Classical and Baroque Music Eras Compared
Classicism
Historical period comprising the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Historical and Social Context
- Society remained strongly divided into classes.
- The social order was disrupted by the outbreak of the French Revolution (1789).
- The bourgeoisie also organized their demonstrations.
Cultural Context
Culture in this era was more rational than in the Baroque period. In France, the philosophical and cultural movement known as the Enlightenment emerged.
The term Classicism comes from the tendency of
Read MoreCantar del mio Cid and Medieval Spanish Poetry
Cantar del mio Cid: Epic Poem Analysis
Cantar del mio Cid is an epic poem consisting of 3,700 verses. It tells the exploits of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar. The poem consists of 3 parts or songs:
- The Song of Exile: The Cid is accused of false crimes and banished by King Alfonso VI. In his exile, the Cid and his men fight against the Arabs.
- The Song of the Wedding: El Cid conquers Valencia and gains the pardon and favor of the king, who offers his daughters’ weddings to the Infantes of Carrión.
- The Song of
Spanish Renaissance & Baroque Poetry: Key Figures & Styles
Renaissance Lyric: Garcilaso de la Vega
In Renaissance lyric poetry, there is a separation between the natural and the supernatural; poets clearly distinguished the human from the divine. Most metrical forms used by Renaissance poets originated in Italy.
Garcilaso de la Vega (1501-1536) belonged to a noble family. He was both a knight and a poet. He masterfully expressed his feelings of love for his muse (Isabel Freyre). He traveled often to Italy and introduced the most common Italian metric forms
Read MoreBaroque Music Forms and Genres
Secular Vocal Music
Accompanied monody is a texture in which the voices are not presented on top of each other with the same importance. The superior voice is highlighted over the rest of the voices, which are subject to the accompaniment of the main voice.
The Birth of Opera
Characteristics:
- Compound vocal form with a narrative nature.
- Stage performance.
- Written for orchestra, choirs, and soloists.
Fundamental Parts:
- Overture: Instrumental introduction.
- Sung parts: For soloists and choirs.
- Two types of singing:
Galician Avant-garde Poetry Movements
European Avant-garde Poetry
The avant-gardes were currents of artistic and literary renewal that developed in the West over the first decades of the twentieth century. Among them were Dadaism, Surrealism, Cubism, Futurism, Expressionism, and Creationism. They had in common a desire to break with the prevailing aesthetic conventions through dehumanization and anti-sentimentalism, a renewal of poetic language, and radical freedom for the creator. These currents disseminated their artistic ideas through
Read MoreBaroque Music: Characteristics, Style, and Evolution
Qualities That Define Baroque Music
Around 1600, a change of technique and aesthetics in vocal and instrumental music emerged, involving both religious and secular themes. The accompanied melody, with one voice predominating over the others, became a key feature. This contrasted with the equal, contrapuntal polyphony of the preceding era. Composers focused on expressing emotion through a single musical melody.
Basso Continuo
The basso continuo, a low voice, served as the harmonic foundation of the
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