Baroque and Classical Music: A Detailed Comparison
Baroque Period
Context
- Composers and performers used elaborate musical ornamentation.
- Patronage system: Most composers were servants to wealthy patrons or the church, leading to problems with finances and creativity.
- Man is at the center of a complicated but wonderful universe.
Melody
- Unnatural, complex, and ornate melodies.
- Tonality was developed, and major and minor scales became the most popular.
Rhythm
- Mechanical, with strong and repeated beats.
- Dance influence.
Texture
- Polyphonic. Sometimes homophonic texture, for contrast.
- Constant continuo support (Basso continuo).
Dynamics
- Terraced dynamics. Only two: loud (f) and soft (p).
- Dynamics rarely indicated.
Mood
- Composers didn’t try to express their own affections but the range of human emotions and states of the soul.
- Homogeneous: single affect expressed in each work.
Composers
Italy: Monteverdi, Corelli, Scarlatti, Vivaldi. Germany: Schütz, Bach, Handel. France: Lully, Couperin, Rameau. England: Purcell.
Instruments and Orchestra
- Orchestra “concept” began as a group of:
- String instruments (violin, viola, cello).
- Wind instruments (flute, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, and French horn).
- Percussion section was used quite sparingly (timpani).
- Keyboard: harpsichord or organ.
- The harpsichord became the main social instrument.
- The violin was the queen of instruments.
Instrumental Music
- Definitive independence from vocal music during this period.
- Musicians composed music specifically for instruments, and the early instrumental genres began to appear.
- Performers and composers developed new instrumental playing techniques.
- Instrumental forms: Concerto grosso, Suite, and Fugue.
Vocal Music
- Secular music: opera and cantata.
- Sacred music: oratorio and passion.
Classical Music (1750-1810)
Context
- Much of the ornate styles of the Baroque era were dropped, and a simpler style was adopted.
- Patronage system began to break down and was replaced by the first public concerts where people paid to attend.
- A return to the classical ideals of the ancient Greeks: balance and order form.
Melody
- Natural, clear, and beautiful melodies.
- Short and clear musical phrases with two or more contrasting themes.
Rhythm
- Natural (not mechanical), with flexible and constantly changing rhythms.
Texture
- Homophonic.
- Constantly varied accompaniment.
Dynamics
- Many dynamic gradations (crescendos, diminuendos).
- New precision in notating dynamics.
Mood
- Composers tried to compose simple and non-emotional music.
- Heterogeneous: variety of feelings expressed in each work.
Composers
Italy: Paganini. Germany: Gluck, Beethoven, Bach. Austria: Haydn, Mozart. Bohemia: Stamitz.
Instruments and Orchestra
- The orchestra increased in range and size, but not as big as present day:
- String instruments (violin, viola, double bass, cello).
- Wind instruments (flute, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, and French horn, and clarinet was added).
- Percussion section (timpani, and snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, and triangle were added).
- The piano became the main social instrument and continues on to the present day.
Instrumental Music
- Instrumental music was more important than vocal music.
- Instrumental forms: Concerto, Symphony, and Sonata.
Vocal Music
- Secular Music: Opera.
- Sacred Music: Oratorio and Mass music.