1. Baroque Era (1600 – 1750)
2. Classical Era (1750 – 1825)
3. Romantic Era (1825 – 1900)
4. 20th Century (1900 – present)
5. Jazz
6. African Music
7. Rock and Pop Music
8. World Music
2. Classical Era (1750 – 1825)
• Beethoven’s Symphony no.5
3. Romantic Era (1825 – 1900)
• Schubert’s Die Erlking
4. 20th Century (1900 – present)
• Bernstein’s West Side Story
5. Jazz
• Ibrahim’s Mannenberg
6. African Music
• Linda’s Mbube
7. Rock and Pop Music
• Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody
8. World Music
1
,Baroque Era (1600 – 1750):
Historical Themes:
* Increasing importance of scientific investigation – broke away from older traditions.
(Observations and experimentations).
* Royal despotism – small group of leaders wielded enormous power in Europe. (Queens,
Kings and emperors).
* Development of the New World – independence of many colonised lands because of
allegiance to their homelands.
* Arts (artificiality and marvellous effects) – found ways to create the illusion of energetic and
violent movement in all their works. VIRTUOSITY1 was highly prized.
Musical Context:
* A time of experimentation – musicians embraced the fact that their music could move the
listener in a real and physical way. Experimented with ways of creating impressive effects.
* Expanding roles – important tool for statecraft. Served as rich adornment to religious
services. Source of entertainment to growing classes.
* Growing awareness of national styles - distinct styles of both vocal and instrumental music
developed.
* Equality of instrumental music – new forms developed. New types of instruments were
created. Violin became the most important instrument. Instruments began to play integral
roles in vocal music as well.
MUSICAL STYLE:
* Basso continuo2 is present
* Textures are primarily melody and accompaniment – contrapuntal/homophonic3
* Voices and instruments freely mixed
* Rich tone colour – newly developed instruments
* Rhythms are often derived from dance rhythms
* Melodies are ORNATE and make use of dramatic leaps (grace notes4)
* Harmony based on major/minor tonality
* Repetition provides the basis for musical structure
* Simple binary5 and ternary6 forms
Some composers: Monteverdi, Purcell, Vivaldi, Handel, Bach
1
VIRTUOSITY – A player whose mastery of the technique in playing his instrument is complete. He can play
music of any complexity at any speed.
2
BASSO CONTINUO - Baroque accompaniment made up of a bass part usually played by two instruments –
musical shorthand in which the harmony is written above by means of figures.
3
HOMOPHONIC TEXTURE - Term describing music in which one main melody is accompanied by chords.
4
Grace Note – A note that is printed smaller as it is an ornament to a melody rather than an essential part to
the melody or harmony.
5
BINARY FORM - (AB) Form that can be represented as statement (A) and counterstatement (B).
6
TERNARY FORM - (ABA) Form that can be represented as a statement (A); a contrast (B); return of statement
(A).
2
, Distinguishing Characteristics of the Baroque Era:
Texture: Polyphony7 and Counterpoint8
Chordal texture in which all voices moved in a similar rhythm in 4-part
harmony.
Phrase Longer phrases (irregular in length) due to use of polyphony.
structure: Phrases can overlap, with no clear break at cadential points.
Trills at cadence points.
Form and Style: Use of dance forms: allemande, courante, sarabande, gigue, gavotte, minuet.
Fugues9
Canons10
Binary (A-B) form or Ternary (A-B-A) form
Tonality: Major
Minor
(Relationship of the tonic chord to other chords of the scale, with the
dominant having a strong ‘pull towards the tonic’.)
Harmonic Harmonies often change on every beat – quick harmonic rhythm.
structure: Pedal point11
Dynamics: Terraced Dynamics12 – instruments at time could not produce subtle or
gradual dynamic differences.
Echo effect.
Ornamentation: At cadence points.
Starting from upper note.
Melodies were HEAVILY ORNAMENTED.
7
POLYPHONIC TEXTURE - Performance of two or more melodic lines of relatively equal interest at the same
time.
8
COUNTERPOINT – Performance of two or more melodic lines sounding at the same time.
9
FUGUE - Contrapuntal Composition – number of individual voices based on a short melody (theme) stated by
one voice on its own and imitated by the other voices in close succession. Polyphonic composition based on
one main theme or subject.
10
CANON – Compositional style where a phrase is stated in one part and then imitated in other parts,
following a short distance later.
11
PEDAL POINT – Held note with changing harmonies above it. It is usually in the lower part. Single tone in the
bass which is held while other voices produce a series of changing harmonies against it.
12
TERRACED DYNAMICS - Abrupt alternation between loud and soft dynamic levels.
3
, Characteristics (elaborate, ornate and filled with action.)
• Unity of mood: A baroque piece usually expresses one basic mood. Emotions like joy, grief
and agitation were expressed but kept the same throughout. Composers molded a specific
musical language to represent these affections.
• Rhythm: Unity of mood is conveyed by continuity of rhythm. Rhythmic patterns heard at the
beginning are often repeated throughout. (REPETITION) This rhythmic continuity provided
drive and energy. The beat is emphasized.
• Melody: Melody will often be repeated, often in a carried form but its character will remain
constant. There is a continuous expanding, unfolding and unwinding of melody. Use of
sequences (repetition of a phrase higher or lower) – for continuous forward movement and
expanding of musical ideas. ELABORATE AND ORNAMENTAL – often difficult to sing or
remember.
• Dynamics: The level of volume tends to stay constant for a stretch of time – continuity of
dynamics. When there is a shift in dynamics it is often sudden. This alternation between loud
and soft is called TERRACED DYNAMICS. Gradual changes are not prominent features. There
is also a contrast between bodies of sound.
• Texture: Predominantly polyphonic in texture: two or more melodic lines compete for
attention. Imitation between the various lines or voices of the texture is very common. A
melodic line heard in one voice is likely to be heard in another voice. (Homophonic was
used.)
• Chords and Basso Continuo: Chords became more important giving prominence to a new
bass part which served as the foundation of harmony. Accompaniment called the basso
continuo – usually played by two instruments (a keyboard instrument and a low melodic
instrument). The bass part with numbers/figures is called the figured bass. Figured
bass/basso continuo – a bass part with figures underneath to indicate the chord used, often
played by a harpsichord.
• Words and music: Composers used music to depict the meaning of specific words. Rising
scales represented upward motion. Composers often emphasized words by writing many
rapid notes for a single syllable of text – displayed a singer’s virtuosity. (MELISMA) The
individual words and phrases of a text are repeated over and over as the music continually
unfolds.
• Orchestra: This evolved into a performing group of instruments based on the violin. It
consisted of between 10-40 players. The nucleus was the basso continuo, harpsichord and
cello/double bass. To this was added various stringed, brass, woodwind and percussion
4
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