Every day of our lives, for most of us, we hear musical sounds- programs on the television and on radio, machinery hum in offices and factories, airplane motors droning overhead, waves at the seashore, even the honks of cars in the streets. The world is full of sounds that we sometimes take music for granted. Its origin is believed to trace back some six millennia to Mesopotamia (Machlis and Forney 68). Sumerians had prototypes of string instruments, Babylonians had lyres, and Egyptians used pipes (68). From its simple beginnings, music was preserved, transformed, and flourished throughout the centuries.One fruitful age in music was the Baroque period, which stretched from 1600 to 1750 (131).
This period produced two musical giants- George Frideric Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach (Kamien 92). Since Baroque period prevailed over a long time, it is usually divided into three phases: early, from 1600-1640, middle or 1640-1860, and late or 1680-1750 (Kamien 92). Taking its origin from the Portuguese barroco, an irregular-shaped pearl popular during the time, Baroque music ushered in an era of transformation (Machlis and Forney 131). Baroque music came at a time when poverty, idealism, power, and oppression were dominant (131).Furthermore, Baroque era followed the Renaissance, a period where polyphonic texture was dominant in music (Ivey 38).
A polyphonic musical texture is the effect of mixing melodies (20). Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Dressing is an example of a polyphonic musical texture, with many combined melodic lines (Machlis and Forney 19). One advantage of doing polyphony is that everybody gets to participate, whether through singing or playing a melody. However, this also sometimes is a nuisance especially for the listener who may have trouble understanding the text of the song (Ivey 38).Baroque music heralded the era of homophonic musical texture, with the birth of the opera. An opera is essentially a drama sung, thus it is essential for the audience to understand clearly the words.
Early baroque composers used homophonic texture so that the words would be voiced out clearly (Kamien 95). In a homophonic texture, only one melody can be heard (51). Accompaniments may vary but the focus is on the melody. However, it is interesting to note that during the early phase of Baroque period, homophonic texture was used, in the latter part they shifted to polyphonic (95).Baroque music may be described in several aspects- it’s mood, rhythm, melody, dynamics, and texture. Baroque music conveys a single mood (Kamien 95).
A piece that begins mournfully will remain mournfully all through out. These so-called moods, also called affections, represent human emotions such as happiness, sadness, etc. (95). Baroque music prides itself in having a unity of mood, such that the melodies created pattern reflecting certain moods. This single affection, whether joy, fear, anger, sets the mood of the music, as opposed to having contrasting moods.Another distinct characteristic of Baroque music is its continuous rhythm (Kamien 96).
A Baroque piece has a rhythm so dynamic, providing it the requisite energy and movement Machlis and Forney (139). Baroque music has a rhythm pattern that may be repeated throughout the piece (Kamien 96). Given its unity of mood and vigorous rhythm, it can be deduced that Baroque music has a continuous melody. A Baroque melody may vary, creating dissonance chords to express emotional intensity, yet its nature remains continuous (Kamien 96). A melodic sequence may thus have a high or lower pitch that is successively repeated (96).Following its parallel continuity in melody and rhythm, Baroque music’s dynamics or volume do that fluctuate pretty much (Machlis and Forney 139).
If it does, the shift is sudden. This is another distinct Baroque feature, the shift from one level to another, called terrace dynamics (Kamien 96). Changes from crescendo to decrescendo are done subtlety. Baroque music, as stated earlier, is more homophonic in texture, meaning there is one melody. In later Baroque period, the texture maybe altered, especially in vocal music (Kamien 97).
Bach, for instance, was said to partial to polyphonic texture, whereas Handel was inclined to shift between polyphonic and homophonic (97). Baroque music, like in the Renaissance period, used descriptive musical language. For example, the word “heaven” may be tuned to a high tone, while “hell” is relegated to a low tone (98). Baroque music also saw the rise of instrumental music. The organ, harpsichord, and clavichord were considered the important instruments in Baroque music (Machlis and Forney 167).
During the Baroque period, improvements in string instruments were constructed (167).Additionally woodwinds and bass instruments also rose during this period (167). The establishment of opera houses also opened opportunities for women. Italian sopranos such as Faustina Bordoni and Francesca Cuzzoni became well-known during the Baroque period (Machlis and Forney 142). Baroque musicians played in churches, concerts, processions, and events such a graduations and visiting dignitaries (Kamien 101). Handel, a great Baroque master, dominated the operatic scene.
He was so great that even the aristocrats were impressed with him (Machlis and Forney 150).Among his greatest works are Guilio Cesare, an opera about Julius Cesar, and Messiah, an oratorio or music drama. On the other hand, Bach, another Baroque master, wrote a lot of organ and religious music (Machlis and Forney 154). Bach represented the spirituality of Baroque with his music that he deemed served God (154). Among his memorable works are The Well-Tempered Clavier and Bradenburg Concertos.
Baroque music planted the seeds of opera music, something the world is still enjoying in spite of the deluge of pop music. And just for that, the world is thankful.
