The Difference Between Baroque and Classical Music
Contents
Did you know that there’s a difference between Baroque and Classical music? It’s true! Here’s a quick rundown of the key differences between these two popular musical styles.
Baroque Music
Baroque music is a style of Western art music composed from approximately 1600 to 1750. This era followed the Renaissance and was characterized by grandiose, dramatic, and often theatrical music. The most important composers of the Baroque era include Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, and George Frideric Handel.
Defining features
Baroque music is a style of Western art music composed from approximately 1600 to 1750. This era followed the Renaissance and was succeeded by the Classical period. Baroque music forms a major portion of the “classical music” canon, and is now widely studied, performed, and listened to. The term “baroque” comes from the Portuguese word barroco, meaning “misshapen pearl”.
Characteristics of baroque music include:
-a strong emphasis on melody and counterpoint
-the use of chromaticism, or the introduction of non-diatonic notes into a composition
-a prominent bass line that supports the harmony
-the use of ornamentation, or decorative devices such as trills and turns
-the use of contrast, or the juxtaposition of disparate elements for rhetorical effect
Key composers
Several important composers of the Baroque period include Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, Antonio Vivaldi, and Claudio Monteverdi. Johann Sebastian Bach was born in 1685 in Eisenach, Germany and is best known for his works for keyboard instruments, such as the Brandenburg Concertos and The Well-Tempered Clavier. George Frideric Handel was born in 1685 in Halle, Germany and is known for his operas, such as Giulio Cesare and Alcina, as well as his oratorio Messiah. Antonio Vivaldi was born in 1678 in Venice, Italy and is known for his concertos, such as The Four Seasons. Claudio Monteverdi was born in 1567 in Cremona, Italy and is known for his operas, such as L’Orfeo.
Classical Music
Baroque music is a style of Western art music composed from approximately 1600 to 1750. The word “baroque” comes from the Portuguese word barroco, meaning “misshapen pearl”. The term “Baroque music” is generally used to refer to the period from 1600 to 1750, when a number of polyphonic styles of music were in vogue in Europe.
Defining features
Classical music is art music produced or rooted in the traditions of Western music, including both liturgical (religious) and secular music. While a more precise term is also used to refer to the period from 1750 to 1820 (the Classical period), this article is about the broad span of time from before the 6th century AD to the present day, which includes the Classical period and various other periods. The central norms of this tradition became codified between 1550 and 1900, which is known as the common-practice period.
Baroque music is a style of Western art music composed from approximately1600 to 1750. This era followed the Renaissance medicine and coincided with the Baroque era in other arts, especially architecture. The early substantial polyphonic style of the Baroque originated in Italy and spread across Europe in the 17th century.
The major defining features of Baroque music were:
-An increased use of dissonance
-Composers began to use different instrumentation and tone colors much more widely than before
-(With some exceptions) a reduction or even absence of counterpoint in favor of monophony or homophony
-A new basso continuo style where continuo consists of multiple instruments playing together to provide harmony (as opposed to one player playing alone with figured bass notation)
-A tendency toward shorter, faster pieces
-The beginning of opera as a musical genre
-The development or refinement of many musical instruments, such as the violin family, various brass instruments, woodwinds such as the oboe, bassoon and flute, and keyboard instruments such as the harpsichord and piano
Key composers
Some of the key composers associated with the Baroque period include Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, Dieterich Buxtehude, and George Frideric Handel. The Baroque period is generally considered to have ended around 1750, although some scholars extend it to 1700 or 1720.
The Classical period began shortly after the Baroque period and is often said to have lasted until 1820, although again some scholars extend it until the death of Beethoven in 1827 or even further. The most important figure of the early part of the Classical period was Joseph Haydn, who spent most of his career working for a patron (Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy) in a small town and who only achieved widespread fame in his old age. Other important composers from the early part of the Classical era include Johann Stamitz and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (the son of J.S. Bach). The later part of the Classical era was dominated by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Franz Schubert; both died before they reached 40 years of age. Ludwig van Beethoven is usually considered to be both a Classical and a Romantic composer because his work spans the transition between these two periods.
Comparison of the two styles
Baroque music was composed in the period from approximately 1600 to 1750. The music of this era was characterized by its use of ornamentation and contrasts in dynamics. Classical music was composed in the period from 1750 to 1820. The music of this era was characterized by its focus on balance, clarity, and simplicity.
Similarities
Baroque and Classical music might seem like two completely different styles of music. But, despite their differences, these two periods have more in common than you might think.
Here are some of the ways in which Baroque and Classical music are similar:
-They both use Western tonality (the major/minor key system).
-Both styles are polyphonic ( multipleMelodies are played at the same time).
-Both periodsexperimented with new forms ( such as the concerto grosso and sonata form).
-The discussed instrumentation between the two periods is often similar.
Differences
Most music lovers have a general idea of what Baroque and Classical music sound like. But when it comes to the differences between the two styles, there can be a lot of confusion. So let’s take a closer look at the key differences between Baroque and Classical music.
The first major difference between the two styles is that Baroque music is heavily ornate and complex, while Classical music is simple and elegant. This difference is largely due to the fact that Baroque music was written during a time when society was much more concerned with showiness and grandeur, while Classical music was written during a time when society was beginning to value simplicity and restraint.
Another difference between the two styles is that Baroque music often features highly complicated melodic lines, while Classical music typically features simple, singable melodies. This difference is likely due to the fact that, during the Baroque period, composers were still exploring the potential of melody, while during the Classical period, composers began to focus more on harmony and counterpoint.
Finally, another key difference between Baroque and Classical music is that Baroque music often makes use of strict rules and dance forms, while Classical music is more free-flowing. This difference is likely due to the fact that, during the Baroque period, composers were still trying to establish order in their music, while during the Classical period, they were beginning to experiment with different forms of expression.
