2020-music for the listener(mus174)-baroque music PDF

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2020-music for the listener(mus174)-baroque music...

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Baroque Music The approximate dates of the Baroque period in music are 1600 – 1750 Handel – an important composer of music in the Baroque period Characteristics of Baroque Music 1. 2. 3. 4.

Grandiosity Terraced dynamics Drama Religious intensity

Recitatives 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Sung in a somewhat reciting style Rhythmic freedom Homophonic texture Economical coverage of the text The words could be heard more easily The single melody could have a wider range

An important instrument in the Baroque period was the harpsichord Except for recitatives, the rhythm in Baroque music was definitely metrical A feature of Baroque music was the use of terraced dynamics Because there was no body of established music, many Baroque composers wrote a tremendous amount of music Baroque orchestras performed with only the keyboard player indicating when to begin During the Baroque period, the modes were largely abandoned in favor of major and minor keys Doctrine of affections – the belief that music could project rather specific feelings An acoustical quirk of nature in tuning called the “Pythagorean comma” was compensated for by equal temperament Oratorios and cantatas have no actions, costumes, or scenery Oratorios 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Has a biblical text Includes choruses, recitatives, arias, and solos Is long Has two sections for orchestra alone Choruses usually have portions with the voice parts in imitation

There are many examples of text or word painting in oratorios and cantatas Virtuoso – someone who is a highly skilled performer Chorales – hymns to be sung by congregations in Lutheran churches

Baroque Music Arias 1. 2. 3. 4.

Forms such as AB or ABA Virtuoso passages Metrical rhythm The repeating of lines of words

The cantatas of J.S. Bach are usually built around a chorale melody Opera began when a group of noblemen wished to recreate musical dramas similar to ancient Greek dramas The role of king or authority figure in an opera is usually sung by a bass The leading male role is often sung by a tenor Libretto – the text or words of an opera Almost all the words of an opera are sung Many operas during the Baroque were based on characters from Greek and Roman mythology Ostinato – a persistently repeated, rather short phrase in music The role of a heroic young man in an opera will probably be sung by a tenor Monteverdi – an important composer of early operas The singing style used in operas is powerful and dramatic because…    

Opera is a highly dramatic type of music The powerful and dramatic singing style has become a tradition The singing needs to be heard over an orchestra The singing needs to be heard throughout the hall without amplification

The combination of music and words can have a much greater emotional impact on listeners than just the words without music The reason for “Dido’s Lament” in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas was because Aeneas had to leave Carthage to found Rome...