the late baroque

The Late Baroque

Late Baroque High point of music historyCharacterized by length and counterpointTechnical mastery and maturityNot a time of innovation but of refinementThe two masters of this period:

Johann Sebastian BachGeorge Frideric Handel

Late Baroque CharacteristicsProgressive melodic development

Melodies long and asymmetricalUse of sequence

Rhythmic continuity and clarityOne primary melodic idea per movementClear beat – “sewing machine”

Dense polyphonic texture

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)Born into very musical familyLived entire life in GermanyVirtuoso organist and composerHeld various court and church positionsLast 27 years in Leipzig as Cantor of St. Thomas’ Church (music for 4 churches)

Johann Sebastian BachExtremely prolific composer (see p. 149)Master of counterpoint, esp. the fugueWas not internationally known like HandelOften traveled regionally to test organsOne of the greatest composers of all time

Later Baroque CantataMuch more like a small scale oratorioConsists of all operatic characteristics

RecitativesAriasEnsemblesChorusesOrchestra

Sacred Cantata’s of J.S.Bach Cantata integral to Lutheran church serviceNew cantata required every SundayYearly cycle approx. 60 cantatas

One per Sunday plus holidays/special occasionsUsually 5 to 8 movementsBach composed 4–5 cycles (only 200 extant)Frequent use of Lutheran Chorale

Lutheran ChoraleChorale is the hymn tune Sung by the congregationOriginally sung in unisonLater set in 4-part harmony, melody in soprano (top voice)These 4-part settings referred to as a choraleChorale unifies the cantata

Listening ExampleTitle: Awake, a Voice Is Calling (140)Composer: Johann Sebastian BachGenre: Cantata

We’ll listen to movements 1, 4, and 7

Notes on Awake… (1st mvmt.)Orchestral ritornelloRhythmic momentum of ritornello buildsChorale in soprano partElaborate polyphony in choir and orchestraMultiple layers of activity depict the energy of the text

Notes on Awake… (4th mvmt.)Two central musical ideas

Chorale sung by tenors Unison violin/viola melody

Walking bass in continuoMuch simpler texture than 1st mvmt.More lyrical, flowing qualityThis movement was one of Bach’s favorites and was the only cantata mvmt he published

Notes on Awake… (7th mvmt.)Four part setting – choraleHomophonic (homorhythmic) textureInstruments double the voicesChorale tune in the soprano

The Baroque Suite Evolved from Renaissance dance music Began as actual dances but became concert musicSuites could be written for:

Orchestral music Chamber music (small group)Solo instrument

Commonly-used Dances German allemande French courante Spanish sarabande English jig (gigue)

Standard Order1. Overture or Prelude2. Allemande 3. Courante 4. Sarabande 5. Other dances (such as Minuet, Bourée, or Gavotte)

6. Gigue (jig)

Baroque Suite Form Each dance is relatively shortDances usually feature binary form

Two sections (A-B)Sections are approximately equal in length Often sections are repeated (A-A-B-B)

Bach’s Cello SuitesAmong the best-known works for solo celloSix suites of six movements eachNo continuo accompaniment is usedFollow the standard suite form

Listening ExampleTitle: Prelude, Cello Suite No. 1 in G major

Composer: Johann Sebastian BachGenre: Suite

Notes on Prelude, Cello Suite No. 1

Best known movement of all six suitesSolo cello, no continuoMostly chords, no clear tuneHarmonic emphasis rather than melodicNote the driving steady rhythmBach’s harmonic mastery turns what is essentially a warm-up into a work of beauty

Fugue“Fuga” is Latin for “flight”Highly contrapuntalBased on principle of imitationTheme (subject) is repeated in all voicesSubject is unifying ideaCan be written for any instrument or groupVocal or instrumental

Fugue TermsSubjectCountersubjectExpositionEpisode

Listening ExampleTitle: Organ Fugue in G Minor Composer: Johann Sebastian BachGenre: Fugue

Notes on Organ FugueEntrance of solitary subject at beginningLong subject, gathers rhythmic momentumExposition runs from top to bottom voicesUse of pedal point

A low pitch held or repeated while harmony changes around it

Ends with major triad despite minor key

Concerto grosso (reminder)Contrasting instrumental groups:

Small group of instruments (concertino)Large group (ripieno or tutti )

Different instruments featured at different times in the concertinoBrandenburg Concertos by Bach are excellent example of the genre

Listening ExampleTitle: Brandenburg Concerto #5Composer: Johann Sebastian BachGenre: Concerto Grosso

Notes on Brandenburg #5Concertino: flute, violin, and harpsichordRelatively small tuttiOrchestral ritornelloEspecially prominent harpsichord partHarpsichord cadenza

Equal Temperment“New” tuning system for keyboardsAllowed for performance in all keysWeakness of other systems

Not all keys were equally in tuneModulation was therefore restricted

The Well-Tempered ClavierTwo-volume collection (1722 & 1742)Prelude & Fugue pairs in every key

12 major keys12 minor keys

These collections demonstrated that pieces played in every key sounded equally in tuneThis was not possible with earlier tunings

George Frideric Handel (1685 – 1759)

George Frideric Handel (1685 – 1759)

Born in Halle, GermanyStudied in Halle & Hamburg, then ItalyComposed first opera at age 20Accepted position as Kappelmeister to the Elector of Hanover in 1710 (age 25)1710 visit to England becomes permanentEnjoys international fame

George Frideric Handel (1685 – 1759)

Coronation Service for George IIZadok the Priest played every coronation since

Director of the Royal Academy of Music (1720 – 1728)Oratorio Messiah has been performed continuously since its compositionHandel buried in Westminster Abbey

Opera SeriaDominant form of high Italian operaUse of castrati for heroic lead rolesHandel sought financial gain by taking this Italian style to English audiencesComposed 24 operas for Royal Academy of Music – generally successful until 1728Academy went bankrupt due to production costs and shrinking sales

OratorioBegan as small religious musical playsGrows to mirror opera in scale and styleExtended musical setting of sacred textRole of chorus is emphasizedNo scenery, costumes, or staging

Da Capo AriaItalian for “from the top”This is an aria with a specific structureA-B-A’ form

Section A is sung followed by section BAfter section B, section A is repeated with embellishments

Handel and the OratorioAs opera seria’s popularity waned, Handel turned to oratorio for financial reasonsLower production costs

No opera starsNo scenery or costumes

Adapting to English tastesEnglish long choral tradition Puritan market

Handel’s MessiahHandel composed 20 oratorio in 20 yearsMessiah is most famous and stands apartNot a heroic story from OT with characters

Combination of OT and NT versesNo character or dramatic plot

Extra choral emphasis (19 choruses)Composed in 3½ weeks

Listening ExampleTitle: Messiah, Rejoice Greatly (No. 18)

Composer: George Frideric HandelGenre: Oratorio

Notes on Rejoice GreatlyAriaLong melismasDa Capo aria – ABA’ Note the contrast between A & B sections

TempoMode (major vs minor)

Handel’s Orchestral SuitesTwo orchestral suites:

Water MusicMusic for the Royal Fireworks

Water MusicActually three combined suitesDoes not follow standard orderComposed for a royal party on the ThamesPerformed outdoors on floating bargesPerformed without continuo instruments for 1717 Thames River tripLouder instruments (trumpets & horns) are therefore emphasized

Listening ExampleTitle: Water Music, Alla HornpipeComposer: George F. HandelGenre: Suite

Notes on Alla HornpipeABA (ternary) form with repeat of first AHorns and trumpets featured prominentlyFull orchestra plays A sectionStrings play B sectionMajestic sound characteristic of Handel