Baroque period part 3

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1 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) One of the greatest musicians to ever live Bach was such a great organist that he could play with his feet better than some organists could play with their hands In 1720 his wife died leaving him with 4 young children

Transcript of Baroque period part 3

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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

One of the greatest musicians to ever live

Bach was such a great organist that he could play with his feet better than some organists could play with their hands

In 1720 his wife died leaving him with 4 young children

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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

He had 16 more children by his new wife

Several of his children became well known composers themselves: Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, Carl Philip Emmanuel

Bach, and Johann Christian Bach all made significant contributions to the world of music.

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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

At 36 Bach got the last job of his life at the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig

While there he wrote a different cantata (an extended composition for chorus, orchestra, and soloist) for each Sunday and holiday for 4 years

At least 295 that we know of today (195 of them have survived).

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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Listen to:Prelude in C Minor from The Well-Tempered Clavier,

Book I (about 1722)This is a piece from a book of preludes and fugues

composed in all 24 keys Prelude in C Minor is a study in perpetual motion This motion grows out of repeated patterns of eight rapid notes in

both the right and left hand Toward the end of the prelude, the rhythmic drive is interrupted

by a slow ornamental passage in the style of improvisation, The Prelude soon returns to rapid running notes and concludes with a bright C major harmony.

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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Listen to:Fugue in C MinorThe Fugue in C Minor is lighter in mood than Bach’s

Organ Fugue in G Minor (Little Fugue) studied earlierThe subject grows out of a decisive five-note fragment-

two short notes followed by three longer ones In the opening section of the fugue, each of the three

voices in turn-alto, soprano, bass-states the subject, which is introduced without accompaniment

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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Fugue in C Minor continued

Starting with its second appearance, the subject is accompanied by a counter-subject that begins with a rapid descending scale

The fugue subject is stated eight times: seven times in minor and once in major

The fugue subject is stated eight times: seven times in minor and once in major

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Johann Sebastian Bach

Fugue in C Minor continuedTransitional episodes, which have a more continuous

flow of rapid notes, precede several statements of the subject

In most of these episodes, the counter-subject’s rapid scale accompanies the subject’s opening fragment

The subject in the soprano is now accompanied by a pedal point- a low sustained octave in the bass

Like it’s Prelude, the Fugue in C Minor ends with a bright C major harmony.

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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Listen to:Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major (about

1721) Second Movement: Affettuoso (affectionately, tenderly) The Affettuoso is slow, quiet, and in a minor key It uses only three solo instruments and a cello which duplicates the

bass line (left hand of the harpsichord) The movement is based on a repeated alternation between a main

theme and episodes

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Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major (about 1721)

Listen to:Third Movement: Allegro

The concluding Allegro is dancelike in character It is in ABA form; the A sections are in major,

and the B section is in minor

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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Listen to:

Suite No. 3 in D Major (1729-1731) Fourth Movement: Bouree

Is an even livelier dance in duple meter It is the shortest movement of the suite. It is in AABB form Section A uses the full orchestra, including trumpets and

timpani Section B is three times longer than A and alternates loud tutti

passages with softer passages for strings and oboes

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Cantata No. 140: Wachet auf, ruft uns die stimme (Awake, a Voice Is Calling Us; 1731)

Listen to:Last Movement

Bach based this cantata on the chorale tune Wachet auf, because its text was inspired by the Gospel for this particular Sunday

There are nine melodic phrases, of which the first three (making up the A section) are repeated immediately

The last phrase of the A section reappears at the end of the B section and beautifully rounds off the chorale melody.

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Cantata No. 140: Wachet auf, ruft uns die stimme (Awake, a Voice Is Calling Us; 1731)

Listen to:First Movement: Chorus and Orchestra

The opening movement is scored for chorus and small orchestra There are three layers of sound: the chorale phrases in long notes in

the soprano, the imitative dialogue in shorter note values in the three lower voices; and the ever busy orchestra playing along underneath in even shorter tones

The chorale tune in the soprano is presented not as a continuous whole but rather phrase by phrase

Once during the movement, the three lower voice become emancipated from the soprano and jubilantly sing a melody in rapid notes on Alleluja.

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Cantata No. 140: Wachet auf, ruft uns die stimme (Awake, a Voice Is Calling Us; 1731)

Listen to:Fourth Movement: Tenor Chorale

The fourth movement is scored for tenors; violins and violas in unison, and basso continuo

The chorale tune returns in this movement, the most popular of the cantata

The chorale tune moves in faster rhythmic values than it did in the opening movement, but here, too, it is broken into component phrases linked by an instrumental melody

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George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

A master of Italian opera and English oratorio, he was born in halle, Germany one month before J.S. Bach

Handel was not from a musical family, but his father finally recognized his talent and let him take organ lessons

His first opera was produced when he was 21

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George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

Moved to England and began writing operas Was very successful for a time, but tastes changed so he

began to write oratorios

An oratorio is a piece for solo singers, chorus, and orchestra set to a biblical text

His most famous was the Messiah It was so popular that gentlemen were told to come

without swords and ladies without hoops in order to make more room for people to hear it

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George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

Handel’s music is as important as Bach’sHe wrote a great deal of instrumental music,

but the core of his works are Italian operas and English oratorios

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Messiah

Listen to: Sinfonia for Strings and Basso Continuo (French

Overture) Grave; Allegro moverato (moderate allegro) Opens with a French overture in minor A slow section is followed by a faster one A lively subject is passed from higher instruments to lower ones Near the end of the movement is a feature typical to Handel: energetic

orchestral motion is suddenly broken off by a brief pause that ushers in a closing cadence of slow chords.

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Messiah

Listen to:Comfort Ye, My People

The vocal line is something between a recitative and an aria

More lyrical than one, less elaborate than the other This type of melodic accompaniment is called an

arioso.

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Messiah

Listen to:Ev’ry Valley Shall Be Exaulted

Aria for tenor, strings, and basso continuo Andante

It opens and closes with a string ritornello It uses striking word painting which is

characteristic of baroque music

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Messiah

Listen to:For Unto Us A Child Is Born

Chorus, strings, basso continuoThis is Handel’s most joyful musicThe texture is light, with one or two voices singing at a timeHe sets two contrasting ideas against each otherHe keeps the dynamics subdued until the striking chordal outburst

on Wonderful, Counselor This change from p to ff and from polyphonic to homophonic

texture is very cool

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MessiahListen to:Hallelujah Chorus

Is one of the world’s most famous choral pieces He offer sweeping variety by sudden changes among monophonic,

polyphonic, and homophonic textures The monophonic texture is full-sounding as all the voices and

instruments perform in unison at the proclamation for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth

The texture becomes polyphonic when this majestic proclamation is set against joyful repeated exclamations of Hallelujah in quick rhythms

Polyphony gives way to homophony as the chorus sings The kingdom of this world to hymn-like music

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Finally, the end of Baroque!

Johann Sebastian Bach’s music was the height of the Baroque style in music, and the Baroque period pretty much ended with him

The musical style that followed is known today as the Classical style

The Classical style was, in some ways, a reaction to the excesses of the Baroque

Whereas Baroque music had been florid, extravagant, and emotional, music in the Classical period was sparer, more reserved, and more controlled