LESSON 4: Music in the Baroque Era (1600 – 1750)

Part 2: Instrumental Music

Improvement on the making of instruments from 1650s to 1700s.

— Organ:
♪ Arp Schnitger and Gottfried Silbermann (German) influenced from the
French full organ.
♪ With a great variety of registration including flute pipes, mixtures
(upper partials add with the fundamentals, and reeds

— Harpsichord and Clavichord:

♪ The chief instrument for the realization of basso continuo and
chamber music.
♪ Range: around 4 octaves; with 4; with 4 to 8 stops.
♪ By 17th century, a second level manual added for dynamic contrast.

— String instruments:
♪ The age of great violinmakers of Cremona, Italy: Nicolò Amati (1596 –
1684), Antonio Stradivari (1644 – 1737), Giuseppe Bartolomeo
Guarneri (1698 – 1744).
♪ Also make the age of great string music in Italy.

Music for Organ

— Baroque Organ became popular in Europe.
— Genre:
1. Toccata and Prelude: Improvisatory, technically demanding.
2. Fugue: imitative counterpoint.
3. Chorale Prelude (Lutheran): played by the organ before the chorale
was sung.

Music for Harpsichord

— Genre:
1. Suite: Group of dances in binary form from different countries.
Standard setting:
a. Prelude: Free composition.
b. Allemande: German Dance, moderate tempo, in 4 with
upbeat.
c. Courante (Italian) or Courrente (French): fast in triple-
meter with upbeat.
d. Sarabande: Slow Spanish dance, in triple meter, accent
on the 2nd beat.
e. Gigue: fast English Dance in compound meter (in 3 or 6).
 f. Option dances: usually in between Sarabande and Gigue
i. *Bourree (French): in 2, starts on the 2nd
beat.
ii. *Gavotte (German): in 4, starts on the 3rd
beat
iii. *Minuet: in triple meter.
*all in moderate tempo, Form: AABB(CCDDAB)

2. Partita: Similar to Suite, something with prelude, something ended

with Chaconne or Passacaglia
a. Chaconne: a continuous variation form, based on the
chord progression of a late 16th century dance imported
from Spain and Italy from Latin America. Usually in Triple
meter and major mode; had a few stereotyped bass lines
with harmonic ostinatos.
b. Passacaglia: based on a four (eight)-bar ostinato in triple
meter for long sets of continuous variations as well as
vocal pieces, tended to be in minor. The bass line might
change in successive phrased, or extra harmonies might
be inserted.

3. Theme and Variation: Thematic material from aria, dance or chorale

melody.

Les barricades mystérieuses by François Couperin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf-LMHrslHw

French Suite No. 5, Gavotte by J. S. Bach

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64zqY2cNDJI (from 10’23”)

Ensemble Sonata:
— Sonata da Chiesa (Church Sonata): 4 movements
♪ 1st movement: Slow, majestic, homophonic (French Overture like)
♪ 2nd movement: fast, fugal composition
♪ 3rd movement: Triple meter, lyrical, like an aria
♪ 4th movement: fast, dance form, usually in 3.

— Sonata da Camera (Chamber Sonata): Group of dance movements, like a

Suite

Performance format:
— Solo Sonata:
 ♪ One solo player (violin, flute, viola da gamba, or other instruments) +
basso continuo (3 players, sometimes accompany by the harpsichord
or organ only).
— Trio Sonata:
♪ 2 treble instruments (usually violins) + basso continuo (with the
harpsichord or organ to fill in the implies harmonies). 4 players
altogether.

Unaccompanied Sonata: only one instrument was played, no any accompaniment.

Arcangelo Corelli (1653 – 1713)

— A well-known performer and composer.
— Active in Bologna and Rome.
— Published works included Trio Sonatas (Op. 1 – 4, both chiesa and camera),
Solo Sonatas (Op. 5), Concerto Grossi (Op. 6)
— Trio Sonatas became the most important Italian chamber music in 17th
century.

Trio Sonata Op. 3 No. 2 by Arcangelo Corelli

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwJRzYv6HNI

Improvisation of Musical Performance

— Adding ornaments and embellishment was a common practice in Baroque
era.
— Figured basses realization: improvising chords, arpeggios even
counterpoints.
— Cadenza then inserted in pieces.
— Showing off the playing skills.

Orchestra Music
— Opera influent
— With a conductor / leader, usually lead by the harpsichord player.
— Genre:
1. Sinfonia (Italian): introductory piece in an opera, Fast – slow – fast in 1
movement.
2. Overture (French): slow dotted rhythm section followed with a fugal
section in 1 movement.
3. Concerto: (Contrast)
♪ Ritornello form: Alternating with solo and ripieno (tutti).
♪ Soloist: virtuoso playing was required.

i. Solo Concerto: one soloist + an orchestra

Spring (from Four Season) by Antonio Vivaldi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPaUtnJTMn8&t=40s

ii. Concerto Grosso: 2 or more soloists (concertino) with an

orchestra

Brandenberg Concerto No. 2 in F major, 3rd movement BWV 1047 by J. S. Bach

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLsNzCx1ots

Antonio Vivaldi (1678 – 1741)

♪ A violin virtuoso of the St. Marks

♪ Compositions included: 49 operas; more than 500 concertos and
Sinfonia; 90s solo and trio sonatas, cantatas, motets, oratorios
♪ His concerto contained freshness of melodies, skillful treatment of
solo and orchestra color.

Johann Sebestian Bach (1685 – 1750)

- Organ Music: Toccata and Fugue, Prelude and Fugue, Trio Sonatas,
Chorale Preludes, Concertos (transcription from Vivaldi’s concerto for
solo organ)
-
Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 by J. S. Bach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGKfqSJbeAg

Chorale Prelude Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme", BWV 645 by J. S. Bach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHNZ8pd5-Mc

- Harpsichord / Keyboard Music:

♪ Well-Tempered Clavier Book I and II (24 pieces each, in all Major
and minor keys)
♪ 6 English Suites (BWV 806 – 811)
♪ 6 French Suites (BWV 812 – 817)
♪ 6 Partitas (BWV 825 – 830)
♪ Overture (BWV 831)
♪ Italian Concerto (BWV 971): for harpsichord with 2 manuals
♪ Goldberg Variations BWV 988

Fugue from Prelude, Fugue and Allegro BWV 998 (from 2’54”)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6NaUsWK0es
 - Instrumental Music
♪ 6 Cello Suites BWV 1007 – 1012
♪ 3 Sonatas (Chiesa) and Partitas (Camera) for solo violin
♪ 6 Sonatas for violin and harpsichord (Chiesa)
♪ 6 Sonatas for flute and harpsichord (Chiesa)
♪ 3 Sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord (Chiesa)
♪ 4 Lute Suites
♪ 6 Brandenburg Concerto BWV 1046 – 51
♪ Solo Violin Concertos BWV 1041 – 42; Concerto for 2 violins BWV
1043
♪ 4 Orchestral Suite BWV 1066 – 69
♪ A Musical Offering BWV 1079: a set of variation based on 1
theme
♪ The Art of Fugue BWV 1080: a set of fugue based on 1 subject
(last work, incompleted)
♪
Minute I & II, Bourrée and Gigue from Partita No. 3, BWV1006 by J. S. Bach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7kyLjtNObU

BWV: Bach Werke Verlag

George Frederic Handel (1685 – 1759)

- Instrumental Music
♪ Suites, Sonatas for keyboards
♪ Solo Sonatas and Trio Sonatas for different instruments
♪ Concerto: Concerto Grossi (op. 6), Concerto for organ or other
instruments
♪ Orchestra Suites: Water Music and Royal Firework Suite

Selections from Water Music Suite Royal Firework Music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zfu0ZA_8_k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h4mAceHmrI

Selections from Royal Firework Music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5vfAoPwepg
Reading:
Baroque Concerto Grosso: https://www.britannica.com/art/concerto-music/The-
Baroque-concerto-grosso-c-1675-1750

Element of the Fugue: https://www.britannica.com/art/fugue#ref27476