Trio Sonata - A musical form, not a texture - 2 treble instruments, bass line and chordal continuo - Sonata is the instrumental equivalent of the cantata - The upper two voices are very independent of the bass line - The solo bass and continuo play from the same part

Two schools of thought to writing string ensemble music:1. Giuseppe Torelli

a. Later influenced the string writing of Vivaldi2. Archangelo Corelli

a. Later influenced Handel’s style of concerto writing

Sonata - Sections of sonata become separate entities - Separate movements and conventions are established as to what comes next

1. Sonata da chiesa a. Church sonatab. Form: Mvt. 1 (Slow) Mvt. 2 (Fast) Mvt. 3 (Slow) Mvt. 4 (Fast)c. Movements do not have dance titles because considered

inappropriated. Composers gave the movement titles “mood” names, which imply

tempo markingse. Slow movements are through composed and fast movements are

binary formf. Movements could be broken up in the service and did not been to be

performed all in a row 2. Sonata da camera

a. Chamber sonata b. Form: Mvt. 1 (Fast) Mvt. 2 (Slow) Mvt. 3 (Fast)c. Fast movements are binary d. Different movements are usually based upon dances (Gigues) and are

marked as such in the score

Example of Trio Sonata: Corelli’s Trio Sonata, Op 3 No. 2

Italian Concerto Grosso- One of the earliest forms of the mid-late Baroque period- Comprised of a small group of soloists who oppose a larger orchestra

o Smaller group of soloists (two violins and continuo) is called the concertino

o Larger group (string orchestra) is called the ripieno- Several genres contributed to the creation of the concerto grosso

o Multi-voiced canzona

o Sonata o Trio sonata

Corelli and the Italian Concerto Grosso- The alternation between solo and tutti follows no preconceived plan- Similar to a trio sonata which had added contrast from the entrance of the

ripieno at certain points - The doubling of ripieno material is optional - The essential material is present in the concertino parts. This is called ad

libitum (at your liberty)- Ad libitum – the solo parts could also play the tutti sections if no greater

orchestra was available- The solo and tutti sections were usually about the same level of difficulty

Corelli vs. Torelli

CorelliConcertino essential, Ripieno optional

TorelliConcertino essential, Ripieno essential

Locatelli Handel Vivaldi Bach

Torelli and the Italian Concerto Grosso- Concerto grosso became more and more under the demands of the solo

concerto with regard to form and instrumental treatment o This tendency is most obvious in the double concerto (more a

concerto for two solo instruments)- Extraordinary virtuosity required of the performers

Italian Ripieno Concerto - Compositions for the ripieno alone (string ensemble and continuo) with

either no solo parts or clearly subsidiary ones - Began with the six ripieno concertos of Torelli

Ripieno ConcertoSinfonia Type:Fast-Slow-Fast, Homophonic, Form: Ritornello, in different keys, Finale: Binary, dance style

Sonata Type:Slow-Fast-Slow-Fast, Fugal Texture, Follows sonata da chiesa format

Lutheran Cantata 1. Telemann 2. Mathieson

a. Wrote an important treatise about being a Kapellmeister – Der volkmmene Capellmeister

3. Scheibea. Wrote a treatise about who the good composers were and whyb. Favored Telemann over Bach, Bach’s music seemed “labored” to his

ear with all the counterpoint against the voice and in the inner parts

Lutheran ChurchPietist Viewpoint: Music should be simple so that meditations/words can be brought to the forefront

Orthodox Viewpoint: Music can be complex as Martin Luther said it might be

Erdmann Neumeister- Was in the orthodox camp but wrote poetry in the Pietist style- He systematically set out to have his poetry set to music by organizing it to

this fashiono He studied the Italian cantata texts in order to get organization down

- Applied an Italian secular term (cantata) to Lutheran sacred music

Lutheran Cantata- Da capo arias – texts for these arias tend to have a certain mold

o A stanza of 4 verses, another stanza of 4 verses; repeat back to the first stanza

- How to organize a sacred concerto (Franz Tunder)o First Movement:

A motet-like ensemble Concertato medium with instruments Based on a text or verse from the Bible

o Solo Movements: Arias, duets, recitatives, and ariosos

o Closing Movements: Chorale setting or harmonization

o Bach Lutheran cantata (did not invent it)

Example of Luther cantata: Bach’s Nun kommt der Heiden Heiland, BWV 62

Castrato- Heroes and heroines of Handel’s operas were always sung by castrati- A man whose testicles had been removed or rendered infertile, which

therefore preserved the high range of his voice o Done by a surgeon or family member when the boy was between 6-8

- Would be “sold” by their family to the church or singing school- Grew very tall, enormous rib cages, bones never hardened because of lack of

hormones- Prone to weight gain as pneumonia and had delicate constitutions - During puberty, many lost their voices - Only a select few became opera stars

- A demanding schedule and sufficient talent meant they were able to make a debut in their mid-teens with perfect technique and voice of a flexibility and power no woman or ordinary male singer could match

- Divas of the day, playing both male and female roles

Opera Seria- Most of the text of the libretto is set as simple, continuo-accompanied

recitative (recitative semplice)- Recitative accompanied by strings or groups of instruments is reserved for

the most dramatic moments in the opera and the most important characters - Used Italian texts, but its musical style was international - Composers, performers and audiences were drawn from all over Europe

except France

Opera Seria: Musical Conventions- Dominated by the da capo aria- Importance of the aria importance of the virtuoso singer - Heroic roles written for soprano or castrati, or women playing male role- Ensemble work is rare - Instrumental role is largely accompanimental (except for overture)

Pietro Metastasio - Opera Seria marks the point of greatest importance and influence for the

librettist o Each of Metastasio’s librettos were set many times o Musical settings were transitory

- His librettos were by far the most significant to the opera seria genre- A Metastasican libretto was:

o Typically in three acts o Each act divided into numerous scenes, defined by the entrance and

exit of a character o Comprised of six main characters

Two confidants, two heroes, and two villains Tied together by politics, family, friendship or obligations

under conflict Subject matter drawn from classical, medieval history or

legend Purged of comic elements – seen as inappropriate to the

generally noble tone Resolved happily to reaffirm the value of noble and virtuous

behavior for the audience