‘tis the season(s): instrumental music of the baroque and stories without words

‘Tis the Season(s):

Instrumental Music of the Baroque and Stories without Words

Classical Music Concert

#1: Instrumental music secondary, peripheral until

17th century

#2: Cutting music free of dependence on words has far-reaching implications

I. The Baroque SonataA. Sonata Defined

1. Early Baroque (1600-1650)

2. Mid- and Late Baroque (ca. 1650 - )

B. Types of Sonata1. Functions

Sonata da chiesa (church sonata)

2. Performing ForcesSolo SonataTrio Sonata

Sonata da camera (chamber sonata)

sonata or canzona=any instrumental composition

chamber music for 1-2 soloists + b.c.

Stylized dances: Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Gigue usually in binary form: ||: a :||: b :||

Non dance: often Slow/Fast/Slow/Fast

Early sonata tied to vocal models

I. The Baroque SonataA. Sonata Defined

1. Early Baroque (1600-1650)

2. Mid- and Late Baroque (ca. 1650 - )

B. Types of Sonata1. Functions

Sonata da chiesa (church sonata)

2. Performing ForcesSolo SonataTrio Sonata

Sonata da camera (chamber sonata)

sonata or canzona=any instrumental composition

chamber music for 1-2 soloists + b.c.

Stylized dances: Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Gigue usually in binary form: ||: a :||: b :||

Non dance: often Slow/Fast/Slow/Fast

Early sonata tied to vocal models

C. First Major Composer of Sonatas: Arcangelo Corelli

1. Use of modern functional harmony:

2. Extensive use of sequences:

II. The Baroque ConcertoA. Origins (mid-Baroque)

B.Concerto also based on: Contrast of Performing Forces

concertato style:

(soloist(s) = concertino

Basso continuo

Rip. Concertino Rip. Concertino

vs. ripieno (or tutti)

based on contrast of performing forces

II. The Baroque ConcertoA. Origins

B. Performing Forces

D. The Contrast Principle

C. Two Types of Baroque Concerto

concertato style based on contrasts btw. performing forces

Concertino (solo) vs. ripieno (or tutti)

Solo ConcertoConcerto grosso

II. The Baroque ConcertoA. OriginsB. Performing Forces

D. The Contrast Principle

C. Two Types of Baroque Concerto

E. Composers

Antonio Vivaldi

The Four Seasons, “Spring,” 1st Movement

II. The Baroque ConcertoA. OriginsB. Performing Forces

D. The Contrast Principle

F. Form of the Baroque Concerto

C. Two Types of Baroque Concerto

1. Three Movements: Fast/Slow/Fast

2. Outer movements in Ritornello Form

E. Composers

Ritornello Form:

Ritornello=Main Theme

Played by Ripieno(full ensemble)

Ritornello returnsat end

Abbreviated ReturnsOf rit.

Episodes (Solo Episodes)

Ritornello Form:

Ritornello=Main Theme

Played by Ripieno(full ensemble)

Ritornello returnsat end

Rip. Concertino Rip. Concertino

Ritornello Form:

2. Contrast of Themes: Ritornello Theme vs. Solo Melodies

1. Contrast of Performing Forces (Ripieno vs. Concertino)

Double Contrast

III. Antonio Vivaldi’s Spring Concerto (1st Mvmt)Ritornello = AABB

3

1=24=3 inverted3=1 reversed

4=56=4 fragmented

III. Antonio Vivaldi’s Spring Concerto (1st Mvmt)

The Logic of “Wordless” Instrumental Music: Delight in play with patterns, Abstract relationships Quasi-mathematical networks

Music “talks” about itself

Ritornello = AABB3

The Logic of Words: Words refer to objects/ideas beyond themselves

Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons:

Weds

Abstract, Musical logicto

The Referential Logic of Words