BAROQUE PERIOD
1600 - 1750
FAMOUS PAINTERS
• Vermeer
• Rubens
• Rembrandt
• El Greco
VERMEER
RUBENS
REMBRANDT
EL GRECO
LITERATURE OF THE BAROQUE
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Moliere
Cervantes
Milton
Racine
BAROQUE TRAITS
• Dominant trends correspond to those in art
and literature
• Sense of movement, energy, & tension
• Strong contrast of light & shadow
• Style conscious
• Extreme emotional representation
• Music must express the emotions of life
and excite the listener
DAVID
BAROQUE ARCHITECTURE
DOCTRINE OF AFFECTIONS
• Music must reflect the emotions of life
• Each movement must have 1 affection
• Music that does this calls for a new
dramaticism in music
RENAISSANCE VS. BAROQUE
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Contrast avoided
Rigid, structured
Vocal predominates
No idiomatic writing
Subtle rhythm
Music dictates words
a cappella
All parts important
• Careful dissonance
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Contrast sought
Spontaneous expression
Instrumental grows
Idiomatic writing
Rhythmic verve
Words dictates music
Accompanied
Outer parts more important
Frequent and expressive
dissonance
BAROQUE MUSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
• Basso continuo – keyboard instrument (organ or
harpsichord) plus bass sustaining instrument (cello or
bassoon)
• Figured Bass
• Chromaticism
• Concerto principal – contrasting sonorities
• Terraced dynamics
• Fast harmonic rhythm
• Expressive use of dissonance
• Emergence of major/minor tonality system
• Huge explosion of instrumental music
• Music is “very busy” with long, drawn-out phrases
• Word painting
• Use of sequences