Baroque Music

The Concerto Comes from concertare (to contend with) –the opposition of two dissimilar bodies of sound Two types of Baroque Concerto –Solo concerto Violin favored instrument Fast-slow-fast scheme –Concerto grosso Tutti or ripieno

Antonio Vivaldi ( ) Known as the “red priest” because of his hair Music master at an all-girl school; although well-established career, died mysteriously in poverty Wrote over 500 concertos, about 230 for violin Wrote operas, cantatas, chamber music, an oratorio, a famous “Gloria” Known as “father of the concerto” (and for establishing the ritornello) Most of his concertos bear descriptive titles (Four Seasons)

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons A group of four violin concertos Use of rapid scale passages, virtuosic Word painting – hear “birds,” etc., in the music. Poems, probably written by the composer, describe each season. Each line of the poem is printed at a particular spot in the music.

“Spring” from Four Seasons Description on p. 446 Poem on p. 447 Ritornello – a recurring theme that unifies the movement

Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos Dedicated to the Margrave Christian of Brandenburg Concerto grosso (big group [tutti or ripieno] vs. little [concertino] group) Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 (p. 450) –Three movement scheme –Concertino: violin, oboe, recorder, trumpet –Ritornello unifies the movement

The Baroque Suite Comes from an earlier tradition of pairing dances of contrasting tempos and characters. A set of dances (standard four w/others) –Allemande –Courante –Sarabande –Gigue Written in the same key Orchestral suites and keyboard suites

Handel’s Water Music Played for a royal party, held by King George I, on the Thames River in London on July 17, (p. 453) Contains 22 numbers, divided into 3 suites Contains many of the “optional” dances; suite movements are not in the standard order Suite in D Major: Allegro, p. 454

Bach and the Chorale Prelude Prelude – a fairly short piece based on the continuous expansion of a melodic or rhythmic figure “pre” – before; a piece played to introduce a group of dance pieces, among others Preludes – used in church Chorale preludes combine hymns with improvisation Bach wrote over 140 organ chorales

Bach’s Chorale Prelude: A Mighty Fortress is Our God p Features imitation and a cantus firmus melody (tune of the hymn) Composed for a three-manual organ

Bach’s Preludes and Fugues Well-Tempered Clavier –To “show off” the new system of tuning keyboards –One Prelude & Fugue in EVERY key –Wrote 2 books of these Preludes – different characters Fugues – imitative pieces (mostly 3 or 4 voices)

Bach’s Prelude and Fugue No. II in C Minor, WTC I Performance on harpsichord Prelude –Perpetual motion –Contains free, cadenza-like section –Ends fast Fugue –3 voices