• This is the period in which composers started to standardize the forms and styles of the music in which they wrote. Major and minor scales as well as homophonic writing emerged in this era.
• This is a time of experimentation and a growing role of national styles.
• The texture of the pieces is ususally only melodic line and an accompaniment.
• Rhythms are taken from dance rhythms.
• The harpsichord is often used and instrumental music is written less for dancing and more for listening.
• Many of the works are based on one rhythm and the tempo rarely changes.
• Melodies are flowing and lyrics are often filled with emotion.
• The use of the basso continuo is common and important in this period. Harmonies are often improvised by the performer on the basso continuo. This is very popular all throughout the period.
• These compositions rarely change moods in the middle of the piece and they are based on one subject.

• Interesting fact: The Beatles used influences from Bach's music in their song writing.  
• Bach wrote for the church and the worship of God. 
• He never wrote opera in his career; he wrote for the harpsichord, string quartets and virtually every other Baroque form.
• Bach spent his entire life in Germany, which limited the influence of international composers in his works.
• His father taught music and was a practicing musician: his entire family was involved with music in some way or another.
• Bach earned a choral scholarship to a reputed choir school where he furthered his study of music.
• When playing organ for the church, Bach improvised organ passages. Many people disliked this style and complained about the way he played.
• Bach was inspired by Handel.
• After graduating from choir school and being a church organist, he became the court organist for Duke Wilhelm Ernst.
• During this time, he discovered his love for teaching and dedicated his life to teaching.
• He was very experimental with instrumental music during the time he spent at Cothen.
• He spent a number of years as a Cantor of Leipzig. By this time, he had 20 children.
• He was buried in St. Johns Cemetary in 1750.

• An Italian composer very popular for his instrumental music and operas. He developed the concerto.
• The concerti highlighted various unusual combinations of instruments.
• Over his lifetime wrote over 500 concerti: primarily for solo violin and group ensembles.
• His concerti had a fast, slow, fast form with a ritornello form.
• His famous group The Four Seasons for the concerto gives dramatic and colorful aspects. Each concerto is a different season. 

    Some examples of his works are :

• Orchestral music, including over 239 violin concerti, including Le quattro stagioni (The Four Seasons, Op.8, Nos.1-4, c.1725), other solo concerti (bassoon, cello, oboe, flute, recorder), double concerti, ensemble concerti, sinfonias
• Chamber music, including sonatas for violin, cello and flute, trio sonatas
• Vocal music, including oratorios (Juditha triumphans, 1716), Mass movements (Gloria), Magnificat, psalms, hymns and motets
• Secular vocal music, including solo cantatas and operas

George Frideric Handel

• English composer, but German by birth and was most famous for his Operas and Oratorios.
• He composed for the general public.
• At a young age, he composed with an Italian style. His first Opera, Almira, was a big success. 
• While he was in England, he maintained an Italian style in his Operas. But, he later developed into a light and ballad opera.
• Around 1728, the Italian style had faded so he started writing Oratorios. His most famous was Messiah in 1742.
• He was an amazing organist.

His Works Include:

• Over 40 operas, including Almira (1705), Rinaldo (1711), Giulio Cesare (Julius Caesar, 1724) and Orlando (1733)
• Oratorios, including Esther (1718), Alexander's Feast (1736), Israel in Egypt (1739), Messiah (1742), Sampson (1743), Belshazzar (1745), Judas Maccabaeus (1747), Solomon (1749) and Jephtha (1752); other sacred vocal music, including Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (c.1713), Acis and Galatea (masque, 1718), Ode for St. Cecilia's Day (1739), Utrech Te Deum (1713), anthems and Latin church music
• Secular vocal music, including solo and duo cantatas; arias
• Orchestral music, including Water Music (1717) and Music for the Royal Fireworks (1749); concerti for oboe, organ, horn
• Chamber music, including solo and trio sonatas
• Keyboard music, including harpsichord suites, fugues, preludes, airs and dances

Listening Logs!!!

Concerto in D minor

By: Vivaldi

Musical:

~Violin, viola, cello, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, harpsichord, and flute-like instrument

~Andante

~ Well defined meter

~Duple, 4/4

~Polyphonic

~Melody often passed around orchestra

~Forte

~in D minor

~ABCA

Structure:

Section A 0:00-0:40

~Starts with a forte note with the whole orchestra

~melody gets passed around from flute and bassoon, to clarinet, then violin until full orchestra accents the melody

~Forte

Section B 0:41-1:47

~With other strings in harpsichord in background, the first and second violin passed around the melody

~Strings then continue with the melody, with the 1st and 2nd violins in the lead

~1st and 2nd violin pick up with passing around the melody again

Section C 1:48-2:10

~This section is very similar to Section A, except it has a slight variation =

~Uses the winds and the strings

~Forte

Section A 2:11-2:39

~Uses full orchestra

~uses same theme, but decrescendos and crescendos

~once more repeats them, until a retardando conclusion

Context

~Vivaldi

~Baroque period

Concerto in D minor (Largo e spiccato)

By: Vivaldi

Musical

~Strings,(violin, viola, cello), harpsichord

~Andante

~ABA

~Triple meter, ¾

~In D minor

~well defined theme

Structure

Section A 0:00-0:19

~Definition of theme

~All instruments violin, viola, cello, and harpsichord

~strings used for melody, harpsichord mostly used for ornamentation

~mf

Section B 0:20-1:47

~Violin solo has melody

~other strings provide rhythm with quarter notes

~mf

~2nd theme defined, repeated several times

~no real change when theme is repeated

Section A 1:48-2:14

~All strings and harpsichord play

~Exactly the same as the first section A

~Has a retardando into the conclusion

Context

Vivaldi

Baroque period