1. Baroque Music 1600-1750

2. The Concerto • Comes from concertare (to contend with) • the opposition of two dissimilar bodies of sound • Two types of Baroque Concerto • Solo concerto • Violin favored instrument • Fast-slow-fast scheme • Concerto grosso • Tutti or ripieno

3. Known as the “red priest” because of his hair Music master at an all-girl school; although well-established career, died mysteriously in poverty Wrote over 500 concertos, about 230 for violin Wrote operas, cantatas, chamber music, an oratorio, a famous “Gloria” Known as “father of the concerto” (and for establishing the ritornello) Most of his concertos bear descriptive titles (Four Seasons) Antonio Vivaldi(1678-1741)

4. Vivaldi’s Four Seasons • A group of four violin concertos • Use of rapid scale passages, virtuosic • Word painting – hear “birds,” etc., in the music. Poems, probably written by the composer, describe each season. Each line of the poem is printed at a particular spot in the music.

5. “Spring” from Four Seasons • Description on p. 446 • Poem on p. 447 • Ritornello – a recurring theme that unifies the movement

6. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos • Dedicated to the Margrave Christian of Brandenburg • Concerto grosso (big group [tutti or ripieno] vs. little [concertino] group) • Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 (p. 450) • Three movement scheme • Concertino: violin, oboe, recorder, trumpet • Ritornello unifies the movement

7. The Baroque Suite • Comes from an earlier tradition of pairing dances of contrasting tempos and characters. • A set of dances (standard four w/others) • Allemande • Courante • Sarabande • Gigue • Written in the same key • Orchestral suites and keyboard suites

8. Handel’s Water Music • Played for a royal party, held by King George I, on the Thames River in London on July 17, 1717. (p. 453) • Contains 22 numbers, divided into 3 suites • Contains many of the “optional” dances; suite movements are not in the standard order • Suite in D Major: Allegro, p. 454

9. Bach and the Chorale Prelude • Prelude – a fairly short piece based on the continuous expansion of a melodic or rhythmic figure • “pre” – before; a piece played to introduce a group of dance pieces, among others • Preludes – used in church • Chorale preludes combine hymns with improvisation • Bach wrote over 140 organ chorales

10. Bach’s Chorale Prelude:A Mighty Fortress is Our God • p. 457-458 • 1709 • Features imitation and a cantus firmus melody (tune of the hymn) • Composed for a three-manual organ

11. Bach’s Preludes and Fugues • Well-Tempered Clavier • To “show off” the new system of tuning keyboards • One Prelude & Fugue in EVERY key • Wrote 2 books of these • Preludes – different characters • Fugues – imitative pieces (mostly 3 or 4 voices)

12. Bach’s Prelude and Fugue No. II in C Minor, WTC IPerformance on harpsichord • Prelude • Perpetual motion • Contains free, cadenza-like section • Ends fast • Fugue • 3 voices