Baroque

Question 1

Which musical forms were birthed in the Baroque period?

Answer 1

Opera
Oratorio
Cantata
Concerto
Suite

Question 2

What can the upsurge in instrumental writing in the Baroque period be attributed to?

Answer 2

The development of instruments (especially the violin family) which led to the establishment of the orchestra

Consequent expansion of available musical skills

Question 3

What do early Baroque and early Classical compositions have in common?

Answer 3

They reverted to a simple style, melody-dominanted and supported by a bass-line

This was a reaction against the complex music they succeeded (late Renaissance polyphony and late Baroque counterpoint)

Question 4

How did general musical language change between the Renaissance and Baroque periods?

Answer 4

The horizontal polyphonic style shifted to vertical/harmonic musical thinking, involving the use of triads as the basis of musical composition

Question 5

Which two players would provide the continuo in Baroque music?

Answer 5

A bass instrument e.g. viola da gamba, and a keyboard

The keyboard would ‘realise’ the figured bass

Question 6

Why is V7-I such a satisfying progression?

Answer 6

The 5th of the scale (root of V7) has a natural pull down towards the tonic

The leading note (3rd of V7) has a natural pull upwards towards the tonic

The minor 7th dissonance in V7 resolves downwards towards the third of chord I

Question 7

What is the chief function of the dominant 7th?

Answer 7

To reinforce the sense of key - its diatonic ‘spelling’ can belong to and describe one key only

Question 8

In which progression is the 7th in V7 allowed to rise?

Answer 8

V7c-Ib

Question 9

Which composer was a big fan of chord V7d?

Answer 9

Handel

Question 10

Why were inversions of V7 useful to composers?

Answer 10

They avoided the sense of close provided by V7 in root position

Question 11

How did the purpose of imitation change between the Renaissance and Baroque periods?

Answer 11

Renaissance composers used it mainly to draw attention to the various phrases of text

Baroque composers used the repeated pattern as a means of extending a single musical line

Question 12

What made Baroque vocal lines so difficult to sing?

Answer 12

Baroque melodic lines contained elaborate passages of melodic decoration and figuration

Frequently, composers did not differentiate between the lines they wrote for voices and those they gave to instruments

Question 13

Which Baroque composer was renowned for having a particular skill for word-setting?

Answer 13

Purcell

Particularly in songs and choruses from his dramatic music, he was able to capture the essence of the words and evoke a specific mood with the melody line

Question 14

Why is the progression of 5ths so strong?

Answer 14

It is a sequence of roots with falling 5ths or rising 4ths

Question 15

What is the progression of 5ths?

Answer 15

I-IV-vii-iii-vi-ii-V-I

Question 16

True or false: 7ths often appear in sequences in the progression of 5ths?

Answer 16

True

They are usually prepared

Question 17

How was chord ii often changed in the progression of 5ths?

Answer 17

By adding the 7th and altering the 3rd, making it into chord II7, ie. the dominant 7th of the dominant (V7/V)

Question 18

Why was scalic movement in the bass common in Baroque music?

Answer 18

Give the music a sense of direction, either towards the dominant or tonic, often helped by the upper part moving in contrary motion

Question 19

What was the nature of ascending and descending scalic movement in the bass in Baroque music?

Answer 19

Ascending scales usually moved between tonic and dominant chords

Descending movement produced particularly strong and satisfying progressions; generally moved from the tonic and often included chords associated with the progression of 5ths

Question 20

What is a ground bass?

Answer 20

A short, very harmonically-driven phrase that is repeated, sometimes strictly, and sometimes with variation, while a melody is built over the top

Question 21

Which features were common in Baroque ground basses?

Answer 21

Descending scale - could create satisfying harmonic progressions

Descending tetrachord, particularly moving from tonic to dominant and back to tonic upon repetition - provides constant harmonic drive and tension

Chromatic movement - used whenever the music was designed to evoke emotions such as grief and anguish

Question 22

In what context can iiib be a useful chord?

Answer 22

May be used as a substitute for the dominant as it contains the leading note over a dominant bass

Question 23

Why should the progression vi-I (or VI-i) be avoided?

Answer 23

The tonal centre needs a stronger approach chord, such as V or IV

Question 24

In what context was IVc a useful chord?

Answer 24

Often used as a decoration of the tonic in the progression I-IVc-I

Question 25

What tended to happen to the harmonic rhythm in the approach to a cadence?

Answer 25

Harmonic rhythm quickened - gave a forward momentum to the music

Question 26

How was hemiola used in the Baroque period?

Answer 26

To create a ‘broadening’ effect at cadences and drive home the message of the words

Question 27

How was a hemiola effect created in Baroque music?

Answer 27

By making the harmonic rhythm conflict with the standard metre of the piece

Question 28

Which ‘coloured’ chords were frequently used at cadences?

Answer 28

The diminished 7th (vii^d7)

The Neapolitan 6th (biib)

Question 29

Which chord does vii^d7 normally resolve to?

Answer 29

I

Question 30

Other than vii^d7, which other diminished 7th chords often featured in Baroque music?

Answer 30

i^d7 - ii in Cm implies vii^d7 - i in Dm

Decorations of the supertonic (#i^d7) or dominant (#iv^d7) chord

Question 31

Where does the Neapolitan 6th get its name from?

Answer 31

From its frequent use by Alessandro Scarlatti who composed operas for many years in Naples

Question 32

How does the Neapolitan 6th resolve?

Answer 32

Moves towards V either:
Directly
Via ic
Via a diminished 7th chord (#iv^d7)

Question 33

What is needed to establish a new key?

Answer 33

A chord of the dominant group, inc. V, V7, viib, or vii^d7

Question 34

How can a ‘pivot note’ be used to modulate?

Answer 34

A note of the tonic chord is held over, and the next chord placed under or over it then ‘takes over’ and the music proceeds in the new key

Question 35

What were the recognised methods of modulation in the Baroque period?

Answer 35

Pivot chord
Pivot note
Phrase modulation
Chromatic movement in bass
By sequence
Switch to tonic minor

Question 36

What were the accepted types of unprepared dissonances in the Baroque period?

Answer 36

The accented passing note

The appoggiatura/leaning note