University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Literature and Styles in Music
General Characteristics of the
Early Baroque
I Baroque Style Emerges in Italy in 1600
A. New Baroque style emerges later in France and England and the rest of Europe
B. Possible causes for the change in styles associated with the Baroque
- A manifestation of the Counter-Reformation, i.e., the result of the Catholic Church's attempt to reassert power and authority by commissioning works of art in bold new style
- But many of the changes that resulted from the Counter-Reformation were in evidence long before 1600
- A manifestation of the supreme power of Europe's absolute monarchies (e.g., Louis XIV of France)
- But although the style of French Baroque art and music was to some extent determined by the tastes of the French monarchs, the new Baroque style is also seen in countries lacking an absolute monarch, e.g., Holland
II The "Two Practices" in the Early Baroque
A. Monteverdi (1605) uses these terms to represent the contrast between the older style of polyphony derived from the Netherland's style and the newer Baroque style
B. The "First Practice" (Prima Practtica) refers to the older style, codified by theorists such as Zarlino and Artusi, in which the "music dominated the text," i.e., the emphasis was on the "correctness of the music" -- the degree to whi
C. The "Second Practice" (Seconda Prattica) refers to the modern Italian style where the "text dominated the music," i.e., the emphasis was on the emotional representation of the text--even if that meant that "musical rules" had to be br
III Idiomatic Writing in the Early Baroque
- Whereas Renaissance writing for instruments had frequently not exploited the distinctive characteristics of a particular instrument, Baroque writing for instruments is more attuned to the specific characteristics of an instrument
IV Doctrine of Affections
A. Develops gradually from Ancient Greek "Doctrine of Ethos," the Musica Reservata concept first associated with Josquin, and the word-painting of the Italian madrigalists
B. Baroque concept of the "affections": not the feelings or emotion of a specific composer or performer but generalized affections (such as rage, excitement, contemplation, sorrow) or states of the soul which were represented by a pre
- Many theorists (e.g., the German theorist Johann Mattheson) discussed the affections by way of analogy with the art of rhetoric
- a musical idea representing a basic affection is introduced and is elaborated on by the use of standard devices
- specific musical figures come to be associated with specific rhetorical devices:
- Mattheson describes two types:
- Locus Notationis: Abstract musical devices such as imitation, repetition, inversion, etc.
- Locus Descriptionis: musical devices which are analogous to the affection in question
e.g., the use of rapid or tremolo figures to suggest rage or agitation
C. Doctrine of Affections also seen as a "guide to invention"
- Once central affection has been determined, composer must select musical ideas compatible with that affection
- this has the effect of guaranteeing musical unity as well as symbolic unity
- the idea that single affection should dominate an entire piece or movement begins to develop in the middle Baroque
V Rhythm in the early Baroque
A. Regular metrical barline rhythm is heard consistently for the first time
B. But free, unmetrical rhythm is also used, especially in improvisatory solo pieces and in some vocal recitatives
VI New Sound Ideal in the Early Baroque
A. Renaissance ideal of equal voices in counterpoint fades
B. Top and lowest voices emerge as most important; middle parts often filled in by chord-producing instruments (e.g., harpsichord, lute etc.)
C. Emergence of Basso Continuo ("Thoroughbass")
- New textural concept in which melody and bass are fully notated, but instead of having notated middle voices supplied by other melody instruments, they are "filled in" by chords from harpsichord or lute
- filling in of inner voices by chords referred to as "realizing" the continuo
- continuo part contains notated soprano and bass parts, but the inner voices are indicated only by numbers and symbols above the bass part which indicate to the performer what chords (including inversions) and nonharmonic tones should be produced
- the details of the "realization" is up to the performer, e.g., the voicing of the chords and the rhythmic details
- Continuo parts become so fashionable that they are often included when not necessary, e.g., a 4 or 5 voice madrigal in which all of the harmony can be expressed by the voices themselves
- Early uses of Basso Continuo:
- Peri's Euridice (Opera, 1600)
- Caccini's Euridice (Opera, 1600)
- Caccini's Le Nuove Musiche (Vocal Chamber Music, 1602)
- Lodovico da Viadana's Cento Concerti Ecclesiastici (1602)
- Cavalieri's Representation of the Body and the Soul (1600)
D. New Concept of Counterpoint
- Much early Baroque music is "anti-contrapuntal," but even when counterpoint is used, it no longer operates independently from logical harmonic context
VII Dissonance and Chromaticism in the Early Baroque
A. Dissonance now thought of in relationship to the underlying chord rather than the distance between two intervals
B. More "liberal" concept of dissonance encourages experimental uses of dissonance in early Baroque
C. Early experimentation with chromaticism also typical, but a more "controlled" use is common as century progresses
P> Last Update 6/21/06
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