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5 Music of the Baroque The name Baroque was not a complimentary term during the late Renaissance. In fact, it literally meant “grotesque,” “in bad taste,” or of irregular and disproportionate shape. However, the term was applied first to art and architecture, and later it was attached to the music of the period from 1600–1750. Of all the definitions that have been applied to the term Baroque, perhaps the only one that has some relevance to music of the time refers to art that is ornate or overly-embellished. One might also marvel at the interesting ways in which social and cultural trends of this period are mirrored in its music. The Ages of Absolutism and Science Historians typically think of the period of 1600–1750 as the Age of Absolutism. This was a time when monarchs believed that God chose them to rule. “The divine right of kings” was the doctrine of the day, and to some, such as Louis XIV of France, this doctrine gave them the right to do whatever they wished. Rulers could be both merciful and ruthless; either way, they believed that they had absolute God-given authority over their lands and their subjects. In this time, music often inherited the role of glorifying royal occasions, events, or the monarchs themselves. Music was required for virtually every function, from banquets (Tafelmusik), to hunts and other activities, both ceremonial and private. Musicians were usually well paid and treated as prized servants, as long as they provided music that impressed the monarchy and the court. Ironically, the same period is known to many scholars as the Age of Science. This period, dominated by absolute rulers, was also the time of Sir Isaac Newton and the development of calculus and the theory of gravity. The scientific process was developed and nurtured, becoming man’s preferred means of problem solving. Logic and deductive reasoning were vital in all forms of education and research. The philosophy of empirical thinking espoused by Descartes and Locke led people to embrace rationality and experimentation to prove their ideas. The adoption of these systems and philosophies had a direct influence on much of the music of the Baroque, just as the Age of Absolutism did. These two historical currents obviously contradicted each other on many levels, but both still found manifestation in the music of the Baroque period. Baroque music could be at once coldly logical and calculated, and just as suddenly become lavishly ornamental and pompous. The conflict between these two opposing forces defined Baroque music and art. 45
46 Chapter 5 One direct musical benefit of the Age of Science was in the field of musical instrument design and construction. Instruments were developed to a very high degree of sophistication during the Baroque period, to accommodate the demands of the musicians of the day. The violins, violas, cellos, and basses of Antonio Stradivarius (1644– 1737) are among the finest and most expensive instruments in the world even today, with prices averaging well over a million dollars. Other instrument makers, most notably Gottfried Silbermann (organs) and Francois Etienne Blanchett (harpsichords) set standards of craftsmanship that have yet to be surpassed. Major and Minor Modes Music theory and practice evolved in almost every way during the Baroque. The common modes of major and minor, which had been implied for decades, were finally perfected and subsequently became the standard scales for virtually all music in the Baroque period and the centuries following. Briefly, the major scale is similar to other scales or modes in that it contains a stepwise progression of eight notes. However, half steps in the major scale occur between the third and fourth notes, and the seventh and eighth notes. The sound of this sequence was (and is) quite appealing to musicians, and the major mode became the scale of choice in most Baroque music. The minor mode, or scale, was likewise found to be very attractive to the Baroque musicians, who chose it as the perfect counter to the sound of the major mode. Whereas the major mode might be characterized as “happy” or optimistic, the minor mode sounds “serious” or melancholy. Technically, the only difference between major and minor is the location of the half steps along the scale. Major and Minor Modes Scale Step 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Major W W H W W W H Minor (pure) W H W W H W W W = whole step H = half step Three different types of minor scales exist, but only one, the pure or “natural” minor scale, uses the step arrangement shown above. Two modifications of the minor scale were developed, and became more commonly used in music than the pure minor scale. The harmonic minor raises the seventh tone one half step, so that a half step exists between the seventh and eighth tones, but one and a half steps occur between the sixth and seventh tone. The melodic minor scale is even more closely related to major. Ascending, the half steps are between the second and third tones and the seventh and eighth tones. Therefore, the scale “sounds” major from the fourth tone up. However, the scale reverts to the natural form as it descends. By far the most commonly used form of the minor scale in the Baroque period was the harmonic minor. Chords that accompanied melodies in the major and minor modes became standardized, and were arranged to create logical sounding chord progressions and cadences. Procedures for the most effective means of moving from one chord to the next were adopted, as were specific chord progressions used to end musical phrases. These ending progressions, called cadences, provided logical resting points in the music, and gave a feeling of order to the musical phrases and larger forms. In fact, the methodology of
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Track Title/Composer/Performer Musi
Page 4 and 5: M usic to Your Ears An Introduction
Page 6 and 7: Contents Preface vii 1 What Is Musi
Page 8 and 9: 7 Beethoven and the Transition to R
Page 10: Preface The purpose of this book is
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Name Date 1. What is a lied? 2. Who
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100 Chapter 9 characteristics an in
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102 Chapter 9 the Nibelung. These o
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104 Chapter 9 music drama as “a t
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126 Chapter 10 Spain pivotal works
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11 Introduction Beyond Classical Mu
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Beyond Classical Music 139 This aca
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Beyond Classical Music 141 was noth
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Glossary a cappella Vocal music tha
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Glossary 147 cadenza Unaccompanied,
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Glossary 149 country western Type o
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Glossary 151 fusion A type of jazz
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inversion Mirror image of a melody
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Glossary 155 Neo-Classical Strictly
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Glossary 157 pure music Music that
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Glossary 159 spiritual Sung by Afri
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Glossary 161 triple meter A metric
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Bibliographic References Apel, Will
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166 Index chant, 25-27 character pi
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168 Index Neo-Romantic, 118, 124 no
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