BAROQUE ERA

• London 21st century

• London 17th century

Baroque 1600 - 1750
• Comes from the Italian word barocco which means bizarre or exuberant. It is a highly decorated
style of music. Musicians expected to add in their own ornaments.
• Vocabulary Words
• Opera - a staged drama set to music where leads are vocalists with instrumental accompanying
• Oratorio - a large-scale musical work for orchestra and voices, typically a narrative on a religious
theme, performed without the use of costumes, scenery, or action.
• Toccata – a composition for a keyboard instrument in a free style.
• Fugue – very structured; a musical theme is heard jumping from part to part before ending on a final
chord. A conversation between two or more voices.
• What’s going on?
• 1607 - English settle Jamestown
• 1610 - Galileo confirms the earth is round
• 1732 - George Washington is born
J.S. Bach 1685-1750 Germany
• He composed for the church and his patrons.
• Wrote toccata, fugue, for clavier, strings, all sorts
of small ensembles, and many other forms except
opera.
• He spent his whole life in Germany.
• He died thinking he would be forgotten; not
having much of his work published.
• Had 20 kids!!

• Famous Pieces?
• Toccata and Fugue in D minor
G.F. Handel 1685-1759 Germany
• Was a very talented musician as a child.
• He wanted to be a musician but his Father
pushed him into becoming a lawyer. When his
father died his first year of university Handel
immediately left and joined an opera orchestra
in Germany and begun composing.
• He wrote 42 operas, 29 oratorios, and hundreds
of other pieces of music.
• He wrote music in German, Italian and English.

• Famous Pieces?
• Hallelujah Chorus (Messiah)
• Va Godendo
CLASSICAL ERA
Classical 1750 - 1820
• Classical music has a lighter, clearer texture than Baroque music and is less complex. It is
mainly homophonic; having one sound or line of melody at a time that is accompanied by
harmonies.
• Vocabulary Words
• Symphony – a large composition in 3 or 4 movements for orchestra.
• Sonata - usually for a solo instrument or a small instrumental ensemble usually has two to
four sections, each with a unique musical character.
• Harpsichord – parent of the piano; its strings are plucked so it isn’t as loud as a piano.

• What’s going on?

• 1776 – American Declaration of Independence
• 1800 – First true electric battery invented by Alessandro Volta
• 1804 – Napoleon crowned Emperor of France
W.A. Mozart 1756-1791 Austria
• Began playing at age of 4, composing at 5,
wrote his first symphony at age 10.
• He toured all over Europe and later in life
became a music teacher and full time
composer.
• He wrote hundreds of musical works;
symphonies, operas, concertos, oratorios, and
solo works.
• Died at age 35 from a mysterious illness.
• Was stalked by a jealous composer!

• Famous Pieces?
• Symphony No. 40 in G minor
• Marriage of Figaro (opera)
F.J. Haydn 1732-1809 Austria
• Came from a poor family so he was sent to live with
a family relative that was a music teacher as a child.
• He made a living playing harpsichord and violin at
the age of 17 and begun composing at the age of 19.
• Composed over 100 symphonies during his lifetime!

• Famous pieces?
• Symphony in G Major (second movement)