Classical Music 101: The Baroque Era

Classical Music 101 is back! This series is designed to be a non-intimidating, approachable introduction to classical music.

Our last article looked at the history of classical music. We started with the ancient Greeks, and ended with the Renaissance. Western art/concert, or what we call classical music today, started with simple monophonic singing and grew more complex with the introduction polyphony. Early Western music was primarily voice-based. Instruments were sparingly used. Western music didn't begin to be dominated by instruments until the Renaissance.

Today's article will take you on a musical journey through the Baroque period. Let's put on our powdered wigs and get started.

The Baroque Era (1600-1750)

The Baroque period began around 1600, with the first opera. It lasted until Johann Sebastian Bach's death in 1750.

The word baroque is derived from Portuguese, meaning "irregular" pearl. It was used in the past to describe unflatteringly the music, art and architecture of the 17th and the 18th centuries. Early critics thought that the music, art and architecture from the 1600s and the early 1700s was too ornate. With time, the word "baroque", which was once a derogatory term, lost its negative connotation.

Baroque music has a big, complex, emotional, and intricate sound, while still being controlled by logic and order. The logic and order in Baroque music formed the basis for modern musical theory and notation.

The Baroque period was also the time when Western music became primarily instrumental. Baroque composers loved the harpsichord. You can be sure that a piece of classical music with a harpsichord is from the Baroque period.

Funny aside: Sir Thomas Beecham was not a fan of harpsichords. He once said that the sound of one sounded like "two skeletons mated on a roof of tin during a storm." Sir Beecham is a snob.

What is behind the grandeur, ornateness and orderliness in Baroque music? Here are a few things to consider:

The Baroque period was marked by the rise of absolute monarchs, such as King Louis XIV. The centralization of power in a single person led to the demand for art, architecture, and music which could increase the prestige of monarchs and their royal court. Musicians were hired to create music that glorified and enhanced the image of the king.

Second, the Baroque period saw many scientific advancements. Newton discovered that mathematics and laws governed the universe. Musicians started to write pieces of music governed by logic and order.

In response to the Protestant Reformation the Catholic Church launched the Counter-Reformation, which saw music as an effective way to reach souls. In churches, you will see a move away from plainchant to more dramatic and emotional music pieces that are meant to inspire religious awe.

Baroque Era Music: Characteristics

Counterpoint. The technique of counterpoint involves composing melodic lines that are interdependent but independent. Two lines of melody can be played separately, but together they form a rich and complex piece of music. Fugue is a form of music that was developed in the Baroque period and uses counterpoint. This fugue is a great example of counterpoint. It's a complex piece of music with a lot of texture.

Basso continuo. The basso continuo provides the rhythmic foundation for all of the complexity and variety in a Baroque composition. This is an example of basso continua (in Dutch, the cello and the double bass are the bassocontinuo)

Rhythmic patterns. Baroque music often features a constant driving rhythm. Rhythmic patterns established