Baroque Characteristics Notes

Composing a song is like cooking a recipe.

1. Form (what are we going to make?)
1. Vocal
1. Operas
1. Big story, big voices, big orchestra, big sets, big costumes, dramatic acting
2. “Lascia Ch’io Pianga” - from Rinaldo by George Handel
3. Usually had a ballet and orchestral overture
2. Oratorios
1. Like an opera, but with a chorus instead of one or two big singers
2. Usually music based on religious stories from the bible
3. No sets, no costumes, no acting
4. Hallelujah Chorus From the Messiah by George Handel
3. Cantatas
1. Just a chorus and orchestra with one or two solos 
2. usually based on bible passages or Lutheran hymns
3. Cantata 140 “Wachet Auf” by J. S. Bach
2. Instrumental
1. Solo
1. Fugues - complicated, many voiced piece usually for organ
2. Toccatas - fast keyboard music
3. Suites - dance music
4. Sonatas - monody
2. Orchestral
1. Concertos
1. Brandenburg concerto no. 3 by J. S. Bach
2. Accompanied Operas and other vocal works
2. Themes and Contrasts (flavors)
1. Themes
1. Greek or Historical Stories
2. Idealized nature
3. Royal parties and special occasions
2. Contrasts
1. Terraced dynamics
1. play a melody once loud and then once soft
2. Rapid tempo changes
3. Rapid mood changes
3. Instruments (ingredients)
1. violin
2. harpsichord
3. Organ
4. Texture
1. monody - One melody instrument plus Basso Continuo
2. homophony - two or more parts move together to create chords
3. Basso Continuo -
1. means “continuous bass”
2. a keyboard instrument or a plucked string instrument that plays the bass line of a song