3. BAROQUE MUSIC DEFINED
• Baroque music expresses
order, the fundamental order
of the universe. Yet it is always
lively and tuneful. Follow the
development of music through
this brief outline, from the
earliest times to the present
day, with baroque music set in
historical context.
4. • The English word baroque is derived from the • Two geographical influences were at work here. In
Italian barocco, meaning bizarre, though probably north Germany and Holland, composers such as
exuberant would be a better translation more Froberger, Kerll, and particularly Dietrich Buxtehude
accurately reflecting the sense. The usage of this were concentrating mainly on the art of
term originated in the 1860s to describe the highly counterpoint, especially the fugue. Here, organ and
decorated style of 17th and 18th century religious voice were the major elements. At the other end of
and public buildings in Italy, Germany and Austria, Europe, in Rome, the instrumental forms of the
as typified by the very baroque angelic organist sonata and concerto were formalized. Every period
adorning the Gottfried Silbermann organ completed in music has certain recognizable clichés, and much
in 1714 for the Cathedral in Freiberg, Saxony of what is typical in baroque music, specific
(illustrated above). Later, during the early-to-mid cadences and snatches of melody, can be traced
1900s, the term baroque was applied by association back to one Arcangelo Corelli, who seems to have
to music of the 17th and early 18th century, and influenced just about everybody, from his Italian
today the term baroque has come to refer to a very contemporaries and students to Handel who
clearly definable type or genre of music which sojourned in Rome from 1704 to 1710. From Rome,
originated, broadly speaking, around 1600 and the "Italian" influences spread northwards while
came to fruition between 1700 and 1750. Listen to the stricter north German forms flowed
music of the 1200s and 1300s. It's relatively southwards, intermingling to produce a common
primitive in terms of melody and harmony. If we baroque vocabulary. Indeed, the inter-mingling of
move to the 1500s we find a great difference, as musical trends from different parts of Europe was
Italian music began to blossom and English surprisingly extensive, considering the relatively
composers like Dowland, Morley and Tomkins primitive methods of travel and communication.
produced the wonderful melodies and surprisingly Vivaldi, Geminiani, Corelli, Scarlatti, Handel and
sensitive poetry which accompanied them - or vice many others all met one another or were
versa. A major theme underlying music at that time thoroughly conversant with one another's music.
however was the exploration of form. There was Bach journeyed north from his "base" in Thuringia
still so much new to discover: new melodic lines and Saxony, southern Germany, to hear Buxtehude,
and harmonic progressions to be explored, new and his later travels included Dresden and Berlin.
combinations of instruments, and new forms in Bach owned and/or copied the music of many of his
music such as the fugue, canon, and variations on a contemporary composers, often re-writing them for
bassline, a popular tune or a chorale. As the 1600s different instruments. Indeed this was a recognized
progressed, so these different musical forms took method of study widely practised in baroque times.
on definite shape, and the period from 1700 to
1750 can clearly be seen as the "high baroque".
