Baroque

(1600– 1750 AD)

A.                 Historical Events

1.                  1609 – Galileo made the first observations with a telescope

2.                  1620 – Mayflower arrived in America

3.                  1705 – Virginia Act established public education

B.                 General Facts

1.                  People were either really wealthy or really poor (no middle class)

2.                  Lifestyles became more elaborate (fancy)

3.                  Rise in drama, theater, painting, architecture, and music (entertainment)

C.                 Music Facts

1.                  Sharp dynamic contrasts

2.                  The livelihood of musicians started to come from the public

3.                  Opera was invented

4.                  Music became ornate

5.                  Music expressed emotion (even in church music)

6.                  Piano is invented, but does not yet become popular

7.                  Opera and other performances become accessible to the general public

8.                  Brass instruments used more often

D.                Composers

1.                  J. S. Bach

a.                   composed for the church

b.                  played the organ and violin

c.                   wrote for organ and keyboards mainly

d.                  had 20 children, 5 of which became musicians

e.                   wrote Toccata and Fugue in D minor and Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring

2.                  Antonio Vivladi

a.                   ordained priest

b.                  wrote 40 operas and 500 concertos

c.                   played violin

d.                  wrote for strings mainly (violin solos)

e.                   wrote The Four Seasons

3.                  George Frederic Handel

a.                   played clavichord

b.                  composed for the church

c.                   wrote for orchestra and choir

d.                  composed Messiah ( 3 sections depicting 3 sections of Jesus’ life)

e.                   composed Water Music ( written for King George I)

E.                 Instruments

1.                  Harpsichord and strings are the most popular instruments

2.                  Instrument families were combined to form small groups

3.                  Composers wrote solos for instruments

4.                  Dance music was popular

a.                   gigue – lively tempo

b.                  waltz – slow, stately tempo

5.                  Types of keyboards

a.                   organ

b.                  harpsichord

c.                   clavichord

F.                  Types of Works

1.                  Fugue – keyboards

2.                  Chamber Music – strings mainly, small orchestra

3.                  Symphony – large orchestra

4.                  Opera – solo singers and orchestra

5.                  Oratorio – choir and orchestra, tells a sacred story

 Lesson Ideas

v     Listen to Bach (fugues & chorales), Vivaldi (Four Seasons & Gloria), and Handel (Water Music & Messiah)

v     Listen and describe music as fugue, chamber music, symphony, opera, or oratorio

Prehistoric	Medieval	Renaissance
Baroque	Classical	Romantic
	20th Century