What is Baroque Music?
Allie Schreiber
All about Baroque
Baroque music is a style of music found in Western Europe after the Renaissance period. In society, baroque music was very popular, and often used on special occasions. Churches, aristocrats, opera houses, and municipalities had a desire for baroque music. The aristocrats really enjoyed baroque music, because it was their main form of entertainment. Towns sometimes competed with other town to see who could employ the best musician. Baroque churches were also created since the average person was only exposed to church music. Baroque music was an integral part of society.
Musical Instruments Played in Baroque Society
The sonata was a very popular instrument and it was written for one to six parts in a song. The sonata was made of contrasting sections and there were two types, a chamber music form, and the church sonata. The three most important keyboard instruments were the organ, clavichord, and the harpsichord. The organ allowed for the musician to change tones throughout the piece. The cantata, another instrument, was originally composed for a soloist to be accompanied by instruments. They were usually secular and very short pieces of music.
Famous Baroque Musicians
Johann Sebastian Bach
He was a great keyboardist and master of the organ and harpsichord. He was also a great composer and wrote music for nearly every type of musical form.
George Frideric Handel
Handel also composed music for every type of musical genre, and he even created the English oratorio. SOme of his famous works were The Messiah, and Music for the Royal Fireworks.
Antonio Vivaldi
Vivaldi wrote over 500 concertos. He is also believed to have invented ritornello form. Most of his music was undiscovered until the 1930's. His music earned him the title of " The Viennese Counterpart to Bach and Handel"
Baroque is the Best!!!!
Instrumental Advancements
During the baroque period, many instruments changed and evolved. The recorder was changed and made to amplify a sweeter, softer sound. The oboe also became popular and had three keys, instead of the popular two keys seen in other instruments. The harpsichord became a much larger instrument, also being more powerful and holding two manuals of keys. The instruments greatly evolved and changed.
Music of the Middle Class
Even though Baroque music was very large and extravagant, the middle class did not often play this dramatic style of music. The upper class mainly listened and preferred this music. The middle class enjoyed music such as the comic opera, which displayed everyday life. The court was a central part of central music but, in many places, the musical culture was just as important as the court. The middle class enjoyed less extravagant music than the upper class.