Baroque means `irregular pearl´, `curve line ´ and `ornament´ and it was later adapted to the history of music to reflect the music of this period, with the ornaments and lots of curves in its melody.
CONTEXTS.
Historical
context
Absolute monarchies.
Annotations:
The power remains in the hands of the aristocracy and the Church who wants to show their authority in organizing big shows that music will always be present.
Cultural context
Brilliant period in culture, art, science.
Annotations:
Literature as Lope de Vega..
Paint as Velásquez, Murillo...
Scientists like Galileo Galilei and Newton.
Reason and Feeling.
Annotations:
The reason will be the way for trying to find the logic and the scientific side of everything.
Musical context
`......Music is a science that must have well-established rules.....
Basic characteristics.
Harmonic system.
Strong rhytm.
Dramatic effect.
Monody
Annotations:
The Baroque composers considered excessive complexity that had come to Renaissance counterpoint, as this could not express any feelings.
Understand the text
and convey a greater
expressiveness.
Basso continuo.
Annotations:
A bass notes line without interruption from the beginning to the end of the song.
Musical life during the Baroque Period.
Patronage
Annotations:
Is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid an organization or individual to another.
Music is an art reserved for the elite.
Professional musicians.
Composers
Concert Halls.
Annotations:
1st public concert was in 1672.
Virtuosity.
Annotations:
Extreme instrumental professional player.
Musical forms.
Music for solo intruments.
Annotations:
FUGUE
Chamber music.
Music for orchestra
Main intrumental music forms.
fugue
suite
sonata
concerto
Main vocal forms
Opera
Annotations:
Baroque musical form vocal, large dimensions, non religious, narrative, where all text is sung, with stage performance.(interpreted)
overture
recitatives
arias
choirs
fragments between breaks
performed by castrati
Zarzuela
Annotations:
Spanish composition.
Cantata
The Baroque orchestra
Annotations:
-It was small.
-It had a basso continuo and violin family strings.
-Brass, woodwinds and percussion used occasionally.
-The tone color was subordinate to the melody, rhythm or harmony.
Archieved a definitive independence from vocal music