History of MusicBaroque

andClassical

Music Era’sUp to 1450 Medieval1450 – 1600Renaissance1600 – 1750Baroque1750 – 1820Classical1820 – 1910Romantic1910 – presentModern

Baroque Music periodThe word itself is from the Italian word barocco, meaning bizarre. The Baroque Music period was from 1650 until approximately 1750 and is considered to have finished with the death of Bach and Handel. It used Polyphony, was very ornamented and used contrasting elements.

There were 2 geographical influences: - Nth Germany/Holland used counterpoint, especially fugues-Europe/Rome used sonatas and concertos.

The Italian violinist Corelli influenced many pieces cadences and melodies.

Many instruments were developed during the Baroque Era. Some of these instruments are still highly prized today such as Stradivarius violins.

Corelli Pachelbel Purcell

1650 Beginning of Modern Harmony Overture introduced to Opera

  b.1653 b.1653b.1653 1652 Minuet Popularized by Lully at French Court

Albinoni d.1713 d.1706d.1695 1666 Stradivarius Labels his violins

Vivaldi b.1671    1668 Couperin writes harpsichord works in form of

Programme Music

Handel Bach Rameau Telemannb.1678 d.1751    

1671 Academie de la Musique founded

b.1685 JS b.1683 b.1681

d.1741       1689 First English Opera Produced

d.1759

b.1685 d.1764 d.1767      

1700 String Orchestras Established Horn first used in orchestra

 d.1750          

1707 Silbermann builds his first organ

            1709 Cristofori of Florence produces first piano

              1720 Clarinet first used in orchestra

              1732 Covent Gardens Opera House opened

            1742 John Wesley publishes first Methodist hymn tunes

        1765

Brief Timeline of Baroque Music

Classical music period

The Classical Music period was from 1750 until approximately 1820.

Classical melodies were simpler than Baroque.

They were built from even phrases with clarity, and balanced structures.

People felt that the Baroque music was far too complicated and hard to remember as it had many melodies intertwining.

It used the same chord progressions as Baroque, but didn’t change them as often so as to give simpler clearer harmonies.

The symphony, concerto, and the sonata evolved through the Baroque into the classical period. The classical form is still used today.

Brief Timeline of Classical Music

Bach Haydn

b.1735 Mozart b.1732 1756

d.1782 b.1756 d.1809 1763 Mozart starts tour as child prodigy (7yrs)

Beethoven d.1791 1773 Waltz becomes popular in Vienna

b.1770 1776 A General History of Music written by Charles Burney

d.1827 Ancient Music Concerts sponsored by George III

1783 Broadwood patents piano pedal

1785 Mozart - Piano Concertos, K467 K482

1787 Mozart - Don Giovanni & Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

1788 Mozart - Symphonies No 40 & 41

1789 Mozart - Clarinet Concerto

1792 Rouget de Lisle La Marseillaise

1799 Beethoven Symphy No. 1

1827

Reference List

Kennedy, M & Bourne Kennedy J 2007, Oxford Concise Dictionary of Music, University Press, New York.The Great Composers and Their Music, 1991, The Great Composer Series, Week 21, Marshall Cavendish Ltd, London.Baroque –Music.com, Downloaded 21 September 2009, http://baroque- music.com/frames/frames.shtmlMichael Sartorius, Baroque Music Pages, downloaded 23 September 2009, http://www.baroquemusic.org/bardefn.htmlhttp://cnx.org/content/m15294/latest/