The Baroque Concerto
Table of Contents
Section Page Number
Introduction 3
Emergence 3 - 4
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Thus, in Italy the word “concerto” in its earliest form, was not a term only for purely instrumental music, but rather one for mixed groups of voices and instruments together. The concerto then evolved into something rather different than what it was first considered. It’s evolution turned into something in which both display and virtuosity soon assumed an ever-increasing dominance (Anderson 13).
Emergence of the Concerto
The concerto emerged as a distinct genre in the year 1700 (Hutchings 15). However if it was in the early beginning or towards the end of the year, historians cannot agree on. This was the year that the concerto spread outwards from Italy into the court and church orchestras of German-speaking States. The concerto had been the first orchestral form to be composed precisely for the most popular modern service of serious music, the orchestral concert (Hutchings 15).
Corelli
Corelli’s only set of concertos was his Opus number 6. This set contained twelve concerti grossi for strings. That work of Corelli’s was published the year after his death in 1714, in the city of Amsterdam (Anderson 4). “The formal structure of Corelli’s concertos is clearly and effectively organized, giving what the French writer Marc Pincherle described as a new ‘harmonious coherence’ to the various voices of the texture (Anderson 5). The way Corelli organized his concerti
A concerto grosso is small group of solo instruments that accompany a string orchestra. A solo concerto is instead only one instrument. They both generally have three movements
He first decided to use the clarinet in his composition of Divertimento, K 113, due to the singing qualities it possessed. He composed the Clarinet Concerto in 1791 for a clarinetist by the name of Anton Stadler. The concerto was on one of the Mozart’s last compositions and his last concerto for a solo instrument. The composition of the piece began in 1787 for basset horn in G with about 200 measures and then was revisited in the last few weeks of Mozart’s life in 1791.
A concerto is an arrangement with solo works performed within the piece, alternating between a larger ensemble and the soloist. The root of its definition was believed to mean to ‘skirmish with one another’ (Boyden, 1957), this definition helps explain the idea of a concerto, it displays a notion that the soloist is ‘skirmishing’ with the remainder of the ensemble. The defining characteristic of a concerto is its arrangement. It has a contrast in
The Renaissance and Baroque era entailed very different characteristics, due to the Renaissance composers writing more freely and being more individual then those of the Baroque era where they followed more ‘rules’ and experimented less. This essay will show the difference in two pieces by different composers, even though they were written less than a century apart.
During the Baroque period, instrumental music was written for every conceivable size of ensemble. On the smaller side, the Baroque sonata offers one of the finest examples of chamber music. Two types of sonata are found during this period: the sonata da chiesa (church sonata), and the sonata da camera (chamber sonata). The sonata da chiesa was more somber, while the sonata da camera was, much like the suite, usually comprised of dance forms. The gigue from Corelli's Sonata for 2 violins and lute is a fine example of the sonata da camera
Concerto and Concerto Grosso was important to the orchestral genre. The concerto was were large scale compositions and involves an orchestra and a soloist creating a natural contrast between the two. Listening to Anonio Vivali’s “Viloin Concerto in G, La Sravaganza, Op. 4,No 12” you will be able to experience the contrast of orchestra verses solist. Another achievement from this period was the fugue, a composition in polyphony or counterpoint for three or four instrumental lines set on a single fugue subject (Theme) that is repeated in each instrumental
Since the Baroque era, the concerto has played a vital role in the music world. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, a concerto is “a composition for one or more soloists and orchestra with three contrasting movements.” There are two main types: the concerto grosso and the classical concerto; both will be discussed later. While the term concerto is relatively easy to understand in context, when put into use the term becomes more complicated to define.
Sonatas composed from 1773 to 1784 were intended as “public” works from the very beginning, with a clear conception of the taste, preferences, and instruments available to the musical public of Vienna. The Sonata in F Major, Hob. XVI: 23; L38 written in 1773 for solo harpsichord is the best known and most virtuosic of
A symphony is an extended classical composition for an orchestra, found in Western Art Music. It often consists of four separate and unique, sections known as movements which are, in some way however, related to one another. The symphony as a genre began developing during the late 17th century and continued to do so up until the late 18th century. This important genre of Western Art Music is closely related to the development of the orchestra. It is therefore critical, in understanding the symphony, to investigate the development of the orchestra.
When approaching a performance, accomplished musicians often consider the historical context from which a piece originates. They most often think of such considerations in the application of that context as it pertains to early music that is, the Baroque era or earlier. For any era, such historical considerations are called performance practice, and may include the use of vibrato, ornamentation, dynamic levels, tempi, instrumental timbres, performance setting, and balance. Vibrato and ornamentation are two important areas of consideration that vocalists must explore when aiming to give an authentically Baroque performance.
Composing works derived from styles already in existence, he created an extremely unique and unprecedented genre of works. Thus Mozart became a trailblazer of the classical age. Music from this period consists largely of a lighter and clearer texture than the preceding Baroque music and is less intricate. One trademark especially evident in Mozart’s contribution to the classical period is the use of homophony. Examples of the homophonic effect are displayed in his piano concerto No. 23 and sonata No 16 in C. In these, the distinct pattern of an indubitable melody can be distinctly and easily recognized above the adjunct chordal accompaniment. Although Mozart contributed primarily to the growth of the classical era, he was also influenced by the works of Handel and Bach. Both were prominent composers of the baroque era. In some of his later works, Mozart indulged more in the incorporation of the previous baroque
Violin is preferred concerto solo instrument although the harpsichord becomes more and more popular throughout the century. The newly prominent piano takes over as the most popular solo instrument.
Baroque Period, during which a few of the greatest composers on this planet were born, brought classical music onto a whole new level. The word “Baroque”, which came from the Portuguese for “the imperfect pearl”, implies strange, extravagant and overblown. Toccata, fugue, chorale, ortario, and the concerto Grosso, all of these special musical forms were created and represent this period. The six main characteristics: increased emotional expression, contrast, use of basso continuo, continued harmonic development, use of ornament, and the emphasis of improvisation, molded the unique style of music of the Baroque period.
In 1600 a new style of music began to evolve, this form of music was
The Baroque Period (1600-1750) was mainly a period of newly discovered ideas. From major new innovations in science, to vivid changes in geography, people were exploring more of the world around them. The music of the baroque period was just as extreme as the new changes. Newly recognized composers such as Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, and Monteverdi were writing entirely new musical ideas and giving a chance for new voices to be heard that were normally not thought of sounds. Their musical legacy is still recognized today, and is a treasured discovery of outstanding compositions being reiterated with every performance of them.