Listen out for
the use of the harpsichord (called the Bass continuo - this
plays the Figured Bass) which was very popular during Baroque music.
Quite a lot of Baroque music is vocal
though not entirely so. Listen out for big choral works such as Handel's Messiah.
You will not hear a clarinet as it had
not been invented.
Writing is mainly polyphonic and
binary and ternary form was popular. Operas were first written
in the Baroque period.
During the beginning of the Baroque period the orchestra evolved. By the
mid-1600s the orchestra was growing into its own entity and the concerto was one
of the most popular forms of music performed.
The concerto featured a solo instrumentalist, or small ensemble of soloists,
playing in opposition to the orchestra, thus creating an interesting contrast of
texture and volume. In addition, during the Baroque period composers began
exploring music's ability to express the human spirit and to depict natural
phenomena. Vivaldi's The Four Seasons was the most famous set of
concertos that typified this.
Ensembles:
Concerto Grosso, Opera, Oratorio, Trio sonata, Large choral works (Oratorio, Chorale), Fugue, Suite, Aria &
Recitative (in Opera).
Composers:
Bach, Handel, Purcell, Vivaldi.
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Period by going to my revision page.
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Historical Periods
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