2. • The word "baroque" comes from the
Portuguese word barroco, meaning
misshapen pearl.
• A description of the ornate and
heavily ornamented music and
architecture of this period.
3. Important historical events
• Religious wars in Europe (Protestants vs. Catholics)
• Absolute monarchy
• Puritan Revolution–English Civil War
• Exploring the New World
• Jamestown (1607)
• First printed book in North American colonies: “Bay
Psalm Book,” (1640)
• Colonial Williamsburg
4. Science
• Scientific discoveries of Galileo, Harvey and Newton.
• Mathematical advances of Descartes, Newton and
Leibnitz.
• Philosophical explorations of Descartes, Spinoza and
Locke.
5. Visual Art
The Exchange of Princesses
The Virgin and Child Adored
by Angels
P. Rubens (1577–1640)—Flemish painter
7. Architecture
The Church of
Sant'Andrea al
Quirinale, designed by
Gian Lorenzo Bernini,
is a very good example
of Baroque architecture
with its domed roof and
curved contours.
13. The Doctrine of Affections
• The main purpose of music is to arose the
passions or affections.
• Each piece or a movement limits itself only to
one of the emotions.
14. The Use of Different Keys
C Major: rejoicing, impudent
C Minor: sweet, but sad
D Major: stubborn, noisy, warlike and rousing
D Minor: devout, serious, grand, calming
E Flat Major: pathetic, plaintive
E Major: the fatal separation of body and soul
E Minor: pensive and grieving, but not without
hope
G Flat Minor: distress, abandonment
G Major: persuasive and brilliant
G Minor: grace, kindness, loveliness
A Major: gripping and clear
A Minor: honorable and calm
B Flat Major: magnificent, yet modest
B Minor: hard, unpleasant and desperate
15. The creation of tonality
• Equal temperament
• Watch segments 10–16:
http://digital.films.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/Por
talViewVideo.aspx?xtid=10879&psid=0&sid=0&St
ate=&title=Equal%20Temperament&IsSearch=N&
parentSeriesID=
• Zhu Zaiyu or Chu-Tsaiyu in 1584 and Simon
Stevin in 1585—achieved the exact calculation.
• J. S. Bach wrote The Well-Tempered Clavier to
demonstrate the musical possibilities of well
temperament—12 notes per octave.
22. Violone, later Bass
Please watch segments 2 and 3 in this video:
http://digital.films.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/PortalViewVideo.aspx?xti
d=6686&psid=0&sid=0&State=&title=Bass%20Instruments&IsSearch=N&
parentSeriesID=#
30. Childhood
• Was born into a musical
family.
• Lost his parents by the age
of 10 and moved in with
his brother, an organist.
• At the age of 14, was
awarded a choral
scholarship to study at the
prestigious St. Michael’s
School in Luneburg, where
he sang in the choir and
played organ and
harpsichord.
Bach-Haus museum.
Stands on the same
location as the original
Bach family house.
31. Weimar, Arnstadt, and
Mühlhausen (1703–08)
• A court musician in the
chapel of Duke Johann Ernst
in Weimar.
• The organist at St. Boniface’s
Church in Arnstadt.
• Studied with the great
organist Dietrich Buxtehude.
• The organist at St. Blasius’s
church in Muhlhausen.
• Married Maria Barbara Bach,
his second cousin. They had
seven children, four of whom
survived to adulthood.
St. Boniface’s Church in Arnstadt
32. Return to Weimar (1708–17)
• Returned to Weimar as organist and director of
music at the ducal court.
• Composed keyboard and orchestral works.
• Transcribed Vivaldi’s string and wind concertos
for harpsichord and organ.
• Composed for organ.
• Began “The Well-Tempered Clavier”
http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/dbp-wtc1a/
http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/dbp-wtc2a/
33. Köthen (1717–23)
• Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen hired Bach to serve as his Kapellmeister
(director of music).
• The prince was Calvinist and did not use elaborate music in his worship.
• Most of Bach’s work from this period was secular.
• The Orchestral Suites.
http://content.thespco.org/music/compositions/orchestral-suite-no-2-in-b-minor-
johann-sebastian-bach/
• Six Suites for solo cello.
http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/paternoster-cellosuites1/
• Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin.
http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/lara-sonatas1/
• Brandenburg Concertos.
http://content.thespco.org/music/compositions/brandenburg-concerto-no-1-
johann-sebastian-bach/
• Secular cantatas for the court.
• Bach’s first wife suddenly died and he met and married Anna Magdalena Wilcke.
They had 13 more children, six of whom survived into adulthood.
34. Leipzig (1723–50)
• Was appointed Cantor of the Thomasschule at Thomaskirche
in Leipzig and Director of Music in the principal churches in
the town.
• Composed cantatas required for weekly and holiday services.
• Some of Bach’s last compositions:
• The Musical Offering
• The Goldberg Variations
• Canonic Variations
• The Art of the Fugue
http://www.baroquecds.com/730ArtFugue3.mp3
• Died at the age of 65 due to unsuccessful eye operation.
• His grave went unmarked for nearly 150 years.
35. Major Compositions
• For soloists, choir, orchestra
• St. Matthew Passions
• Magnificat
• Mass in B Minor
• More than 200 Cantatas
• For orchestra
• 6 Brandenburg Concertos
• 5 Suites
• For different instruments:
• 2 Concertos for violin
• Concerto for 2 violins
• Concertos for 1, 2, 3, and 4 harpsichords
• The Art of Fugue for harpsichord
• 6 Concertos for organ
• Fantasias and Fugues for organ Bach Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
• Sonatas
• 6 Sonatas for violin and harpsichord
• 3 Sonatas and 3 Partitas for violin solo
• 6 Suites for cello solo
36. Video Assignment
Please watch the following video and take notes. You will be
asked to reflect on Bach’s life and legacy.
http://digital.films.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/PortalViewVideo.
aspx?xtid=29998&psid=0&sid=0&State=&title=Johann%20Sebas
tian%20Bach&IsSearch=N&parentSeriesID=
