase is
often followed by a longer phrase with an unbroken flow of rapid notes.
and harp-
Dynamics Paralleling continuity of rhythm and melody in baroque music is con-
tinuity of dynamics: the level of volume tends to stay fairly constant for a stretch of
time. When the dynamics do shift, the shift is sudden, like physically stepping from
one level to another. This alternation between loud and soft is called terraced dynam-
ics. Gradual changes through crescendo and decrescendo are not prominent features
of baroque music. However, singers and instrumentalists no doubt made some subtle
dynamic inflections for expressive purposes.
The main keyboard instruments of the baroque period were the organ
sichord, both well suited for continuity of dynamics. An organist or harpsichordist
could not obtain a crescendo or decrescendo by varying finger pressure, as pianists
today can. A third keyboard instrument, the clavichord, could make gradual dynamic
changes, but only within a narrow range—from about ppp to mp. (The clavichord
produced sound by means of brass blades striking the strings. It was usually not used
in large halls, since its tone was too weak. But for home use by amateurs it was ideal;
its cost was low and its expressive sound satisfying. It had especially wide popularity
in Germany.)
Texture We've noted that late baroque music is predominantly polyphonic in
texture: two or more melodic lines compete for the listener's attention. Usually, the
soprano and bass lines are the most important. Imitation between the various lines, or
“voices," of the texture is very common. A melodic idea heard in one voice is likely to
make an appearance in the other voices as well.
However, not all late baroque music was polyphonic. A piece might shift in tex-
ture, especially in vocal music, where changes of mood in the words demand musical
contrast. Also, baroque composers differed in their treatment of musical texture. Bach
inclined toward a consistently polyphonic texture, whereas Handel used much more
contrast between polyphonic and homophonic sections.
Chords and the Basso Continuo Chords became increasingly important dur-
ing the baroque period. In earlier times, there was more concern with the beauty of
individual melodic lines than with chords formed when the lines were heard together.
Period
In a sense, chords were mere by-products of the motion of melodic lines. But in the
baroque period chords became significant in themselves. As composers wrote a me.
lodic line, they thought of chords to mesh with it
. Indeed, sometimes they composed a
melody to fit a specific chord progression. This interest in chords gave new prominence
to the bass part, which served as the foundation of the harmony. The whole musical
structure rested on the bass part.
The new emphasis on chords and the bass part resulted in the most characteristic
feature of baroque music, an accompaniment called the basso continuo (Italian for
continuous bass). The continuo-to use the common abbreviation for basso continuo-
is usually played by at least two instruments: a keyboard instrument like an organ or a
harpsichord and a low melodic instrument like a cello or bassoon. With the left hand
the organist or harpsichordist plays the bass part, which is also performed by the cellist
or bassoonist. With the right hand the keyboard player improvises chords following
the indications of numbers (figures) above the bass part. This bass part with numbers
(figures) is called a figured bass. The numbers specify only basic chords, not the exact
way in which the chords should be played. Thus the performer is given a great deal of
freedom. (This shorthand system is similar in principle to the chord indications found
on the modern song sheets from which jazz pianists improvise.) Shown here is the
beginning of the continuo part of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, first movement
(studied in Section 3), and one possible performance or realization of this part by a
harpsichordist.
Basso continuo part
6
6
6
q 보
Harpsichord realization
9 부
De
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The basso continuo offered the advantage of emphasizing the all-important bass
part, besides providing a steady flow of chords. Practically, the use of numbers, rather
than chords with all their notes written out, saved time for busy baroque composers.
It also saved paper during a period when paper was expensive.
Words and Music Like their predecessors in the Renaissance, baroque compos-
ers used music to depict the meaning of specific words. Heaven might be set to a high
tone, and hell to a low tone. Rising scales represented upward motion; descending
scales depicted the reverse. Descending chromatic scales were associated with pain and
grief. This descriptive musical language was quite standardized: a lament for a lost love
might call forth the same descending chromatic scale used to depict suffering in the
Crucifixus of the mass.
Baroque composers often emphasized words by writing many rapid notes for a
syllable of text; this technique also displayed a singer's virtuosity. The individual words
and phrases of a text are repeated over and over as the music continuously unfolds.
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