Early and High Baroque
Early Baroque (1600-1650)
- The Early Baroque period was characterised by the monodic style, a shift from the complex polyphony of the Renaissance to a more single-line melody with simple accompaniment.
- This period saw the development of opera, beginning with Jacopo Peri's 'Dafne' and Monteverdi's 'Orfeo'.
- Early Baroque resonated with the doctrine of affections, where each piece of music was believed to express a single emotional state, to manipulate audience's emotional response.
- The preferred texture was homophonic, but polyphonic texture, especially the older contrapuntal tradition, still existed.
- A major focus was on word painting, a method of composition in which the music reflects the literal meaning of a song.
High Baroque (1650-1750)
- High Baroque was dominated by the works of the so-called 'Three B's: Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi.
- Emergence of Fugue and Concerto Grosso as popular compositional forms.
- The high baroque period exhibited the Basso Continuo technique popular in opera.
- Complex polyphony was re-embraced, demonstrated in the fugue, and highly ornamented melodies came to dominance.
- Terraced dynamics were prevalent. Contrasts between loud and soft sections added drama to the music.
- The introduction of ritornello form in concertos where the main theme(ritornello) returns again and again, usually played by the tutti orchestra, while the solo sections contrastingly display virtuosity.
- High Baroque music evoked a sense of grandeur and magnificence, often utilised within a religious setting, demonstrated especially in Handel's 'Messiah'.
Key Composers and Works: Early and High Baroque
- Claudio Monteverdi, a key figure in the transition to the Baroque style, known for his work 'L’Orfeo'.
- Henry Purcell, one of England’s most important Baroque composers, famous for 'Dido and Aeneas'.
- Antonio Vivaldi, renowned for his violin concertos and instrumental works, notably 'The Four Seasons'.
- Johann Sebastian Bach known for his complex compositions, including 'The Well-Tempered Clavier' and 'Bradenburg Concertos'.
- George Frideric Handel, known for his oratorios and operas, particularly 'Messiah' and 'Water Music'. The use of wind instruments in these works was unconventional for the period.