baroque period part 3
TRANSCRIPT
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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