Learning Objectives

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List the characteristics of the Baroque era (1600-1750) in context of social change including religious wars (Protestants vs. Catholics), the exploration and colonization of the New World, and the rise of middle-class culture.
Identify a new style—monody—that featured solo song with instrumental accompaniment in the Baroque period through listening examples.
Define figured bass, a shorthand that allowed the performer to supply chords through improvisation.
Compare and contrast the major-minor tonality system and the equal temperament tuning system.
Explain the significance of the union of text and music as expressed in the Baroque Doctrine of the Affections and reflected in genres such as opera, oratorio, and cantata.
Define and compare the genres of opera, oratorio, and cantata.
Compare and contrast the development of two types of concertos: the solo concerto and the concerto grosso.
Correctly identify visually and aurally the main keyboard instruments of the Baroque era: organ, harpsichord, and clavichord.
Describe the main characteristics of J. S. Bach's keyboard music, in particular his Well-Tempered Clavier.

Baroque Period (1600–1750)

Main Characteristics of Baroque Music (Continued)

Rhythm

Most Baroque music featured continuity of rhythm and an easily recognizable strong and steady pulse.
Patterns of rhythmic sequences permeate much of Baroque music.
Rapid changes in harmony often made the music feel more rhythmic.
Dance rhythms were frequently used in multi-movement form pieces.
Dotted rhythms were widely used.

Composer: George Frideric Handel

"Organ Concerto in B Flat Major, Op. 4, No. 2: I. A tempo ordinario e staccato"

Harmony

Figured bass, a system of numbers placed under the music, was developed to indicate clearly the harmonies that should be played with each note identified in the bass line. The figured bass was typically realized (performed) by the harpsichord.
Basso continuo, a bass line running continuously throughout a piece, came into use. Also known as thoroughbass, the basso continuo was usually played by a bass string and/or low woodwind instrument along with the harpsichord or organ.
Well-tempered tuning and the major-minor tonal system were developed, along with an increased use of chromaticism. There was a distinct shift from the modal system of the Renaissance to major-minor tonality. Composers organized compositions around a keynote or tonal center, also known as the tonic. These changes further developed notions of tonality.

Composer: Heinrich Schütz

"Psalmen Davids: Erhore mich, wenn ich rufe"

Texture

Homophonic music (melody with harmonic accompaniment) succeeded polyphonic music as the dominant texture, particularly in opera and solo arias. Many instrumental compositions were also homophonic.

Composer: 0

"L'Orfeo: "Io non diro qual sia neltuo gioir""

Composer: Georg Philipp Telemann

"Concerto No. 3 for Two Horns: Allegro"

The soprano and bass lines were usually more important than the inner voices.
Imitation between the voices was common.
Counterpoint—a very complex and rule-bound type of polyphony in which the resulting harmony provides the tonal organization for the music—was used extensively.
In the late Baroque period, polyphony, as a result of counterpoint, was used in all sorts of compositions, especially the fugue.

Composer: George Frideric Handel

"Messiah: And with His stripes"

There was an increased emphasis on contrasting textures. For example, large groups of instruments would play one section and a smaller group another; or groups of instruments would take turns playing the main theme(s).

Composer: George Frideric Handel

"Water Music: Suite No. 2 in D major, HWV 349: II: Alla Hornpipe"

Timbre

Most of the instruments commonly used today were in use during the Baroque era.
The violin family was refined and perfected.
The openings of musical phrases were usually highlighted by a change of timbre.
There wasn't a standard orchestral group. Ensembles were usually composed of strings, a few woodwinds, and percussion, with the harpsichord providing the basso continuo.
The Baroque pipe organ, with its soft, mellow tone, was used extensively.
Brass instruments and percussion were commonly used to denote pageantry, solemnity, ceremony, and splendor.

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

"Orchestral Suite No. 3, BWV 1068: Bourrée"

Volume

The use of terraced dynamics to hold interest and achieve variety between musical phrases became popular.
Gradual volume changes, such as crescendo (getting louder) and diminuendo (getting softer), were not commonly used.

Composer: 0

"L'Orfeo: Overture"

The Baroque period was a time of great musical significance. It is not an exaggeration to state that much of the musical foundation for the next 300 years was built during this period.