PERIODS OF BAROQUE MUSIC
A. Early Baroque (1580-1630). Music was used to give strong emotional force to the
words. There was a greater use of dissonance. It was the beginning of the differentiation
between vocal and instrumental music.
B. Middle Baroque (1630-1680). Epoch of the opera and the cantata.
C. Late Baroque (1680-1750). The forms acquire great dimensions. The concertato
style appears. Instrumental music dominates vocal.
CHARACTERISTICS OF BAROQUE MUSIC:
- In contrast to Renaissance music, baroque music did
not try only to serve the text, but to embellish and go beyond it.
- In this period of both economic and spiritual crisis
(as a result of the schism in the Church) appeared in all the arts the Expressionism,
where reality is exaggerated or distorted. Music acquired a dramatic and expressive
meaning.
- Contrast was the main characteristic of baroque music.
There was counterpoint in slow and fast tempo.
- Music was written in concertato style, creating a kind of conflict between the orchestra (tutti),
the soloists (concertino) and the soloist.
- A new texture, called accompanied monody, appeared; it was made up of one principal voice
and the rest served as harmonic accompaniment (the Basso Continuo).
- The music had a very marked rhythm.
- Different types of music were not interchangeable;
instrumental music could not be sung and viceversa.
- Instrumental music got more importance. STRADIVARIUS, AMATI and GUARNERI, the greatest instrument makers of all time, created better
instruments such as the violin. Musicians
could play these instruments at great speed, achieving
great virtuosity and perfection.
FORMS OF BAROQUE MUSIC
* INSTRUMENTAL
FORMS: SUITE, SONATA, CONCERTO AND FUGA
* VOCAL FORMS:
-SECULAR: OPERA,
ZARZUELA AND TONADILLA
-RELIGIOUS:
CANTATA, ORATORIO AND PASSION
MUSICIANS
ITALY: VIVALDI, PERI, MONTEVERDI,
CORELLI
GERMANY: SCHÜTZ, PACHELBEL,
TELEMANN, J.S.BACH
ENGLAND: PURCELL, HAËNDEL
FRANCE: LULLY, RAMEAU, COUPERIN, GLUCK
SPAIN: NEBRA, DURÓN,
FATHER SOLER
