Power point 13: Late Baroque Instruments, Concerto Grosso, Opera Seria

1. Music in the Baroque Era: Part III
1600-1750

2. The Late Baroque:
-Instruments
-Development of the Concerto Grosso
-Opera Seria
1700-1750

3. Instruments

4. clavichord harpsichord organ
Keyboard Instruments
• same instruments as in the Renaissance
• composers often did not specify which instruments to
use
• keyboard music is the largest repertory of Baroque
music for single instruments

5. Woodwinds
• high winds used as solo instruments
• low winds abandoned or limited
• 1700s
– sonatas, concertos
– idiomatic wind parts

6. Flute
•held downward, used
for flat keys
•“flute” before 1740
usually means recorder
•held sideways, used for
sharp keys
•keys gradually added (at
first no keys)
recorder transverse flute

7. Oboe
•tenor oboe w/bell
oboe da cacciaoboe d’amore
•in a, used for sharp
keys, used by Bach
taille
•tenor oboe
baroque oboe
•replaced shawm
•used for flat
keys

8. Bassoon
• lowest in double-
reed group
• continuo instrument
contra-bassoonbassoon

9. Clarinet
• single reed
• substituted trumpet in bad keys, (“clarino” is Italian
for trumpet)
• not regular orchestral instrument until late 1700s

10. • timpani
– traditionally bass of trumpet ensemble
• percussion parts rarely specified
Brass and Percussion
trumpet french horn trombone (sackbut)
timpani

11. Strings
French style Italian style
ornaments
precise articulation
precise rhythm
shorter bow
overtures and dances
embellishments
passagework
longer bow
slow movements w/ sustained
melodic lines
both (compared to today)
less vibrato
open strings/low LH positions
gut strings
short bow strokes

12. 1600s—Violin family replaces viola da gamba
•from viol family •1700s
•octave lower than viola
•g d' a' e‘•c g d' a‘
double bass cello
viola violin

13. Solo Sonata
Heinrich Ignaz Biber
(1644-1704)
•sonata da chiesa:
•church sonata
•sonata da camera:
•secular sonata
•several distinct sections
•Sonata IV
Trio Sonata Concerto Grosso
Arcangelo Corelli
(1653-1713)
Sonata da Chiesa
Sonata da Camera
Biagio Marini
(1594-1663)
• one soloist with
continuo (2 or 3
instruments total)
•separate movements
•Sonata no. 1
•I. Praeludium
•II. Presto
•III. Variatio
•IV. Finale
•two soloists
with continuo (3
or 4 instruments
total)
•Trio Sonata Op.
3, no. 2
•I. Grave
•II. Allegro
•III. Adagio
•IV. Allegro
•basically a trio sonata w/
extra string parts added
•concertino (small group of
soloists) alternates with
ripieno (larger ensemble)
•Concerto Grosso, Op. VI, no.
4
•I. Adagio-Allegro
•II. Adagio
•III. Vivace
Violin Music

14. •small cast:
–castrati:
•primo uomo—leading man
•secondo uomo
–sopranos: coloratura or lyric
•prima donna--leading lady
•seconda donna
–tenor: father, king, mentor
•da Capo aria
–ABA form
–singer embellishes second A section
•aria @ end of scene, culminates in singer’s
exit
•occasional duet
•few large ensembles
Metastasio (1698-1782)
•libretti set by many composersOpera seria

15. Alessandro Scarlatti
(1660-1725)
• cantatas, operas, serenatas (smaller
theatrical works), oratorios, masses,
motets, keyboard music
• opera seria
– recitatives and da capo arias,
castrato, no chorus, no dance
• La Griselda
• cantata
– two da capo arias, each preceded by
recitative
• Clori vezzosa, e bella
• appoggiatura—last 2 notes of recit
phrase, if repeated notes, sing first note
a step higher