Baroque Music
SonataA work for solo piano, or a solo instrument accompanied by harpsichord.
Often the basso continuo would also be played by a cello/Viola de Gamba. From the Classical period onwards a sonata was a work for piano or solo
instrument accompanied by piano.Audio Clip
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BassoContinuo
ConcertoWork for solo instrument and orchestra, e.g. a flute concerto is
written for solo flute and orchestra.
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Concerto GrossoA type of concerto in which a group of soloists (concertino) is combined
and contrasted with a larger group (ripieno).
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Ripieno
Concertino
Concerto GrossoThere are two sections in a Concerto Grosso.
The section played by the soloists (concertino) is called the concertante .The section played by the larger group (ripieno) is called the ritornello.
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Ripieno
Concertino
Ritornello
The ritornello can also be a brief
introduction or interlude in a
vocal composition, or for a brief
instrumental passage between scenes in a 17th-century opera.
RitornelloAudio Clip
Ritornello
Begins
Ritornello
Ends
SuiteA set of dances or a collection of pieces which are part of a larger scale work.Dances contained in the suite include.
Overture
Gavotte
Courante
Bourree
Minuet
Gigue
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A piece of orchestral music which introduces a large-scale work such as an opera, an oratorio, or a musical.
J S Bach
ChaconneVariations over a repeated progression of chords.
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Fugue
A contrapuntal piece based on a theme (subject) announced in one voice part alone,then imitated by other voices in close succession.
The following slides will describe different aspects of the fugue.
See Episode, and Stretto.
ExpositionThe exposition is the opening section of a fugue. It is made of 3 main ideas.
They are
SubjectThe subject is the opening and main melody of a fugue.
subject
AnswerThe answer is the same melody as the first subject but at a higher or lowerPitch. The answer can be either real (an exact copy by interval) or Tonal (the intervals may change slighly to fit with the harmony)
Answer
Counter SubjectOnce the subject has been played the instrument will continue by playing
a continuation of the melody called a counter subject.
Counter subject.
Note how these 3 feature fit together in the opening two lines of this fugue.
subjectAnswer
Answer subj
ect
Counter subject.
Counter subject.
StrettoWhere voices or instruments enter very quickly one after the other, as in Fugue.
Each entry or part enters closely after the previous part, thus adding tension and excitement.
Now watch a video clip of this fugue and look at how these ideas link together.It is also worth noting the pedal note near the coda (the extra section at the end)
as this is a common feature in fugues
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EpisodeIn some Fugues an episode can be used as a modulating link between entries of
the subject and is frequently based on fragments from the subject or Countersubject.This fugue is in C minor. Listen for the tierce di picardie (major chord) at the end.
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Chorale PreludeAn extended composition for organ based on a chorale melody. The melody can
be treated in a wide variety of ways, e.g. fugal style and variation form.
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Da Capo AriaAn aria in Ternary form (A B A), found in opera and oratorio in the 17th and
18th centuries. The third section is not written out but the instruction Da capo (from the beginning) is given instead. The repeat of the A section
was performed with the solo ornamented. In the Baroque section B was often in the relative minor or major.
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Section AIntroduction in Bb
Section BG minor Relative Minor
Go back toSection A
Other Features
Basso ContinuoSometimes referred to as Continuo. In the Baroque period, the continuo part
consisted of a bass line (basso continuo) played by cello, bass, viola da gamba or bassoon. In addition the harpsichord, organ or
lute player was expected to fill in harmonies built on that bass line.
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