Baroque Music

Instrumental music became dominant in the Baroque, and most major music forms were defined. Counterpoint was one of the major forces in both the instrumental and the vocal music of the period. Although a strong religious musical tradition continued, secular music came to the fore with the development of the sonata, the concerto, and the concerto grosso.

Much Baroque music was designed for improvisation. The keyboard, particularly the harpsichord, was a dominant instrument, and the beginnings of well temperament opened up the possibilities of playing in all keys and of modulation.

Much Baroque music featured a basso continuo consisting of a keyboard, either harpsichord or organ (sometimes a lute instead), and a bass instrument, such as a viola da gamba or bassoon. The three outstanding composers of the period were Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, and Antonio Vivaldi, but a host of other composers, some with huge output, were active in the period.

Classical music era

The music of the Classical period is characterized by homophonic texture, or an obvious melody with accompaniment. These new melodies tended to be almost voice-like and singable, allowing composers to actually replace singers as the focus of the music. Instrumental music therefore quickly replaced opera and other sung forms (such as oratorio) as the favorite of the musical audience. However, opera did not disappear: during the classical period, several composers began producing operas for the general public in their native languages (previous operas were generally in Italian).

Along with the gradual displacement of the voice in favor of stronger, clearer melodies, counterpoint also typically became a decorative flourish, often used near the end of a work or for a single movement. The now-popular instrumental music was dominated by several well-defined forms: the sonata, the symphony, and the concerto, though none of these were specifically defined or taught at the time as they are now in music theory. All three derive from sonata form. Sonata form matured during the Classical era to become the primary form of instrumental compositions throughout the 19th century.

The early Classical period was ushered in by the Mannheim School, which included such composers as Johann Stamitz, Franz Xaver Richter, Carl Stamitz, and Christian Cannabich. It exerted a profound influence on Joseph Haydn and, through him, on all subsequent European music. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was the central figure of the Classical period, and his phenomenal and varied output in all genres defines our perception of the period. Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert were transitional composers, leading into the Romantic period, with their expansion of existing genres, forms, and even functions of music.

Vocabulary

counterpoint – контрапункт

came to the fore – вийшла на передній план

harpsichord – клавесин

viola da gamba – сучасна віолончель

bassoon – фагот

gradual - поступова

displacement - переміщення

flourish – прикраса

mature - розвиватися

usher – вводити

profound – сильний

subsequent – пізніший

perception – сприйняття

plainsong – основний голос у полифонічних творах

Task 2. Choose the correct answer

1. Instrumental music became dominant in

a. the Renaissance b. the Romantic period c. the Baroque d. the Medieval era

2. The most dominant instrument in the period of the Baroque was

a. a violin b. a harpsichord c. a flute d. an organ

3. The music of the Classical period is characterized by

a. plainsong liturgical music b. polyphony c. secular music d. homophonic texture

4. The now-popular instrumental music was dominated by

a. the concerto b. the motet c. the chanson d. the madrigal

5. The central figure of the Classical period was

a. Bach b. Carl Stamitz c. Vivaldi d. Mozart

Task 3. Put the questions to the underlined words:

a. Instrumental music quickly replaced opera and other sung forms (such as oratorio) as the favorite of the musical audience.

b. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was the central figure of the Classical period, and his phenomenal and varied output in all genres defines our perception of the period.

Task 4. Answer the following questions:

1. What kind of music became dominant in the Baroque?

2. What was Baroque music designed for?

3. What is a basso continuo consisted of?

4. Who were the three outstanding composers of the the Baroque period?

5. What is the music of the Classical period characterized by?

6. Why didn’t opera disappear in the Classical period?

7. Which composers did the Mannheim School include?

Task 5. Retell the text.