Baroque 1600-1750

What is Baroque?The Baroque era is a period of music history, lasting from approximately 1600 to 1750.

Why is Baroque important?The Baroque era is really important for several reasons:

1. It’s when ‘Major and Minor’ scales became used for the first time.

2. New instruments were invented such as the Violin and Harpsichord

3. Some really great music was written, by famous composers, and the pieces are still played today.

4. It saw big developments in the structure of music, such as the Concerto and the Fugue.

Vivaldi 1678-1741

What was the Baroque era like?

The cultural centre of the world was Venice, Italy.

Baroque fashion was to dress very fancy!Baroque architecture

was very decorative.

So what did Baroque music sound like?

In a word... Fancy! Just like the style at the time, Baroque music is

veryDECORATED

and very ORNAMENTED.

The melody is often decorated with TRILLS and other flourishes.

Baroque music is CONTRAPUNTAL, having several melodies INTERWEAVING making it sound complex.

Dynamics changed very suddenly – LOUD sections,Followed by QUIET sectionsThis was called STEP dynamics

What Baroque instruments should I listen for?

Lots of strings!

A HARPSICHORD looks like a keyboard, but the strings are plucked, making it sound more ‘shimmery’ than a piano.

A combination of a Bass instrumentand a Harpsichordis called a BASSO CONTINUO.They play the backing for a melody.

What would I not hear?Piano

Invented around 1780

ClarinetInvented during this timebut not very common

Who were the key composers?

HandelBritish

BachGermanVivaldi

Italian

Summary of the Baroque Era

Handel

Bach

Vivaldi

Composers Musical Style

Very fancy and decorative melodies, sudden changes in dynamics.

Instruments

Harpsichord

Strings, strings, and more strings!

Now go back to the VLE and listen to some examples of Baroque Music