Baroque Music: Then and Now

Music in the Baroque period was often composed to meet specific demands from churches and aristocratic courts. There was a demand for new composition with every new performance. The modern world still embraces and appreciates classical and Baroque music. Courts employed musicians, and the number of the musical staff was dependent on the wealth of the court (Kamien 108). The Baroque musical performances had smaller groups of musicians compared to modern musical performances.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

COMPARISON BETWEEN MODERN MUSIC AND BAROQUE MUSIC

Modern music is overwhelmingly tonal, which is very similar to Baroque music. The dominant instrument in the modern day is the piano, while the harpsichord was the main musical instrument in the Baroque period. The sounds of Baroque instruments are dryer and have fewer vibratos, which are different from modern music. Ornamentation and improvisation was a key identifier of Baroque music. These styles are very uncommon in contemporary music.

COMPARISON BETWEEN THE BAROQUE AND CLASSICAL PERIOD

The classical period dates from mid-1700 to mid-1800, while the Baroque period came earlier between the year 1600 and 1750 (Kamien 104). Major composers and performers during the Baroque period are Handel, Bach, Corelli, Purcell, and Monteverdi. In the classical period, the most notable performers and composers were Mozart, Beethoven, and Haydn.

THE BAROQUE PERIOD

The Baroque period mostly involved continuo (continuous bass) with the harpsichordist leading the orchestra. Typical instruments used during the period included the bassoons, shawms, flutes, the recorder, assortment of strings and clarion. Performance Dynamics contained in the Baroque music period were the forte and piano, which were rarely used. During this period, it was common to write music in Suit (sequence). The melody and harmony of the Baroque music period were categorized as polyphonic, consisting of multiple independent melodies, highly tonal and intricate. The mood is constant throughout the piece with one melodic idea. The most descriptive styles of Baroque music are emotion and energy (Kamien 105).

THE CLASSICAL PERIOD

A conductor was the central pillar of the orchestra during the classical period. The period brought significant improvements to the musical scene at the time. Composition at the time established more structural clarity and more tonal balance. The developments from the classical period have formed the basis of the present musical forms. The mood often changes when performing a classical music piece with two or more melodic themes. The melody and harmony were homophonic, consisting of one melody with supporting parts (Kamien 160).

THE LIVES OF MOZART, HAYDN AND BEETHOVEN IN VIENNA

During the classical period, in the late eighteenth century, Vienna developed into a desirable destination for established and would-be composers across Europe. Patronage by The Habsburgs Empire drew composers like Mozart, Beethoven, and Haydn. Vienna was also undergoing a cultural evolution through art and architecture. The classical period also saw the rise and development of theatre and opera-style performances. Vienna was seen as an important cultural center. Its importance was heavily influenced by the presence and musical work of the all-time best classical music composers who were Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven. Haydn, who was originally from Rohrou, Austria, was acknowledged as the father of symphony. Vienna awarded him the honorary citizen in 1804 while in the previous year he was gifted with a large golden Salvatore.

Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria. His first visit to Vienna was at the age of six after. Empress Maria Theresa invited him where he showed his skills in playing the piano. He later traveled to other European countries but settled in Vienna, as he believed it was the best place to develop his career. He eventually became a great composer, piano virtuoso, concert organizer and conductor. His compositions, which include operas, string quartets, and sonatas, are still played even in the modern-day.

Beethoven is significantly ranked when it comes to music composition. He was born in Germany and later on moved to Vienna intending to become a great composer like Mozart and Haydn. He became a famous pianist in Vienna and appeared in many concerts in Vienna. His sonatas and symphonies are still well known to date. He was also an activist and asserted that artists deserved to be treated with higher nobility. He succeeded as a freelance musician through piano lessons, concerts, and sale of his compositions (Kamien 197).

CONCLUSION

The Baroque and Classical period of music is well appreciated in the modern-day. They represent the rise of instrumental music, which influenced the cultural development of many European societies. Many institutions and organizations such as churches, adequately utilized the music of the baroque and classical period to relay a message to their audience. We have to thank the intelligent composers and performers who were active in the old music ages for their excellent service to the music industry.

Self-assessment: The Hallelujah Chorus

George Frederic Handel who was born in Germany composed the Hallelujah Chorus, a part of Oratorio, in the Baroque period of music. It was produced as a religious composition in the age of a Christian based society. In the modern world, the piece is common in Christian religious ceremonies such as Easter and Christmas. Somber occasions and situations such as death were also suitable for performing the hallelujah chorus. Many homes, institutions, and organizations will either physically perform or play the chorus during Christian holidays as a form of tradition. In my personal experience, I have heard the chorus being played hundreds of times and also have participated in singing the hallelujah chorus, especially during the Christmas holidays.

Strong Christian ties characterized the Baroque period (Logan 157). The Hallelujah chorus was composed with much of its references from the bible. This enabled the composition to have a crucial purpose in family events and religious celebrations. Women were not allowed to perform on stage. Young boys were included to sing high notes, and castration was given as an option for those who wanted to continue singing. I view the Hallelujah Chorus with high regards due to its effect of bringing communities together and its connection to the Christian faith.

The performance hall at palace Eszterhaza was an ideal place for opera music. In the illustration, the musicians are all focused on their performance and have no conductor. In modern performance halls, the structure of the orchestra includes a conductor with all musicians focused and positioned to face the conductor. A harpsichordist in the illustration would be the lead in the comic opera. In modern performance halls, sound accessories are installed to improve sound audibility and quality. Soundproofing technology is applied in many modern performance halls to reduce echoing effect. Because the Hallelujah chorus is a form of Oratorio (opera music explicitly designed for the church), its performance did not include wearing of costumes, the inclusion of women and use of props due to such things been deemed unfit for the church and banned by the pope (Kamien 142). Performing the Hallelujah Chorus in the performance hall at palace Eszterhaza would mean the sound and symphony will be more natural and raw with echoing effect.

CONCLUSION

Most of the compositions during the baroque period had religious significance. The introduction of the Oratorios gave rise to many Christian based music. Handel expressed his strong Christian views through music. Some of his outstanding music compositions such as the hallelujah chorus became famous and were adopted by many communities in the world in marking various Christian holidays, events and celebrations.

Works Cited

Kamien, Roger. Music an Appreciation. 6th ed., McGraw-Hill Companies, 1995.

Logan, Philip C. M. Humphrey Jennings and British Documentary Film. Milton: Ashgate Publishing, 2011. Internet resource.

.