The Basis for the Development of Great Baroque Instrumental Music
Contents
This article discusses the three main elements of great Baroque instrumental music: the basso continuo, the concerto grosso, and the solo concerto.
The Baroque Era
The Baroque period was a time of great change in the world of music. It was a time when new ideas and ways of thinking were being explored. This was also a time when new instruments were being developed. The development of new instruments played a big role in the development of great Baroque instrumental music.
The historical context of the Baroque Era
The Baroque Era was a time of great change in both music and society. The musical style we now call Baroque originated in the early 1600s, although it was not until the late 1600s that it reached its full maturity. It was a style that was used by many composers of the time, including J.S. Bach, G.F. Handel, and Antonio Vivaldi.
The term “Baroque” comes from the Portuguese word for “irregular pearl,” and it was first used to describe a style of architecture and art in the 17th century. In music, the term came to be used to describe a style that was ornate, complex, and often quite emotional. The Baroque Era was one of great creativity, and many of the composer’s of the time pushed the boundaries of what was possible with music.
One of the most striking features of Baroque music is its use of contrast. Composers would often use different loudness levels, tempos, and timbres to create interesting pieces of music. They would also make use of new devices such as the piano and harpsichord to create a wider range of sounds.
The Baroque Era marked a time of great change for society as well. The feudal system was breaking down, and there was a move towards more democratic forms of government. This led to increased religious tolerance, and new ideas about art and science were being developed. All of these factors had an impact on the development of Baroque music.
The Baroque period of music history extends from 1600 to 1750. The word “baroque” comes from the Portuguese word barroco, meaning “misshapen pearl.” It is thought to have been first used in a derogatory way to describe the architecture of the period, with its curves and complex details. But it was soon taken up by music lovers to describe the highly ornate style of composition that developed during this time.
The Baroque period was one of great social change. The feudal system that had controlled Europe for centuries was breaking down, and a new middle class was emerging. This new class had money to spend on luxuries, and they wanted music that would reflect their wealth and status.
The music of the Baroque era is characterized by grandiose gestures and a highly ornate style. Composers wrote complicated works with many parts that were designed to impress listeners. They also began to experiment with new ways of creating sound, using instruments such as the viola da gamba and the trumpet.
Baroque music was often performed in large halls or churches, with hundreds of people in attendance. This gave rise to a new form of composition known as the concerto, which featured a soloist competing against an orchestra. The best-known composer of concertos was Johann Sebastian Bach, who wrote over 250 of them during his lifetime.
The Baroque era was a time of great creativity in music, and it laid the foundation for the development of classical music as we know it today.
The musical context of the Baroque Era
The Baroque Era was a time of great change in music. The major innovation of the era was the development of tonality—the major and minor keys that are the basis for much of Western music today. With tonality came new melodic and harmonic possibilities, which were exploited to the fullest by the composers of the day.
The Baroque Era saw the rise of instrumental music, as well as new developments in vocal music. The most important form of vocal music in the Baroque Era was opera, which reached its artistic peak in this period. Other important genres included oratorio (a type of musical drama based on religious or historical themes) and cantata (a vocal work with dramatic elements).
Instrumental music also flourished in the Baroque Era. New forms such as the concerto and sonata were developed, and older forms such as the fugue continued to be popular. The most important development in instrumental music was the rise of orchestral music, which reached its full maturity in this period.
The Development of Great Baroque Instrumental Music
There are three main factors that led to the development of great Baroque instrumental music. The first is the invention of new instruments and the second is the development of new playing techniques. The third factor is the rise of the professional musician.
The early years: 1600-1650
During the early years of the Baroque period, instrumental music was subordinate to vocal music. Instrumental music was used to support singing, either as an independent accompaniment or as an interlude between vocal sections. The few compositions that were written for instruments alone were mostly dance music or simple divertimenti. The first great instrumental composers of the Baroque period were the Italians Giovanni Gabrieli and Claudio Monteverdi. Gabrieli wrote sacred music for the Venetian church of San Marco, and his works often make use of two groups of instruments (antiphonal style). This antiphonal style was continued by German composers such as Heinrich Schütz. Monteverdi wrote both sacred and secular vocal music, as well as a number of important works for instruments. His madrigals are some of the finest examples of early Baroque vocal music, and his operas were revolutionary in their use of dramatic musical effects.
The middle years: 1650-1700
During the middle years of the Baroque period, instrumental music began to take on a more important role. The rise of basso continuo notation made it possible to write more complex pieces for a wider range of instruments. In addition, new genres such as the concerto and sonata began to take shape. These genres would come to dominate instrumental music in the later Baroque period. The first great composer of instrumental works in these new genres was Arcangelo Corelli. Corelli was a violinist and composer from Rome who wrote a number of concerti grossi (concerto for a group of instruments) and solo sonatas (sonatas for one instrument). He had a huge influence on subsequent generations of composers, and his works helped to solidify the concerto grosso and solo sonata as the two main genres ofBaroque instrumental music. Other important Italian composers from this period include Antonio Vivaldi, Alessandro Scarlatti, and Francesco Gasparini.
The late years: 1700-1750
During the late years of the Baroque period, composition for solo instruments became increasingly popular. This was partly due to the ever-increasing virtuosity of performers, but also because audiences became tired of hearing large groups of instruments playing together all the time (the concerto grosso genre had become somewhat formulaic by this point). The most important genre to develop during this period was the solo concerto, which featured one or more soloists playing with an orchestra (or just basso continuo). The first great composer of solo concertos was Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach was a German composer who served as court musician in Cöthen and later as cantor at Thomaskirche in Leipzig. He composed several hundred works for keyboard, voice, and orchestra during his lifetime, many of which are still performed today. Other important German composers from this period include Georg Philipp Telemann and Dieterich Buxtehude..
The middle years: 1650-1700
During the years 1650-1700 there was a great development of instrumental music. This was the period when instrumental music became more and more independent of vocal music. The viola da gamba and the violin family, which had been invented earlier, now became the main instruments, while the harpsichord and theorbo were developed to meet the need for a better accompaniment to these instruments. The sonata and concerto also developed during this period.
The late years: 1700-1750
The last third of the seventeenth century and the first decades of the eighteenth saw important changes in instrumental music. The most significant development was the increasing prominence of solo vocal music, both opera and cantata. Opera became the most prestigious form of musical composition, and great advances were made in dramatic music. Another important change was the rise of instrumental concerts, in which Europeans could hear large orchestras and virtuoso performers.
The Legacy of Great Baroque Instrumental Music
The Baroque period of music history was a time of great transition. The music of this time was very different from what came before, and it set the stage for the development of great instrumental music. In this article, we’ll explore the legacy of great Baroque instrumental music.
The influence of great Baroque instrumental music on subsequent music styles
It is fair to say that the great Baroque instrumental music of the 17th century was the basis for the development of all subsequent Western music. This statement is based on the fact that all of the basic concepts and techniques of Western music were first developed during the Baroque era. These concepts and techniques include melody, harmony, rhythm, and form. In addition, the major instruments of Western music, such as the piano, violin, and cello, were also first developed during the Baroque era.
During the Baroque era, composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel created works that are still considered to be some of the greatest pieces of instrumental music ever written. Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto” and Handel’s “Messiah” are just two examples of works from this era that continue to be performed centuries later. The influence of these and other great Baroque composers can be heard in subsequent musical styles, including Classical music, Romantic music, and even modern pop music.
The enduring popularity of great Baroque instrumental music
The enduring popularity of great Baroque instrumental music is based on several factors. The first is the unmatched skill of the composers of the Baroque era in writing tunes that are not only beautiful but also memorable. Second, the development of new musical forms during the Baroque period, such as the concerto and sonata, allowed composers to Write music of greater structural complexity and emotional power than was possible in earlier eras. Finally, the advent of new musical instruments, such as the violin and harpsichord, during the Baroque period allowed for a greater range of expression in instrumental music.
