Baroque Important People, Places, etc

Question 1

what is the oldest surviving opera?

when was it performed?

Answer 1

L’euridice by Peri and Caccini

1600

Question 2

Florentine Camerata

who were they and what did they do?

Answer 2

a group of intellectuals, poets, musicians who worked under the patronage of de’Bardi in Florence Italy.
discussed poetry, music and science, with the desire of recreating ancient Greek drama, which led to the invention of opera.

Question 3

Developments of the Florentine Camerata

Answer 3

opera

monody

Question 4

Le Nuove Musiche
meaning, publisher and date,
3 things it includes

Answer 4

“the new music”
a publication from 1602 by Caccini
includes
1. examples of the new monadic style
2. madrigals and arias for the solo voice and continuo
3. composers’ advice on how to add ornamentation

Question 5

L’Euridice

Answer 5

the oldest surviving opera, by peri and caccini

Question 6

describe Monteverdi’s style

Answer 6

embraced Baroque elements ie.

• used figured bass, monody
• chromaticism
• word painting
• stile concitato

Question 7

describe Monteverdi’s contributions

Answer 7

the most important composer of early Italian opera

• increased role of instruments to create moods
• differentiated between recitative and aria style in operas
• established the love duet
• increased emotional intensity (with chromaticism, word painting, stile concitato)

Question 8

name some of Monteverdi’s works

Answer 8

over 250 madrigals
operas: L’orfeo, L’arianna
sacred music- masses and Vespers

Question 9

Scarlatti contriubtions

Answer 9

the most prolific composer of baroque keyboard sonatas
brilliant harpsichordist
developed idiomatic writing for harpsichord- rapid passages, hand crossing, Arpeggiated figures
binary and rounded binary structures foreshadowed sonata form

Question 10

Scarlatti style

Answer 10

sequential passages
dissonance, acciaccaturas, pedal points
absorbed international styles- Italian, Spanish, French

Question 11

Scarlatti works

Answer 11

over 500 keyboard works
Sacred works: ie Stabat mater
operas: ie. Tolomeo et Alessandro

Question 12

name some works by Purcell
sacred works:
Opera:
dramatic music:

Answer 12

te deum, jubilate
dido and aeneas
king Arthur, The Fairy queen
also wrote solo songs, keyboard music including suites, and orchestral works.

Question 13

Describe Purcell’s style

Answer 13

combining elements of national styles
word painting
virtuosic keyboard style

Question 14

name works by JS Bach
cantata
oratorio
orchestral suits
chamber music
keyboard music
organ music

Answer 14

coffee cantata
St. John Passion
Brandenburg concertos
The musical offering
Goldberg variations
toccata and Fugue in D minor

Question 15

Describe Bachs style

Answer 15

represents the culmination of hundreds of years of polyphonic writing. Amazing control of polyphonic texture
wrote fugues throughout his career using a wide variety of techniques and approaches
used contrapuntal texture in other styles (ie. Cantata no. 80)
composed many “sets”
Italian, English and French influences

Question 16

describe bachs contributions

Answer 16

did not invent new forms, but perfected existing forms
many sacred works- worked for the church
virtuosos organist, composed many difficult works for keyboard
composed for all levels, from elementary level pieces for students, to concert pieces