Introduction to Music History and Literature – MUL 2014 (Fall 2009) - Warfield

Review Sheet # 4 - Baroque Music

This review sheet covers materials presented in Forney & Machlis, Enjoyment of Music, Units VI, VII & VIII, Chapters 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 & 27, which will be tested on the third test in MUL 2014 in the near future. NB. The materials in Unit V, Chapters 17 & 18, will not be explicitly tested, but as music majors, it will be assumed that you know and understand those materials, and are able to use them to answers questions about Baroque music.

The following concepts and terms in boldface (as well as a few others not specifically listed, but indicated in these review questions) will be included on the second of the three large mid-term tests. You should know all of these terms, including their (1) spelling, (2) definition, and (3) be able to use them correctly in speaking and writing about music.

Dictionary definitions may be found in glossary section of your textbook or in the publisher-sponsored web site that supports your textbook.

Additionally, you should know by sound the eight music examples (Listening Guides 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18) that support these portions of the textbook.

    CHAPTER 19

  1. What are the rough dates of the Baroque era and what are the historical eras on either side of this one?
  2. What does the actual word "baroque" mean, i.e., from what other word does it come and what is its literal meaning? What does this term imply about the music of the Baroque era?
  3. What are some of the general stylistic traits of the arts in this era?

    4. CHAPTER 20

  4. Who were (or what was) The Camerata, and how and why did this intellectual circle "invent" a new musical genre that defines Baroque musical style? What sorts of things did this group discuss and what particular culture served as a model for their music-making activities?
  5. What is monody, why was it invented, and what are it is defining musical traits?
  6. What is the favored texture in the Baroque era? What is basso continuo (or figured bass), how many musicians (at least) does it require, and what is the purpose of that part?
  7. What are some of the general stylistic traits of music in this era?

    8. CHAPTER 21

  8. What is opera, and what are its chief defining traits? What is a libretto?
  9. What are recitative and aria, what is the chief function of each, and how can you tell them apart? (What are their chief stylistic traits?)
  10. Who was Claudio Monteverdi and why is his Orfeo significant? What is the story of this opera?
  11. Who was Henry Purcell and what did he compose?

    12. Listening Guide 11 (pp. 128-9, Henry Purcell, "Dido's Lament" from Dido and Aeneas)

  12. What kind of piece is this, and who composed it? What is the story upon which it was based?
  13. In general terms, how does the first part ("Thy hand, Belinda") differ from the second part ("When I am laid in earth")?
  14. What are the performing forces (who plays/sings) in each part, and how do they differ?
  15. Why is there more text in the first part, and how is it sung, especially in comparison to the second part? In what language is this piece sung?
  16. What is the repeating instrumental pattern (in the bass part) used to give musical form to the second part called, and how does it work?

    17. CHAPTER 22

  17. What is a cantata, who performed them, and where?
  18. Who was Barbara Strozzi and what sorts of musical works did she compose?

    19. Listening Guide 12 (pp. 131-2, Barbara Strozzi, Begli occhi ["Beautiful Eyes"])

  19. What kind of piece is this, and who composed it?
  20. What is the text upon which it was based, and what is the language of this piece?
  21. What are the performing forces (who plays/sings) in this work, and how do they relate to monody?
  22. Why and how is word painting important in this piece? Can you give some examples of its use in this piece?

    23. CHAPTER 23

  23. Who was Johann Sebastian Bach? Where was he born, what sort of musician was he, and what kinds of music did he compose mostly? With what city and specific church is he most frequently associated?
  24. What is a chorale, who first created these musical works, and why were they important to German Protestants (Lutherans)?
  25. What is a sacred cantata and where might they be used (especially one by Bach)? How is a cantata related to opera and other vocal music in the Baroque era? (What do they have in common?)
  26. How does Bach use a Chorale melody to connect his cantatas to the weekly message of the Lutheran Church, and why is this an effective technique?

    27. Listening Guide 13 (pp. 137-8, J.S. Bach, Cantata No. 80, Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott ["A Mighty Fortress is Our God"], movements 1 & 8)

  27. What kind of piece is this, and who composed it?
  28. What are the performing forces (who plays/sings) of these two movements?
  29. What is the general, overall texture of each movement, and what (more) specific kinds of textures do you hear within each movement?
  30. In particular, what are the specific techniques used to organize the first movement of this piece?
  31. In particular, what is the texture of the eighth movement of this piece?

    32. CHAPTER 24

  32. What is an oratorio, and how does it differ from an opera? What is the possible origin of oratorios, and what effect did that have on that difference?
  33. What are the usual performing forces for an oratorio, and which performers are more important, especially when compared to those of an opera?
  34. What sorts of plots and librettos do oratorios often use?
  35. Who was George Frideric Handel? Where was he born, where did he study music and work as a composer (especially in comparison to Bach's career)? What kinds of music did he compose mostly? With what city or country is he most frequently associated?
  36. What is a da capo aria?

    37. Listening Guide 14 (p. 142-4, G. F. Handel, Messiah, Nos. 18 and 44

  37. What kind of piece is this, and who composed it? Where and when might this piece have been used and performed?
  38. What are the performing forces of this work? In what language are they singing?
  39. How (and why) does the form of the first excerpt encourage virtuoso singing (and where does it happen)?
  40. Why might the second excerpt ("Hallelujah") include many passages in a homophonic (or homorhythmic) texture?

    41. CHAPTER 25

  41. How is the relationship between voices and instruments changing in this era? How did improvements in the construction of musical instruments contribute to the rise in instrumental music in the Baroque era?
  42. What are some of the most important new (or improved) instruments in this era? What are the most important keyboard instruments of this era?
  43. What is a sonata? What is the difference between a sonata da chiesa and a sonata da camera? What is a trio sonata, what is a solo sonata, and how many instruments/performers do you need to perform each of these kinds of music?
  44. What is a concerto, and what is the difference between a solo concerto and a concerto grosso?
  45. What is the ritornello principle, and what are the tutti and the concertino (or the solists)? How are these used to organize a movement of a concerto?
  46. Who was Antonio Vivaldi? Where was he born, what sort of musician was he, and what kinds of music did he compose mostly?

    47. Listening Guide 15 (pp. 150-1, Vivaldi, [Concerto] La Primavera ["Spring"], Op. 8, No. 1, 1st movement, from The Four Seasons ["Le quattro stagioni'])

  47. What kind of piece is this, and who composed it?
  48. What are the performing forces of this work?
  49. How does the ritornello create the musical form of this movement? Who plays the ritornello sections and who plays the episodes?
  50. Why is this piece considered a programmatic work? What is program music?

    51. CHAPTER 26

  51. What is a suite, and how does it relate to dance music?

    52. Listening Guide 16 (p. 154, G.F. Handel, Alla Hornpipe from Water Music, Suite in D)

  52. What kinds of piece is this, and who composed it? For what occasion or use was it composed?
  53. What are the performing forces (who plays/sings) these pieces? (Try to be somewhat specific.)
  54. What is the general, overall texture of these pieces? (choose from monophonic, polyphonic or homophonic)
  55. How is timbre used in this piece, and how does that help to define the movement's form?
  56. What do you notice about the phrase structure (the number of measures from one cadence to the next), and what does that suggest about the origins of these pieces?

    57. Listening Guide 17 (p. 156, Jean-Joseph Mouret, Rondeau from Suite de symphonies)

  57. What kinds of piece is this, and who composed it? For what occasion or use was it composed?
  58. What are the performing forces (who plays/sings) these pieces? (Try to be somewhat specific.)
  59. What is the general, overall texture of these pieces? (choose from monophonic, polyphonic or homophonic)
  60. How does timbre help to define the movement's form?
  61. What is the form of this movement?

    62. CHAPTER 27

  62. What is a ground bass (and what earlier piece made use of this device)?
  63. What is a fugue, and what are its basic organizing principles? What are the subject and answer, and how do these two emphasize the primary harmonies of a fugue?
  64. What are the exposition and episodes and how do these two differ from one another?
  65. What are some of the contrapuntal devices used in fugues?

    66. Listening Guide 18 (p. 161, J.S. Bach, Art of the Fugue Contrapunctus I)

  66. What kind of piece is this, who composed it, and for what occasion?
  67. What are the performing forces (who plays/sings) of this piece?
  68. What part of some larger work is this piece?
  69. What is the general, overall texture of this piece? What is the most important part ("voice" or line) of this piece, and why do you think that is so? How does Bach make that part more easily heard?

NB. See the textbook, pp. 107 and 165 for comparisons of the style traits of Baroque music (as compared to the Renaissance, and the emerging Classical eras, respectively). PP. 114-115 are a useful timeline of the Baroque era. Also, see the publisher's website (Enjoyment of Music) for additional study guides, practice quizzes, and additional music examples for this era.