Baroque Art and Music: A Comprehensive Overview
Baroque Art (1600-1750)
Origin and Characteristics
The word Baroque comes from the Portuguese word barocco, meaning “deformed pearl.” It describes a highly ornamented style of European art prevalent from around 1600 to 1750. Baroque artists, including painters, sculptors, and musicians, created elaborate and realistic works that emphasized emotions, feelings, movement, and contrast.
Architecture and Power
Baroque architecture reflected the power and wealth of the aristocracy and the Catholic Church. A prime example is Louis XIV’s Palace of Versailles in France, a magnificent building surrounded by vast gardens.
Scientific and Economic Context
The Baroque period coincided with significant scientific discoveries, such as Newton’s laws of motion. Spain experienced a major economic crisis during the reigns of Kings Felipe III, Felipe IV, and Carlos II, followed by Felipe V, the first Bourbon king in the early 18th century. Despite the crisis, Spain produced renowned artists like the painters Velázquez and Murillo, and writers like Lope de Vega and Calderón de la Barca.
Baroque Music
Characteristics
Timbre
- Performed by an orchestra based on string instruments.
- The harpsichord provided harmonies with the basso continuo.
- The organ was very popular.
Texture
- Used polyphonic texture (two or more simultaneous melodies).
- Used basso continuo texture (a melodic part with accompanying chords played by a keyboard instrument).
Melody
- Used ornamented melodic parts; the melody was decorated with many notes and had a wide range.
Dynamics
- Featured strong contrasts in dynamics throughout the musical piece.
Character
- The character of the music changed throughout the piece, showcasing many contrasts.
Opera
Definition
Opera is a spectacular form of entertainment that combines music, poetry, drama, and dance with elaborate costumes and scenery. It can be considered theatre with music and dancing.
Performers
Opera involves soloist singers, choirs, and an orchestra. Most operas are sung in Italian.
Structure
Typically, an opera is divided into three acts and includes the following elements:
- Overture: An instrumental piece played by the orchestra before the opera begins.
- Recitative: Fragments in which singers sing in a simple style (almost like speaking), accompanied by a harpsichord.
- Aria: Melodic and expressive songs that convey emotions.
- Instrumental Passages: Sections of music played by the orchestra.
- Chorus: Sung by a group of singers.
History and Development
- First Opera: Orfeo by Monteverdi, performed in 1609. The libretto (text) is based on the myth of Orpheus.
- Plots: Mythological or historical tragedies were common plot sources.
- Venues: Early operas were performed in palaces or homes of wealthy nobles. As opera gained popularity, public theatres were built.
- Voices: The highest voices, castrati (men) and sopranos (women), had the main roles. Castrati were young men castrated before puberty to preserve their high voices. Carlo Broschi (Farinelli) was a famous castrato who served in the court of Philip V of Spain.
- Main Composers: Claudio Monteverdi and Alessandro Scarlatti (Italy), Henry Purcell and George Frideric Handel (England), Jean Baptiste Lully (France). Spain had zarzuelas, a form of musical theatre without recitative.
Other Baroque Vocal Music
1. Oratorio
An oratorio is a large-scale musical work for orchestra, choir, and soloists. It resembles opera in its use of recitatives, arias, choruses, and instrumental passages but is performed without acting or staging. The text is usually based on a dramatic story from the Bible and was not typically part of a church service. A famous example is Handel’s Messiah, with its well-known “Hallelujah” chorus.
2. Passion
Similar to an oratorio, a Passion focuses on the events of Christ’s last days, including the crucifixion. It was part of church services for Holy Week, particularly Good Friday. Johann Sebastian Bach composed several Passions.
3. Church Cantata
Church cantatas were similar to oratorios but shorter. They were part of Protestant church services. Bach composed numerous cantatas, often one for each Sunday.
4. Chorale
Chorales were hymns for a mixed four-voice choir accompanied by the organ, sung during Protestant church services. The congregation often joined in. Bach composed many chorales, often incorporating them into his cantatas. The texts were drawn from hymn books.