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Baroque:
Conventions changes (gradually)
Composers write all accidentals they want to hear
Mensuration signs
Precise indication about instrumentation (idiomatic writing)

Two encyclopedic works à Four treatises (classical, rococo, and galant style:
Quantz, flute
C. P. E. Bach, keyboard
L. Mozart, violin
J. F. Agricola, singing

Also, supplemented by diaries and memoirs, newspapers and periodicals, and letters
Paintings and engravings: number of musicians and their disposition, informative illustrations
(instruments)

National styles (French and Italian music)

Improvising a chordal accompaniment over a basso continuo: brilliant and expressive: dynamic
nuance

Italian composers:
Opera invention (recitatives and arias)
Instrumental music
Violin development
Thoroughbass requirement

French composers:
Tragedies lyriques
Dance music = rhythmic detail
Fragile sound/accompaniment
ORNAMENTATION!

Bass lines: to double singers in secular and sacred repertoire

Organ-basses with basso seguente
How to play all the notes correctly, complete, and with some variations in instruments
availability/performers skills

Italian operas: chordal accompanying plus one melodic instrument. Division between
foundation and ornamenting instruments. Corelli specified ‘violone o cembalo). C. P. E. Bach
suggested a keyboard and cello as “the most complete accompaniment.”

French opera:
Harpsichord reduction: one plays cello and/or bass for singers supporting. The other plays cello,
bassoon, and double bass to support principal string sections.

Dynamic range:
Used from Renaissance in motets and madrigals, later displaced by refined instruments with a
solo potential developed. “Terraced dynamic” example: concerto-ripieno contrasts with
Concerto grosso

Vibrato:
Violin and castrato power open a dynamic nuance that was seen as an ornament. Less used in
1636 and considered a “late invention,” some writers suggested to remove this concept in
orchestral music due to the tuning.

Ornamentation (Italy):
Allowed more embellishment and enhanced the rubato and dynamic development. Repetitions,
brief cadenzas at the beginning and end that were not written by the composer, like graces
(appoggiaturas, mordents, slides, and so forth) in slow and fast movements.

Instead of this, French ornamentation must be performed as is written. Period.

Italian rubato (Frescobaldi): Free tempo

French rhythmic variation: music from their countryman that is performed different as is
written.

Notes inegales: derived from dance forms and rhythms. Dotted notes

Tempo: was contradictory for some performers, so, Quantz created an approximated table for
standardize them.

Period intruments: instrumental improvements to recreate a former/original instrument

version to play modern music. In voice, castrato was replaced with female voices, but it loses its
strength and original force from Composer’s conception.

If you’re playing and old instrument, you need to acquire the old performance techniques.

Tuning: Chor Thon (church organs) and Cammer Thon (chamber pitch) lower a minor third.
Allowed the tone pureness, especially the 3rds.

The ensemble personnel differed from ensembles, from nine players to big orchestras, like
modern ones.

Orchestration (baroque flute, the oboe and recorder) and effects (diminuendo, crescendo).
Choral performance is still small in force as was in Bach’s time.
How to express vibrato without force?
Why harpsichord reductions didn’t play high register?