Baroque Instrumental Music

6 Features of Baroque Music 1. terraced dynamics – dynamics change suddenly 2. unity of mood – a movement will stay in one mood only 3. continuous melody – the melody continues to unfold and keep going. Hard to find a cadence (resting place) 4. continuous and driving rhythm – a rhythm pattern is usually repeated throughout, and builds momentum

6 Features of Baroque Music 5. chords and the basso continuo – strong bass line played by two players (harpsichord/organ and cello). Chord progression, a set of tones that all belong to the same key 6. polyphonic texture – more than one melody is usually going on at the same time

Instrumental Music Sona - having to do with “sound” i.e., not vocal music

Movement – a part of a work, sounds complete in itself with a beginning middle and end. Think of it like a chapter in a book

Vivaldi Spring Solo Concerto - multi-movement work for orchestra and a soloist – features cadenza Usually 3 movements Fast Slow Fast Cadenza - the part in a concerto where the orchestra stops playing and the soloist is featured.

Vivaldi Spring (cont.) Program music – music that has an extra-musical idea to go along with it. It might be a story, an idea, a picture, or a text.

Toccata and Fugue Prelude – a short musical work which “sets up” a larger work (Toccata in book) Fugue – 1. a method of composition using polyphonic texture and based on a single melody called a subject. 2. a work that is written using the fugue method (think of it in the same way that rap has two meanings – to rhyme, and a type of song that features the rap method)

Suite – a group of dances, usually all are in binary form (AABB)

Passacaglia – a work that is built on an unchanging bass line that is repeated throughout Canon – a rule, or a work that is built on a rule.