Music of the Baroque

Period
Ms. Joyce de Rama Timbol
MUSIC 9
 MUSIC OF THE BAROQUE PERIOD
▪ Baroque period lasted from 1685-1750
▪ “Barroco” is a Portuguese word which means “a pearl is irregularly
shaped.” It is where the period was named after.
▪ Baroque period shined under the leadership of Louis XIV of France.
– This period was the time of great philosophers and writers such as
Descartes, Locke, and Voltaire
▪ Baroque was distinguished by the use of instrumental and secular
music.
– Great composers like Lully, Monteverdi, Purcell, Scarlatti, and Vivaldi stood
out on this period.
Most famous and great composers during the Baroque Period

Johann Sebastian Bach | George Frederic Handel

During this period, composers

desired to convey their deep
emotion through their music.
Martyrdom, outpouring of
emotions, pain, and sadness were
the feelings they expressed. These
are visible in the expressive musical
devices through the use of musical
instruments such as the expression
of death and the trombone of
nobility.
 MUSIC OF THE BAROQUE PERIOD

▪ This was the period when cantata, opera, and viatocio

▪ Instrumental music such as:
– Concerto grosso -
– Dance suites
– Fugue
– toccata

were composed in this time.

▪ It was during the Baroque period when tonality was created. Composers and performers used
very elaborate ornamentation in their music, made innovations in musical notation, and
introduced new playing techniques with instruments. This style of music STILL EXIST TODAY.
▪ The soloist or smaller group is the “concertino”.
▪ The full ensemble or bigger group is made up of eight to
twenty musicians called “tutti” or “ripieno”.
▪ Tutti are usually string instruments and a harpsichord for
the basso continuo. [(in baroque music) it is an
accompanying part that includes a bassline and
harmonies, typically played on a keyboard instrument
and with other instruments such as cello or lute. "the
piece is scored for flute, violin, viola da gamba, and CONCERTO
continuo“]
GROSSO
▪ The concerto grosso has three movements: (1) Fast, (2)
Slow, and (3) Fast, followed by the concertino.
An important form of
instrumental music during the
▪ The first and last movements are in the ‘ritornello’ forms. Baroque period.
▪ The form is the alternate playing of concertino and tutti. Two groups of instruments
The tutti plays the theme first which is called ritornello contracted against each other
(tutti). compose a concerto grosso.
▪ Usual form of the concerto grosso is as follows:
1. a) Tutti (f), ritornello in the beginning key
b)
2. a) Tutti (f), ritornello, part only
b) Solo
3. a) Tutti (f), ritornello, part only
b) Solo
RITORNELLO
4. a) Tutti (f), ritornello in the beginning key
The ritornello, Italian for 'little return,' is
one of the most frequently used
compositional techniques and it involves
The beginning part of Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 of Johann
a musical theme that returns repeatedly,
Sebastian Bach is a good example of concerto gross in
with sections of different music in
ritornello form.
between each return. Imagine we are
diagramming the sequence of themes in
a composition using letters. For
example, if we use the letter ''R'' to
represent the ritornello and the letters
''A'' and ''B'' to represent different
musical sections, we can diagram a
piece with a ritornello in this manner: R
A R B R A R.
▪ The English term fugue came from the 16th century and is
taken from the French word fugue or the Italian fuga. This
also came from Latin, fuga, which is itself related to both
fugure (to flee) and fugare (to chase) The adjective form is
fugal.
▪ Fugue usually has three sections:
– Exposition is the initial presentation of the thematic material
of a musical composition, movement, or section.

FUGUE (FEWG)
– musical variation, which is a slightly different means to the
sameDevelopment is a process by which a musical idea is
communicated in the course of a composition. It refers to
the transformation and restatement of initial material. It is a contrapuntal compositional
Development is often contrasted with end. technique in two or more voices
– Recapitulation a part of a movement (especially one in sonata It is built on a theme introduced at
form) in which themes from the exposition are restated. the beginning in
imitation/repetition at different
▪ CONTRAPUNTAL - /ˌkäntrəˈpən(t)l/; of or in counterpoint; pitches, and recurs often
(of a piece of music) with two or more independent throughout the composition
melodic lines.
▪ Most FUGUES open with a short main theme, the subject, which
then sounds successively in each voice.

▪ After the first voice is done stating the subject, a second voice
repeats the subject at a different pitch, and other voices repeat in
the same way.

▪ When each voice has entered, the exposition is complete.

▪ This is often followed by a connecting passage, or episode,

FUGUE (FEWG)
formed from previously heard material.

▪ More “entries” of the subject then are heard in related keys.

▪ Entries and episodes are generally alternated towards the “final “The Musical Offering”
entry” of the subject. Johann Sebastian Bach
▪ This time the music has returned to the opening key and is Six-part fugue
usually followed by the coda as closing material.

▪ In this sense, a fugue is not a fixed structure, but a style of

composition.

▪ However, some fugues do not have a recapitulation.

ORATORIO
It is a great musical composition for
choir, orchestra, and soloists.
Similar to opera, oratorio includes the
use of arias, choir, ensemble, soloist
and various identifiable characters.
ARIA is a self-contained piece for one
voice, with or without instrumental or
orchestral accompaniment, normally
part of a larger work.
 JOHANN
SEBASTIAN BACH
(1685-1750)
Was called the “Father of German
Cantata”
He is considered to be the greatest
composer of his time.
Born in Eisenach, Germany of a
musical family and was raised by his
brother, Johann was an organist

He was appointed court musical

director to Prince Leopold in 1717.
Later 1723, he took charge of St.
Thomas School’s music in Leipzig until
his death.
He was able to write almost 320
Cantatas from 1723-1750.
 Cantata
It is a sacred or secular narrative
song delivered with instrumental
accompaniment.

This is not sung on stage and was

developed in the Baroque period.

It consists of Arias, Choruses, and

Recitatives like the oratorio but on a
smaller scale.

It is based on sacred themes, in

general, and is intended for liturgical
use.
Sheep May Safely Graze Some secular cantatas though are
by J.S Bach simply for entertainment. Many
From Cantata No. 208 cantatas based on chorale tunes for
Lutheran church use were written by
Johann Sebastian Bach
GEORGE FRIEDRICH
HANDEL (1865-
1759
Was considered the greatest oratorio composer in
Germany.
Born in Halle, Germany.
Among his works, “The Messiah,” which was first
performed in 1742, was the most famous.
Handel has composed 19 Oratorioss such us
• Deborah
• Ester
• Israel in Egypt
• Jephta
• Joshua
• Judas
• Macabeaus
• Saul
• Solomon
GEORGE FRIEDRICH
HANDEL (1865-
1759
He composed “The Messiah” within 24
days in 1741, and was first performed in
Dublin. The choral parts of this oratorio
were considered the most beautiful choral
composition.
GEORGE FRIEDRICH
HANDEL (1865-
1759
The “HALLELUJAH CHORUS” which is
always sung during Easter is regarded as
the most famous.

The contrapuntal or homophonic

characteristic makes this choral
composition different.

The following song is a choral part from

the Handel’s Christmas portion of “The
Messiah.”
 GEORGE
FRIEDRICH
HANDEL
(1865-1759)

The following song is a choral part from the Handel’s

Christmas portion of “The Messiah.”
 WEBSITES/LINKS/RESOURCES
Handel Concerto Frosso - https://
www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=nBJKoqfa_ys&feature=emb_logo
What is fugue?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG4SKgCpppE
The Musical Offering – Bach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IErSt6kOwRE
Opera vs Oratorio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml9mBZIhil4
Bach “Sheep May Safely Graze
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIUCRXMM4pE
Handel “The Messiah”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=48NffKWvaQI&feature=emb_logo
Handel, Hallelujah Chorus””
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=akb0kD7EHIk&feature=emb_logo
For Unto Us A Child Is Born, Handel “The Messiah”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHK8hJ22SPw&feature=emb_logo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFBIJgkj_-g