baroque composer

Composers of the

Baroque Period

Johann

Sebastia

n Bach

Eisenach, Germany on March

21,1685

A genius keyboardist (mastering

the organ and harpsichord) and

brilliant composer.

Father of Modern music.

Greatest of all master of music

From musician family

Married twice, produced twenty

offspring.

Religious man. His bible was filled

with annotations and comments.

-Believed that music must serve “the

Glory of God”

The Well -Tempered Clavier is Bach’s

most important work.

He died in Leipzig on July 28,1750.

Popular Works: Air on a G

String, Double Violin

Concerto, Brandenburg Concerto No.

3, B Minor Mass, and The

Unaccompanied Cello Suites.

George

Frederic

k Handel

German organist and composer. Born in the

same year as Johann Sebastian Bach, creating

the English oratorio.

He was a musical giant of the late Baroque

period.

Master of keyboard instrument

Opera and oratorio are the most important forms

in Handel’s music

Handel favoured diatonic

His melody was rich in expression, rising and

falling in great majestic arches.

He died on April 4,1759

Popular Works: The Messiah, Music for the

Royal Fireworks, and Water Music

Antoni

o

Vivaldi

Born on March 4, 1678 in Venice, Italy

An Italian composer of instrumental music and opera who was responsible for the development of the concerto during his time.

Son of violinist.

In his 20’s he was ordained in the church and came to be known as “ the red priest”(due to the color of his hair).

Music master at four music schools for which Venice was famous.

“The Four Seasons”-one of his famous group of concertos.

Vivaldi’s life came to a mysterious end.

He made more than fifty thousand ducats but as result of excessive extravagance, Vivaldi died poor.

He was buried in a pauper’s grave.

Popular Works: The Four Seasons, Gloria, and Con Alla Rustica in G

Henry

Purcell

Within a lifetime of only thirty-five years, Purcell

achieved musical greatness by being

considered one of England’s greatest

composers and the most original composer of

his time. Purcell was extremely talented in word-

setting and composed very successful works for

stage.

He wrote church and chamber music.

He composed a series of religious works and

other pieces to entertain the court of the English

king and queen.

Religious anthems and court odes are some of

his ceremonial music.

“Rigadoon” Purcell’s musical score.

Antonio

Stradiva

ri

An Italian violin maker and also

known as Stradivarius. The

richness of tones of his

violins, violas, and cellos have

never been surpassed.

Musical Instrument 1. Key Board Instruments

Harpsichord

Clavichord

Organ

String Instruments Violin

Viola

Woodwind InstrumentOboe

Bassoon

Key Board

Instruments

Harpsichord

Look like a grand piano but it is

much smaller.

Its keyboard has fewer

keys, and those built in the 17th

century had two keyboards

plus stop knobs can double a

key so that it produces pitches

an octave above or below that

of the key being pressed.

Clavichord

Is an early Baroque

keyboard instrument

having strings struck

by tangents attached

directly to the key

ends.

Organ

Reached its highest

development during the

Baroque Period.

The organ sounds produced

by air blown into pipes.

Each pipe comprises a

pitch.

String Instruments

Violin

Is a bowed string instrument

which has four strings tuned at

intervals of a fifth and a usual

range from G below middle C

upward for more than 4 ½

octaves and having a shallow

body, shoulders at right angles to

the neck, a fingerboard without

frets, and a curved bridge.

Viola

Is bowed stringed instrument

made in bass, tenor, alto, and

treble sizes.

It can be distinguished from the

other members of the violin family

in a having a deep body, a flat

back, sloping shoulders, usually

six strings, a fretted fingerboard,

and low arched bridge.

Woodwind

Instrument

Oboe

Is a double reed wind

instrument having a conical

tube, a brilliant penetrating

tone, and penetrating

tone, and a usual range

from B flat below middle C

upward for over 2 ½

octaves

Bassoon

Is a double reed instrument

which has a long V-shaped

conical tube connected to

the mouth piece by a thin

metal tube and usual range

two octaves lower than of

the oboe.