MUSIC APPRECIATIONCLASS #2The Baroque, part 1

CD #1, tracks 5-8

DEFINITION

1600-1750

Extravagant, complex, or bizarre, especially in ornamentation

DEFINITION, CONTINUED

“Spacious, dynamic, brilliant, colorful, theatrical,

passionate, sensual, ecstatic,

opulent, extravagant,versatile and virtuoso.”

CULTURE

Turbulent change in politics, science, arts

Religious wars Exploration of the New World Rise of middle-class culture Music making centered in the home,

church, and universities Collegium musicum

19001800

17001600150014001300600 700 800 900100011001200400 500

WHAT IS THE “BAROQUE*” AESTHETIC?

Intense;

Complex;

Dense;

Opulent;

Extravagant.

THE SISTINE CHAPEL (MICHELANGELO)

ST. PETER’S

ADORATION BY SIR PETER PAUL RUBEN

MAIN MUSICAL IDEAS FROM BAROQUE:

Contrapuntal*

Grandeur

Complexity

Virtuosity*

IMPROVISATION*

Improvisation*

First musical “stars” Intense competition.

William Goldstein master class

BAROQUE MUSICAL RHYTHM

Baroque rhythm* Specific Unrelenting

Dance Formal Royal Court occasions

THE RISE OF THE VIRTUOSO* MUSICIAN

Technical improvements in instrument making

Composers challenging the performers

THE DOCTRINE OF THE AFFECTIONS*

One mood, or affection, per movement or piece

WOMEN IN BAROQUE MUSIC

More professional women were singers & instrumentalists

Francesca Caccini Barbara Strozzi Faustina Bordoni Francesca Cuzzoni Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre

CONCERTO* & RITORNELLO*

Definition

Concerto*: to fight, to argue; a contest

Ritornello*: to return over and again

THE BAROQUE DANCE SUITE*

Suite: each movement is A-A-B-B

Allemande

Courante

Sarabande

Gigue (jig)

OTHER OPTIONAL DANCES

Minuet Gavotte Bourrée Passepied

CONTRAPUNTAL DEVICES Augmentation: longer time values

Diminution: shorter time values

Retrograde: backwards (starting from the last and going to the first)

Inversion: turning the melodic intervals upside down

Retrograde inversion: original melody is played upside down and backwards

CD #1, TRACK 5Johann Pachelbel: “Canon & Gigue”

JOHANN PACHELBEL*

1653-1706 Composer Teacher Organist

DEFINITIONS

Canon* Contrapuntal* “Leader” melody* “Follower” imitation*

Gigue* Movement of a dance suite*

BASS LINE (28 REPEATS!)

“VOICES”

LISTEN FOR…

Repeating bass line*

“Leader” voice*

“Follower” voice*

Entrances of new voices

Harpsichord* accompaniment

CD #1, TRACK 6Arcangelo Corelli: “Christmas Concerto”

Vivace -- Grave

ARCANGELO CORELLI

1653-1713 Crucial influence on violin music & technique Accepted in aristocratic society Extreme wealth

DEFINITIONS

Vivace* Lively, energetic

Grave* Slow, mournful

Concerto da chiesa* 3-part composition for the church

LISTEN FOR…

Significant tempo* changes

Dynamic* changes Crescendo* Decrescendo*

Contrapuntal* writing

Harpsichord* accompaniment

CD #1, TRACK 7François Couperin: Premier Concert, “Prélude”

FRANÇOIS COUPERIN

1668-1733

Couperin le Grand Famous musical family

Organiste du Roi

Ordinaire de la musique de la chambre du Roi

DEFINITIONS

Prélude*

An introductory piece, able to be performed out of context.

French Baroque*

Identified by unusually specific rhythm* and a decorated melodic line.

LISTEN FOR…

Trill* Mordent* Contrapuntal* and melodic writing Consistent rhythm*

CD #1, TRACK 8Antonio Vivaldi: “The Four Seasons”

Spring Allegro

ANTONIO VIVALDI* 1678 (Venice) – 1741 (Vienna)

Father/Son violinists

Innovative composer Form (Sonata* or

“Sonata Allegro”*) Woodwind* Virtuoso* violin technique

VIRTUOSO!*

"Vivaldi played a solo – so splendid! -- to which he appended a

cadenza* which really frightened me, for such playing has never

been nor can be: he brought his fingers up to only a straw's

distance from the bridge, leaving no room for the bow-- and that on all four strings with imitations and

incredible speed."

VENICE

City/state Social and cultural capital of Italy

Tourism Festivals required music

Christmas Carnival

VIVALDI THE TRAVELER...

Work as performer Amassed great wealth

poorly invested

International success Paris, Amsterdam^, Vienna, Rome and Dresden

1ST PROFESSIONAL* MUSICIAN

Appointment (Patronage*) Church and/or state

Music Publishing Dedications*

VIVALDI THE PRIEST...

“The Red Priest” Asthma?

Weekly musical opportunities

THE OSPEDELE DELLA PIETA*

“Hospital of Pity (Compassion)”...as it looked then...

AND TODAY...

THEATER....

JOB DUTIES

Teacher

Violin, viola, flute, oboe, harpsichord and voice

Composer

Two concerti* every month for public performances

PERFORMANCES

Most famous & admired orchestra in all of Venice!

Highly competitive market Popularity, fame and fortune

Large, heavy curtains. Why?

WHO ARE THE GIRLS?

Orphans?

Illegitimate?

Physically challenged?

DEPARTURE...

Why?

Popularity Travel Duties included Mass Love?

VIVALDI THE LOVER...

Anna Giro

30+ years difference Accomplished singer Scandal!

VIVALDI’S MUSIC

Prolific

500 concerti*, 40 cantatas*, 52+ operas*, 60+ sacred works

Where is all the rest?

Who claims ownership?

VIVALDI AND OPERA*

Six opera houses in Venice Intense competition

Diversion from sacred* music

Profit Ownership

Fame Social aspect

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

Attention to individual, unique timbre* of each instrument

Unusual and new instruments

SONATA* (OR, “SONATA ALLEGRO”)*

Three parts

Allegro* (Fast)

Adagio* or Andante* (Slow)

Allegro* (Fast)

“THE FOUR SEASONS”* 1718-1720

"The Contest of Harmony and Invention”*

Program music*

Four violin concerti*

Three movements each

PROGRAM MUSIC*

Non-vocal (instrumental only)

Musical depiction of a non-musical event, person or thing.

Todentanz (The Dance of Death)Franz Liszt

Don QuixoteRichard Strauss

The War of 1812 (“The 1812 Overture”)Peter Tchaikovsky

“SPRING” (1ST MOVEMENT)Springtime is upon us.

The birds celebrate her return with festive song,and murmuring streams are softly

caressed by the breezes.

Thunderstorms, those heralds of Spring, roar, casting their dark mantle over heaven,

Then they die away to silence, and the birds take up their charming songs once more.

“SPRINGTIME IS UPON US...”

Ritornello*

Part A Part B

Complete Partial Variations

“...THE BIRDS CELEBRATE HER RETURN WITH FESTIVE SONG...”

Flutes

High Violin

Ritornello

“...MURMURING STREAMS...BREEZES…”

Low strings Ebb/flow motion

Ritornello

“...THUNDERSTORMS... ROAR...”

Thunder Orchestra

Lightening Violinist

Virtuoso displays

Question and Answer

Ritornello

“...THE BIRDS TAKE UP THEIR CHARMING SONGS ONCE MORE...”

Flutes High strings

Ritornello

LEGACY....

Died penniless in 1741

Musically obsolete

Forgotten by the musical world for almost two hundred years

20TH CENTURY DISCOVERIES

1926 Monastery in Piedmont (region), Italy

14 folios

1930 300 concertos for various instruments nd 18 operas 100+ vocal-instrumental piece

RV NUMBERS

Peter Ryom

Ryom Verzeichnis « Ryom’s Numbers »

Répertoire des oeuvres d'Antonio Vivaldi

Completed in 1977