Forms and Devices: Features of Baroque-era Music
Section 1: General Features of Baroque-era Music
- The Baroque period in music lasted from around 1600 to 1750.
- Music of this era exhibits the increasing importance of instrumental music, the development of ornamented solo styles, and the rise of basso continuo.
- The term 'Baroque’ comes from the Portuguese word 'barroco’, which means misshapen pearl. Despite its initially derogatory meaning, Baroque now refers to one of the most vibrant and productive periods in music history.
Section 2: Instruments in Baroque Music
- Use of string instruments was prominent during this era. The violin family (including the viola and cello) established itself as the core of the orchestra and chamber ensembles.
- The harpsichord was the most commonly used keyboard instrument. The pipe organ and clavichord were also used.
- Woodwind instruments, like the flute and the oboe, grew in popularity.
Section 3: Texture and Harmony
- Counterpoint, or the interweaving of multiple melodies, was a signature element. Polyphonic textures were particularly common, especially in church music.
- A significant feature of Baroque era music is the use of a basso continuo. This refers to a kind of musical accompaniment with a sustained bass line.
Section 4: Forms and Styles
- Baroque music adapted many forms, like sonatas, concertos, cantatas, and more.
- Composers used binary and ternary forms to structure their works. Binary form involves two contrasting sections (AB), while ternary form involves a returning first section (ABA).
- One of the representative forms of the Baroque period, the fugue, is a contrapuntal composition in which a short melody, the subject, is introduced by one part and successively taken up by others.
- Vocal music included both sacred music, such as masses and motets, and secular music, including opera, oratorio and cantata.
Section 5: Notable Composers
- Notable composers of the Baroque era include Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, and George Frideric Handel.