The Baroque Era Music, art and architecture

What should I know about the Baroque Era?  Music:  Counterpoint: Structure & Ornament  Bach, Vivaldi, Handel  Art:  Drama! Drama! Drama!  Lush and fanciful: Stuff the canvas  Bernini, Rubens, Velázquez  Architecture:  Symmetry  Swarming and swirling spaces  Trevi Fountain, Ottobeuren Basilica  Music:  Counterpoint: Structure & Ornament  Bach, Vivaldi, Handel  Art:  Drama! Drama! Drama!  Lush and fanciful: Stuff the canvas  Bernini, Rubens, Velázquez  Architecture:  Symmetry  Swarming and swirling spaces  Trevi Fountain, Ottobeuren Basilica

The Age of Reason  New modes of thinking and scientific discoveries arose in the 17th century  Two schools of thought:  Rationalist: all knowledge can be gained through reason alone  Empiricist: all knowledge must be gained through the senses, experience  New modes of thinking and scientific discoveries arose in the 17th century  Two schools of thought:  Rationalist: all knowledge can be gained through reason alone  Empiricist: all knowledge must be gained through the senses, experience

ART in the Baroque Emphasis on the drama of experience. Bernini turned a Nun’s Spiritual Experience into a real emotional climax. Contemplate the St. Theresa below, painted in the Renaissance Period, BEFORE the Baroque. Emphasis on the drama of experience. Bernini turned a Nun’s Spiritual Experience into a real emotional climax. Contemplate the St. Theresa below, painted in the Renaissance Period, BEFORE the Baroque.

Bernini: The Ecstasy of St. Theresa

 Velázquez  Painted portraits for Spanish royalty  Importance of the individual  Attention to detail  Velázquez  Painted portraits for Spanish royalty  Importance of the individual  Attention to detail

 RUBENS

Baroque Architecture  Symmetry and structure are key

 Baroque Architecture reads like an episode of “Pimp My Cathedral”  EVERYTHING must be Decorated!  Baroque Architecture reads like an episode of “Pimp My Cathedral”  EVERYTHING must be Decorated!

Trevi Fountain, Rome

Baroque Music  Expresses the Order of the universe through highly structured musical forms  Lively: Many forms were taken from old dances like the Minuet, Gigue, and Gavotte  Counterpoint: two independent voices weaving together  Expresses the Order of the universe through highly structured musical forms  Lively: Many forms were taken from old dances like the Minuet, Gigue, and Gavotte  Counterpoint: two independent voices weaving together

 Johann Joseph Fux, Baroque composer and theorist states the aim of perfectly Baroque music: "A composition meets the demands of good taste if it is well constructed, avoids trivialities as well as willful eccentricities, aims at the sublime, but moves in a natural ordered way, combining brilliant ideas with perfect workmanship."  Johann Joseph Fux, Baroque composer and theorist states the aim of perfectly Baroque music: "A composition meets the demands of good taste if it is well constructed, avoids trivialities as well as willful eccentricities, aims at the sublime, but moves in a natural ordered way, combining brilliant ideas with perfect workmanship."

Baroque Instruments  Organ  Harpsichord  Strings!  Limited winds, brass, percussion  Organ  Harpsichord  Strings!  Limited winds, brass, percussion

The Organ

The harpsichord

J.S. Bach  Over 1,100 works!!  BWV: his own opus system for numerating his works  Over 1,100 works!!  BWV: his own opus system for numerating his works

Not to be confused with “Sebastian Bach” of Skid Row

… or the Terminator

J.S. Bach Facts  God, Music, Family  Most compositions were of a sacred nature, as he worked for the church  Prolific father: 20 Children!!!  Organist by trade  : these dates also mark the height of the Baroque era  Never left Germany!  God, Music, Family  Most compositions were of a sacred nature, as he worked for the church  Prolific father: 20 Children!!!  Organist by trade  : these dates also mark the height of the Baroque era  Never left Germany!

He didn’t get around much…  This map reflects the 100 mile area in which Bach traveled in his lifetime.

 The Red Priest - on account of his red hair

 Worked with orphan girls at the Ospedale in Venice, Italy  Many compositions were exercises for these young musicians  Over 400 violin concerti! Yeah!  Worked with orphan girls at the Ospedale in Venice, Italy  Many compositions were exercises for these young musicians  Over 400 violin concerti! Yeah! Not your normal orphanage: Many noblemen had illegitimate children in Venice. Because of their proximity to the city, they could still take care of their offspring by giving money to the orphanage, thereby sponsoring quite a fancy music program.

Follow-up Questions 1.How is music from the Baroque era different than music written today? 2.Are any of the pieces we have played in class from the Baroque period? 3.How are the instruments you play today different from those in the Baroque era? 1.How is music from the Baroque era different than music written today? 2.Are any of the pieces we have played in class from the Baroque period? 3.How are the instruments you play today different from those in the Baroque era?