History of Music BAROQUE

HISTORY OF
MUSIC
THE BAROQUE ERA
Created by J. Rogers (2015)

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Table of Contents
Medieval Music ....................................................................................................................................... 4
Renaissance Music ................................................................................................................................. 7
Sacred Music in the Renaissance period ...........................................................................................7
Secular Music in the Renaissance period........................................................................................ 13
Instrumental and Dance Music in the Renaissance period ......................................................... 17
Baroque Music ...................................................................................................................................... 19
The Violin and the birth of the Orchestra .................................................................................... 20
Monteverdi and the beginning of Opera ........................................................................................ 23
Baroque Harmony and Equal Temperament ................................................................................. 25
The Concerto ....................................................................................................................................... 28
Baroque Structures ............................................................................................................................. 29
J.S. Bach .................................................................................................................................................. 32
George Frederic Handel .................................................................................................................... 36
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History of Music
The History of Music can be broadly divided into separate periods of time, each with its
own characteristics or musical styles. Musical style does not, of course, change overnight.
It can often be a gradual process with styles overlapping, and newer styles emerging out
of old. It is generally agreed, however, that the History of Music can be divided into the
following six periods (approximate dates are given for each period):
Medieval Music (up to about 1450)!

This is the earliest music we know. An important feature of this period is Plainchant; an
early form of church music with Latin words, based on Modes.
Renaissance Music (1450-1600)

During this period, composers started to explore a variety of different textures (including
Homophonic and Polyphonic textures) and forms, including: sacred music – Mass and
Motet; secular music - Madrigal and Ballet; and dance music – Pavan and Galliard.
Baroque Music (1600-1750)

The music of this period has a reputation for being highly ornamented. Important features
include; Ground Bass, Fugue, French and Italian Overtures, Concerto Grosso, Ripieno,
Concertino, Basso Continuo, Ritornello, Opera, Chaconne and Passacaglia.
Classical Music (1750-1830)

Composers of this period placed much importance on form and structure. Important
features include; Sonata, Sonata Form, Symphony, Concerto, Opera, Minuet and Trio,
Rondo, Theme and Variations, Alberti Bass, Cadenza and Scherzo.
Romantic Music (1830-1900)

Music of the 19th century tended to be very expressive with many references to
emotions, literature and the other arts. Important features include; Nationalism, Lied,
Song Cycle, Word Painting, Symphonic Poem, Tone Poem, Idee fix, Leitmotiv and Opera.
20th Century Music (1900 onwards)

The 20th century has produced a wide range of musical styles. While some composers
have taken quite a traditional approach to music, others have been very experimental.
Important features include: popular styles such as Latin American, Blues, Ragtime, Swing,
Samba, Salsa, Jazz, Boogie-woogie, Soul, Country and jazz-Funk; and more experimental
music such as Impressionist, Nationalist, Expressionist, Minimalist, Aleatoric and Neo-
Classical.
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Medieval Music
The earliest music that we know, both sacred and secular (non sacred) consists of a single
line melody. This is a monophonic texture. Examples of this can be found in early church
music, in the form of plainchant (also known as plainsong or Gregorian chant).
Plainchant melodies were generally flowing, often moving by step rather than by leap, and
would be sung in an a cappella style (i.e. unaccompanied). The rhythm would be irregular
and very free, following the natural rhythms and stresses of the Latin words.
Here is an example of a simple plainchant melody, dating from about the year 800:
Listen to this excerpt while following the music. Complete the table overleaf, identifying
the concepts in the music.
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Melodic Harmonic Rhythmic Structural
Plainchant melodies were based on special types of scaled called modes. Modes can be
found by playing any notes within an octave, but keeping to the white notes only. Here is
an example of a mode:
The earliest polyphonic texture (that is, with two or more lines weaving together) dates
from the 9th century. Composers attempted to embellish plainchants by adding one or
more extra voice-lines. Music in this style is called organum. Listen to the example
below. What do you notice about the notes that have been added (the small ones!) to the
main chant? ________________________________________________
In the late 12th century, Paris became a very important centre of musical activity when the
construction of the Notre Dame Cathedral began in 1163. This is where writing of
‘organa’ (plural of organum) reached its most elaborate and impressive stage. Two of
these composers are known to us by name: Leonin and Perotin. Much of the secular
music of the time was played by Troubadours; aristocratic poet-musicians who would
travel from town to town playing songs they had composed or collected. This therefore
was a type of folk music. The following instruments were often used to accompany:
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Instrument Description
Pipe and Tabor A pipe and 2 headed drum, played by one person
Shawm Double reed instrument, ancestor of the oboe
Cornett Ivory or wood bound with leather. It had a trumpet like
mouthpiece but finger holes like a recorder
Citole Four brass strings that were plucked
Harp Smaller than the modern harp with fewer strings
Fiddle Larger than a modern viola. A Flatter bridge allowed more than
one string to be played at once
Rebec Pear shaped bowed instrument with three strings
Hurdy-gurdy The strings, stopped by sliders pressed down by the fingers, were
vibrated by a rotating wheel turned by a handle
Psaltery The strings were plucked with quills, one in each hand
The main characteristics of Medieval music:

1. Use of modes
2. Monophonic textures e.g. plainchant/ plainsong
3. Simple polyphonic textures e.g. Organum
4. A tendency to contrast sounds rather than blend them together
5. Distinctive timbres of medieval instruments / Vocal music
6. Harmonic intervals are dominated by 4ths and 5ths creating a bare sound
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Renaissance Music
Renaissance means ‘rebirth’ and the chief characteristic of this period in the history of
Western Europe was a sharpening of interest in learning and culture, centring in
particular on many of the ideas expressed by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Also, it was
of course and age of exploration and discovery.
Renaissance composers began to take a keener interest in writing secular music, including
music for instruments independent of voices. Even so, the greatest musical treasures of
the Renaissance were composed for the church.
Sacred Music in the Renaissance period

Composers throughout history have written sacred music. In the Renaissance period
sacred music was generally sung in Latin and performed a cappella (without instrumental
accompaniment). It often contained some of the following features:
Imitation Consonance /Dissonance Simple time Contrary motion
Melisma Modal Rallentando Pedal
Mode Suspension Inverted Pedal
Plainchant Passing notes Polyphony
Plagal cadence Homophony
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The most important forms of sacred music in the Renaissance period were the Mass,
Motet and Anthem.
Mass!
The Mass is the chief service of the Catholic Church. The Latin setting of the Mass
divides into five main sections, or “items”:
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison Lord have mercy, Christ Have mercy
Gloria in excelcis Deo Glory to God in the highest
Credo in unum deum I believe in one God
Sanctus; Osanna; Benedictus Holy, holy, holy; Hosanna; Blessed is he....
Agnus Dei Lamb of God
Motet!
The Motet is a short sacred choral work, usually contrapuntal in style, with a Latin text.
Here are some examples of texts used for motets:
Veni Sancte Spiritus Come, Holy Spirit

Haec Dies This is the day
Ave Maria Hail Mary
Jubilate Deo Be Joyful in the Lord
O quam gloriosam est regnum O How Glorious is the Kingdom
Ave Verum Corpus Hail, True Body
O Magnum Mysterium O Great and Mighty Wonder
Anthem!
The Anthem is a short sacred choral piece sung in English. It may be sung a cappella or
with organ accompaniment. Examples of Anthems include:
I Will Exalt Thee!
Teach Me O Lord!
Sing Joyfully Unto God
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Mass
!Listen to the Kyrie from Missa Brevis by Palestrina
1. What is the key signature of this Kyrie?
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2. Give two words that describe the texture of this setting.
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3. What is the main compositional device used in this music?
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4. What do you notice about the final chord?
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5. What style influences the harmony at the beginning?
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Anthem
Listen to If Ye Love Me by Thomas Tallis
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Motet
Listen to O Quam Gloriosum est regnum by Victoria
1. Compare the texture of both pieces. How are they similar/different?
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2. Which compositional device is chiefly used?
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3. On what chord does the Anthem (Tallis) finish?
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4. Comment on the structure of both pieces.
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Chorale
In 16th century Germany, where the Protestant Church led by Martin Luther was seeking
ways of bringing its people into a more direct contact with God, there grew a tradition of
writing hymns to be sung in German by the whole congregation – rather than in Latin
by a trained choir. The tunes were newly composed, sometimes adapted from plainchants
or even popular songs. A German hymn tune of this kind is called a chorale. One of the
best known, still sung today, is “A safe stronghold our God is Still” (Ein’ feste Burg ist
unser Gott).
What do you notice about the texture of this chorale?
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Secular Music in the Renaissance period
Alongside developments in Renaissance church music, there were also important

developments in secular songs and dances. Elizabethan Madrigals were popular songs of
the period while important dances were the Pavane and Galliard.
The Madrigal!
Madrigals are varied in style and express all kinds of human emotion, with composers
often making use of word-painting (using music to illustrate the meaning of the words).
The madrigal proper was through – composed (i.e. new music for each verse) and usually
very polyphonic (or contrapuntal). It often contained some of the following features:

Imitation Consonance /Dissonance Simple time Through composed
Melisma Modal Polyphony
Word painting Suspension
Passing notes
An example of a madrigal proper is As Vesta was from Latmos Hill descending by Thomas
Weelkes. Written for six solo voices, this piece contains clear examples of word –
painting in the following lines:
To whom Diana’s darlings came running down amain,
First two by two, then three by three together,
Leaving their goddess all alone, hasted thither.
Text Word – painting

Running down amain
First two by two
Then three by three
Together
All alone
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The ballett was lighter in style with clear-cut dance-like rhythms. It tended to be
strophic (i.e. the same music for each verse) and usually homophonic (chordal) in texture,
with a “fa-la-la” refrain. It often contains some of the following features:

Syllabic Consonance /Dissonance Simple time Strophic
Passing notes Dance like “Fa la la” refrain
Homophony
An example of a ballett is Now is the month of Maying by Thomas Morley, shown

overleaf.!
The ayre (or song) was often performed by a solo voice, accompanied by either lute or
viols. A very expressive and melancholy ayre is Flow my teares by John Dowland.
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Listening Exercise
Listen carefully to the following excerpts of music. For each excerpt of music you should
identify the musical style. Write the correct style into the appropriate space.
Choose from:
Mass / Motet / Anthem / Madrigal / Chorale / Ballet / Ayre
1. This is an example of ________________

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Instrumental and Dance Music in the Renaissance period

Until the beginning of the 16th century, instruments were considered to be far less
important than voices. They were used for dances and to accompany vocal music – but
here they only doubled the voices. During the 16th century however, composers took
greater interest in writing music especially intended for instruments only. Some
instruments such as recorders, shawms and cornets remained popular form the medieval
era. And, of course, new ones were invented:
Instrument Description
Lute The neck of the lute was bent back; the strings were tuned in pairs
and the fingerboard had frets
Viols These had sloping shoulders and flat backs; six strings, with a
fretted fingerboard; viols were held upright in front of the player
rather than tucked under the chin
Crumhorn A wooden cap enclosed the double reed, giving a rather soft but
very reedy tone
Rackett A low pitched double reed instrument: its great length of tube was
coiled inside a cylinder which was only a foot high
Sackbut A name given to the English to the early kind of trombone; the bell
was less flared, giving a rounder, more mellow tone
Trumpet The tube was now folded to make it more manageable; until the
valve system was invented in the 19th century
Percussion Included tambourine, tabor, kettle drums, side drum, triangle and
instruments cymbals
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The main characteristics of Renaissance music:
1. Music still based on modes, but these gradually treated with more freedom as
more ‘accidentals’ crept in
2. Richer, fuller texture, in four or more voice-parts
3. Blending, rather than contrasting, strands in musical texture
4. Harmony: a greater concern with the flow and progression of chords; a smoother
treatment of discords
5. Church music: some pieces intended for a cappella performance, mainly
contrapuntal, with much imitation dovetailing and weaving the strands to create a
continuously flowing, seamless texture; other church music accompanied by
instruments – for example, polychoral pieces in antiphonal (stereophonic) style
6. Secular music: rich variety of vocal pieces; dances and also instrumental pieces –
many copying vocal style but others truly suited to instruments rather than voices
7. The characteristic timbres of Renaissance instruments – many forming families
(the same instrument made in various sizes and pitches e.g. Viols)
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Baroque Music
The Baroque period was roughly from 1600–1750 and was an age of invention and rapid
innovation. Great discoveries were made in science and in music, and musical structures
were transformed in the hands of composers like Handel and JS Bach. This period also
saw the rise of purely instrumental music and the birth of what became the modern
orchestra. It was an age of transition where music blossomed from being from being a
private affair to a public spectacle. No small wonder that, the music of this era is still
massively popular today.
What makes so much of the music we enjoy today sound the way it does is a series of
discoveries that burst into life in the 17th and early18th centuries. Laws governing the use
of chords, which chords you could use and which instruments you could play them on all
slid into place like parts of an intricate machine. People of the period were obsessed with
the interplay of ‘cog and wheel’, the laws of motion and gravity and the understanding of
the dimension of time itself. Indeed, this era saw great advances in clock making. Listen to
the music of this period and you hear the ticking of clocks, the perfectly calibrated
whirring of cogs, the turning of wheels and the to and fro of pendulums. Between1600
and 1750, music transformed beyond recognition.
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The Violin and the birth of the Orchestra
The Violin was a very important instrument in the Baroque

period, and the strings became the foundation of the
orchestra. The other sections of the orchestra had not yet become fully established.
Based on a folk fiddle that had been around for some centuries, the Violin as we know it
today, started its life in Italian workshops in the late 16th century.
The Violin’s rise coincided with that of the extravagant Kings of France, Louis XIII and
Louis XIV who brought in Italian experts to play for their flamboyant Royal Ballets. These
ballets were on a fantastic scale often performed in Palaces or even outdoors, so the
bright edgy sound of the violin was ideal to fill these spaces. In fact not just one violin, but
lots of them! This was the very first time that you would have 10, 12, sometimes 24
violins playing the same tune. When they started adding in larger models of the violin,
Violas and Cellos, they were also grouped together to play the same musical lines. This
then was the birth of the modern orchestra.
The musician in charge of the Royal Ballet was Jean Baptiste Lully, who created a
thicker, grander ensemble style for this larger group of instruments. Importantly, Lully
always included a short, self contained, opening movement to his Ballets. The French
word for this was the Ouverture while the Italian equivalent was the Sinfonia.
Listen to the Ouverture to Armide by Lully:
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Task:
1. How is the notated rhythm on the score different from what is played?
2. What is meant by at the beginning of the extract?
3. What happens to the metre halfway through?
4. How does the texture vary in the 2nd section?
These characteristics are typical of the French Ouverture. These overtures were soon
borrowed by opera too. Soon they began to develop into longer pieces eventually
becoming the symphony. The symphony’s basic structure was also to come from dance.
Sections of different dance music (Sarabandes, Gigues, Pavanes etc.) began to be gathered
together into suites or partitas. Sections of music based on different tempi and
rhythmic style characterized orchestral music until the end of the 19th century.
Dance Characteristics:
Allemande: A moderately fast dance, usually in 4/4 or 2/2 time. Beginning with an upbeat,
it is often characterised by flowing quavers or semiquavers.
Bourrée: A lively dance in 4/4 or 2/2, starting on the last crotchet of the bar. When
employed in a suite there were sometimes 2 bourrées played consecutively.
Courante: Literally meaning ‘running’, the courante is a French dance, usually in 6/4 and
commonly with bars of 3/2 added, especially towards cadences (giving a hemiola -type
effect). Sometimes this was replaced in a suite by the Italian version, known as the
corrente. This was a faster dance in simple triple time (3/4) which tended towards more
homophonic textures.
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Chaconne: see Passacaglia.

Gavotte: French in origin, the gavotte is a moderately fast dance in 4/4. It
characteristically begins on the third beat of the bar.
Gigue: A dance of English and Celtic origins with a lively feel. It is usually in 6/8, although
examples occur in 12/8, 3/8, 6/4 and 4/4 (with the beats divided into triplets). Melodically
it tends to incorporate leaps across wide intervals, with an energetic rhythmic flow.
Minuet: A dance of French origin in 3/4 time, of steady speed and dainty character.
Although used frequently in the Baroque suite, it later became a standard part of the
classical symphony, as the 3rd movement, where it was played with a following Trio
(before the reprise of the Minuet).
Passacaglia: A slow and stately dance with no great discernable differences to the
Chaconne. It is usually in triple time and consists of regular phrases. These often take the
form of theme and variations over a ground bass (i.e. a repeated bass line and chord
sequence).
Passepied: A quick dance in 3/8 or 6/8 of French origin.
Sarabande: Although originally a livelier dance of Latin American origin, the type of
Sarabande commonly adopted in Europe was a slow, stately form in triple time. The
dance is characterised by a slight emphasis on the second beat of the bar.
Listen to the following dances listening carefully to the tempo, time signature and
rhythmic features. Can you guess
what the dances are?
1. _____________________
2. _____________________
3. _____________________
4. _____________________
5. _____________________
6. _____________________
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Monteverdi and the beginning of Opera
Music, by 1600, had become a rich mix of sacred and secular, instrumental and vocal. But
almost everything at the time was relatively small scale. The time had come for someone,
somewhere, to develop new forms that would last a whole evening, entertaining
audiences for longer periods of time. This happened and Opera was born. It began in Italy
with Claudio Monteverdi.
Monteverdi’s Orfeo, composed in 1607 is the first truly great opera. In this opera many of
the traditions and conventions were founded. In order to convey the story, opera would
feature a range of different types of new musical form(s):
Overture
In a similar style to the French Ouverture, Italian composers started including extended
musical introductions to the operas. They would often follow a structural pattern of
‘quick – slow – quick’.
Recitative
This is a style of delivery in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms of ordinary
speech. The mostly syllabic recitativo secco ("dry", accompanied only by continuo) is at
one end of a spectrum whilst the other is recitativo accompagnato (using orchestra).
Recitative does not repeat lines as formally composed songs do. This was used to push
the ‘plot’ of the operas forward, in a non-fussy manner.
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Aria
The term describes a self-contained piece for a solo voice, with full orchestral
accompaniment. In opera, the sung, melodic, and structured aria became differentiated
from the more speech-like recitative – broadly, the latter tended to carry the story-line,
the former carried more emotional freight and became an opportunity for singers to
display their vocal talent.
The aria evolved typically in one of two forms. Binary form arias were in two sections (A–
B); arias in ternary form (A–B–A) were known as da capo arias (literally 'from the head',
i.e. with the opening section repeated, often in a highly decorated manner). In the da capo
aria the 'B' episode would typically be in a different key – the dominant or relative major
key.
Listen to the following examples and state from what part of an opera the extract comes.
Choose from the following:
Overture / Recitative Secco / Recitative Accompagnato / Aria
1. ____________________________
2. ____________________________
3. ____________________________
4. ____________________________
5. ____________________________
6. ____________________________
7. ____________________________
8. ____________________________
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Baroque Harmony and Equal Temperament
The regulating of harmony in the Baroque period is arguably the single most important
development in the entire history of Western Music. The regulation of pitch was called
Equal Temperament. Equal temperament made it possible for different instruments
to play in tune with each other, something that was very difficult to achieve previously!
If we look at the keyboard below, we see 6 ‘C’s. Highlight them in blue. We also see 12
other notes between each of the ‘C’s. Since the 17th century we have only used these 12
notes within each octave.
However, in Western music, there are in fact at least 19 subdivisions between each ‘C’ –
NOT 12! These notes are shown here.
For some instruments, playing all of these ‘squashed together’ notes wasn’t an issue – e.g.
Stringed Instruments. However, instrument with fixed pitches (Pianos, Trumpets, Flutes
etc.) cannot. What Equal Temperament did was to abolish 7 of the 19 subdivisions and
create a standardised 12 that would swallow up the other notes.
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For example the old notes F# and G♭, became one all-purpose note that accommodated
both. B# got gobbled up by the note C and so on. What we are left with is the standard
chromatic scale that still governs western harmony today.
In their natural state, the notes of the octave are not evenly spaced. What Equal
Temperament did was to equalize the distance between the notes. Thanks to this
compromise you could now move from chord to chord far more easily.
Original pitches Standardised pitches
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What followed was 300 years where instruments (and our ears!) have been calibrated to
Equal Temperament. Interestingly, one reason the traditional music of Indonesia sounds
exotic and mysterious to Western ears, is because it uses a different system of tuning.
The same may be said about the music from India and China also.
As the new pitching rules settled, musicians discovered that in harmony, certain chords
were attracted to others – much like a musical gravity. The main pattern that emerged
was that chords behaved in cycles of 5. In other words, a chord (V) would yearn for
chord (I). This pattern applied to every chord in every key family. In the Baroque era,
composers became obsessed with these laws of attraction. Composers found that
stringing sequences of chords together, to trigger this attraction, drove the music
forward.
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The Concerto
In the late 17th century another crucial part of the musical toolkit was put into place. The
composer who first introduced many of the innovations that Vivaldi, Bach and Handel
built on (and that we now take for granted) was Arcangelo Corelli. Corelli was the first
Violin virtuoso and he built on his love of the violin, an idea that took off spectacularly.
He gathered stringed instruments together into groups and created for them a new form
– the Concerto. A Concerto would feature a small group of instruments alternating
with a larger group of instruments, making its impact by contrasting loud and soft
passages (or light and shade/chiaroscuro in painting).
Corelli’s innovation was called the Concerto Grosso, literally, the ‘Big Concert’. In it,
he explored the contrast between a small group of instruments (consisting of only 2
violins and a cello) called the Concertino, and a bigger group featuring everyone else
called the Ripieno, or the ‘stuffing’.
Every composer in Italy now had a stab at writing Concerti Grossi. One young
Venetian admirer or Corelli was to make the Concerto Italy’s most famous export. His
name was Antonio Vivaldi.
Vivaldi took the big group v little
group idea one step further,
casting a charismatic SOLO Violin
against the entire orchestra.
Vivaldi’s craft in this genre was
flawless, with perhaps the most
famous Solo Concerto of all time
being composed – Quattro
Staggioni (The Four Seasons).
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Here is an example of the virtuoso playing demanded from the soloist in this Concerto:
Vivaldi’s concertos introduced a sense of drams and virtuosity never seen before. Such
was the virtuosity of the performance, that the soloists would be regarded as divas
(pop/rock stars of the time) to be compared with the opera singers of that era.
Baroque Structures
Basso continuo was a new form of musical accompaniment used in the Baroque
period, meaning "continuous bass". Basso continuo, sometimes just called “continuo”,
was played by a keyboard instrument and another bass instrument such as cello, violone
(an old form of double bass) or bassoon. The keyboard instrument was normally a
harpsichord or, if it was being played in a church, an organ.
It was not usual to write out all the notes for the keyboard player. The composer
normally just wrote the bottom line which would be played by the bottom part of the left
hand, and by the cello or whatever the instrument being used. The composer would
indicate what the harmony should be (which chords should be played) by writing figures
underneath the music. This is why it is called figured bass or sometimes thoroughbass.
The continuo player will “realize” the figured bass i.e. he/she will improvise the chords
which are shown. In modern editions of old music the figured bass part has normally been
realized (written out) by the editor.
Reading music from a figured bass was a skill that all keyboard and piano players were
expected to have. They needed to have a good understanding of music theory, especially
of harmony. They would often improvise ornamental bits on top, but this had to be done
musically and sensitively.
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An example of a realised bass figure:
Concertos were structured in three movements, usually following a fast-slow-fast pattern.

The forms within these movements included Ritornello, Binary and Ternary.
Binary Form (AB)

A piece of music in Binary Form divides into two clear sections. We generally refer to
these sections as section A and section B. Each section is often repeated.
Listen to this March by Purcell. Notice the two sections; A and B:
If the A section were to return this would create a Ternary Form, as the A section
would return to give the music symmetry.
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Ritornello Form
The most common form used in concertos was the ritornello form, in which the
ritornello theme alternates with episodes. Here is the overall plan of ritornello form:
Ritornello Episode 1 Ritornello Episode 2 Ritornello
Tutti Soloist(s) Tutti Soloist(s) Tutti
In the Italian school of composers of the late 17th and early 18th century, the da capo
form of aria came gradually to be associated with the ritornello. This version of aria form
with ritornelli became a dominant feature of European opera throughout the 18th
century. It is thought by some that THIS was to be the origin of the instrumental forms of
concerto and later the sonata form. The ritornelli became essential to the structure of
the aria. You will study this form very closely in your set work – (J.S.Bach – Brandenburg
Concerto no.2 in F major).
Ground Bass
Another common structure of Baroque music is the ground bass. This is when a theme in
the bass is repeated many times while the upper parts are varied. Canon in D by Pachelbel
is arguably the most popular. When I am laid in Earth from the Opera “Dido and Aeneas”
makes use of this also:
Task:
1. Highlight the Ground Bass and state how many times it appears in the example
2. Name the key
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3. Add a suitable tempo marking
4. Describe the movement of the Ground Bass line
J.S. Bach
J.S. Bach and Handel learnt from the Italians, especially Corelli and Vivaldi. The French
‘Violin Bands’ and Proto orchestras that developed from the court Ballet also heavily
influenced them. They incorporated the conventions and styles of their time and created
something extraordinary of their own – which grew out of the German Lutheran
tradition that they were born into. Lutheran congregations were active participants in the
church service, with communal hymn singing being given high status. Just as the
Reformation swept away the elaborate decorations found in the Catholic Church, so to in
Protestantism, music was always in service of the ‘message’, making the words of the
gospel unfussy and clear.
A huge amount of what Bach wrote, including virtually all of his 300+ cantatas and his vast
output of organ music, is based on German Hymn tunes or chorales. He would weave a
tapestry of sound around a hymn, being sung or played steadily through the centre of the
work. A popular example of this is ‘Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring)’
– score overleaf.
1. What is the metre of this piece? (Circle the correct term)

Simple Duple Simple Triple Compound Triple Compound Quadruple
2. What term best describes the running quaver melody?
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All Bach’s vocal music is based on one thing – devotion to God in the human form of
Jesus of Nazareth. Whatever he does musically, no matter how complex, he does it to
emphasise the meaning of the words. A great example of this can be found in his aria
“Zerfliesse, mein Herze” from the St. John Passion. The Harmony is based on a series of
descending chords. Yet, when studying the vocal part, we see how daring Bach’s harmony
can be. He intentionally allows notes to clash against each other, in swiftly moving
dischords. The dissonances may be cleverly disguised, but they are still there. That is
because Bach wants to create a subliminal feeling of anguish and grief, which is exactly
what the words of this aria are trying to convey.
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Can you name the EXACT intervals of the dissonances identified above?
a) b)
c) d)
e) f)
g) h)
If Bach’s aim in his choral music was to move and inspire, surely his aim in his
instrumental work was to dazzle! He is undisputed master of counterpoint, the
interweaving of different tunes and melodies. The quintessential form of Bach
counterpoint was the fugue. Meaning “flight” in Italian, the fugue is a complicated type of
canon or round.
Can you name this famous round?__________________________
In a canon or round, the same tune is sung at different times by different groups, allowing
each new entry to sit on top of the others. A fugue is essentially a more complicated
version, with multiple lines. Some enter backwards, in reverse or upside down! “The Art
of Fugue” was a collection of pieces where Bach demonstrated his genius-like craft.
Contrapunctus VII is one of the most impressive:
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In fugues Bach employs the following compositional techniques. Please give accurate
definitions of each technique.
Technique Definition
Transposition
Inversion
Retrograde
Augmentation
Diminution
Sometimes, Bach would utilize more than one of these techniques at the same time! Here
is a summary of the treatment of the main theme(s) in the opening 8 bars of
Contrapunctus VII. Can you complete the table of statements?
Bars Instrument What is Bach doing?

1-8 Violin 1 Main theme
3-6 Violin 2
7- Violin 2
1-5 Viola
5-8 Cello
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Composing something this complex would be difficult enough to organise when laid out
on a page in front of you. However, Bach was so adept at this style that he was able to
improvise Fugues at the keyboard! From one fragment of tune, Bach is able to create 7
minutes of contrapuntal invention.
The towering achievements of Bach’s career are the settings of the trial, crucifixion and
resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Pieces that deal with this specific subject are called
Passions. Bach’s choral music would always be set to German saw that all could access
and take part in the music. In these Passions, Bach employs all the techniques we’ve
encountered in the survey of the 17th and early 18th centuries. Vivaldi’s concerto style
with large and small forces, fugal counterpoint, vast choral effects, dance rhythm patterns,
harmonic stability with regular chord patterns and a violin led orchestra with woodwind
and brass instruments.
George Frederic Handel
In the 100 years after his death Bach became a forgotten and un-performed composer.
Interestingly Bach wrote NO operas in his lifetime, despite this being the most popular
and most financially lucrative form of the time. If Bach HAD written operas instead of
Church music this might have been different – opera composers had always courted
more fame and recognition than church musicians. Fortunately for Bach’s contemporary,
Handel, opera WAS his thing.
Unlike, Bach, Handel was more of an entrepreneur and adventurer. Bach stayed his entire
life in his native North Germany whereas Handel travelled. For a short time he lived in
Italy before settling for the majority of his working life in London. This was much to with
his previous employer in Germany had just been crowned ‘King George 1’ in 1714. The
King, and his son ‘George II’ commissioned several works that are still well known to this
day. Handel’s greatest asset was that he could write music that was very popular with
audiences. This made his music marketable and improved his reputation in the public eye.
He wrote 39 operas, in Italian, for the London stage. However, Opera in London was
under threat. A number of parody-type works were composed which undermined opera
– Handel therefore developed a new form – Oratorio.
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Oratorio
An oratorio is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like an
opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various
distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is musical theatre, while oratorio is
strictly a concert piece—though oratorios are sometimes staged as operas, and operas
are sometimes presented in concert form. In an oratorio there is generally little or no
interaction between the characters, and no props or elaborate costumes. A particularly
important difference is in the typical subject matter of the text. Opera tends to deal with
history and mythology, including age-old devices of romance, deception, and murder,
whereas the plot of an oratorio often deals with sacred topics, making it appropriate for
performance in the church. Protestant composers took their stories from the Bible, while
Catholic composers looked to the lives of saints, as well as to Biblical topics. Handel set
the standard with oratorios such as Messiah, Solomon, Samson and Judas Maccabeus.
Oratorios were written in native language so that the form would be more accessible.
Listen to the following examples and state from what part of an opera the extract comes.
Choose from the following:
Passion / Oratorio / Opera / Mass
1. ____________________________
2. ____________________________
3. ____________________________
4. ____________________________
5. ____________________________
6. ____________________________
7. ____________________________
8. ____________________________
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The main characteristics of Baroque Music:
1. The basso continuo or figured bass, becomes the foundation for most types of
Baroque Music – providing a purposeful bass line which causes the music to press
steadily forward.
2. Viols gradually replaced by Violin (string) family. The String section becomes the
basis of the Baroque Orchestra, often with the continuo filling out the harmonies
above the figured bass and decorating the textures.
3. Equal temperament establishes Major/Minor diatonic key system
4. Main forms used: binary, ternary (da capo), ground bass, ritornello, fugue etc.
5. Main types of music: Chorale, recitative and aria, opera, oratorio, cantata, Italian
Overture, French ouverture, dance suite, concerto grosso, solo concerto
6. Energetic rhythms drive the music forward
7. Melodies spun out into long, flowing lines with many ornaments
8. Contrasts of instrumental timbres, of few instruments against many, and of loud
against soft (terraced dynamics).
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History of Music BAROQUE

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History of Music BAROQUE

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HISTORY OF

Created by J. Rogers (2015)

Medieval Music ....................................................................................................................................... 4

Renaissance Music ................................................................................................................................. 7

Sacred Music in the Renaissance period ...........................................................................................7

Secular Music in the Renaissance period........................................................................................ 13

Instrumental and Dance Music in the Renaissance period ......................................................... 17

Baroque Music ...................................................................................................................................... 19

The Violin and the birth of the Orchestra .................................................................................... 20

Monteverdi and the beginning of Opera ........................................................................................ 23

Baroque Harmony and Equal Temperament ................................................................................. 25

The Concerto ....................................................................................................................................... 28

Baroque Structures ............................................................................................................................. 29

J.S. Bach .................................................................................................................................................. 32

George Frederic Handel .................................................................................................................... 36

Medieval Music (up to about 1450)!

Renaissance Music (1450-1600)

Baroque Music (1600-1750)

Classical Music (1750-1830)

Romantic Music (1830-1900)

20th Century Music (1900 onwards)

Melodic Harmonic Rhythmic Structural

The main characteristics of Medieval music:

Sacred Music in the Renaissance period

Veni Sancte Spiritus Come, Holy Spirit

1. What is the key signature of this Kyrie?

2. Give two words that describe the texture of this setting.

3. What is the main compositional device used in this music?

4. What do you notice about the final chord?

5. What style influences the harmony at the beginning?

1. Compare the texture of both pieces. How are they similar/different?

2. Which compositional device is chiefly used?

3. On what chord does the Anthem (Tallis) finish?

4. Comment on the structure of both pieces.

What do you notice about the texture of this chorale?

Secular Music in the Renaissance period

Alongside developments in Renaissance church music, there were also important

Melodic Harmonic Rhythmic Structural

Text Word – painting

Melodic Harmonic Rhythmic Structural

An example of a ballett is Now is the month of Maying by Thomas Morley, shown

Mass / Motet / Anthem / Madrigal / Chorale / Ballet / Ayre

1. This is an example of ________________

2. This is an example of ________________

3. This is an example of ________________

4. This is an example of ________________

5. This is an example of ________________

6. This is an example of ________________

7. This is an example of ________________

8. This is an example of ________________

9. This is an example of ________________

10. This is an example of ________________

11. This is an example of ________________

12. This is an example of ________________

13. This is an example of ________________

14. This is an example of ________________

15. This is an example of ________________

Instrumental and Dance Music in the Renaissance period

The main characteristics of Renaissance music:

more ‘accidentals’ crept in

2. Richer, fuller texture, in four or more voice-parts

3. Blending, rather than contrasting, strands in musical texture

5. Church music: some pieces intended for a cappella performance, mainly

continuously flowing, seamless texture; other church music accompanied by