Baroque Period

Question 0

Equal Temperment

Answer 0

A tuning system for the keyboard instruments allowing them to play in all keys without having to retune

Question 1

Doctrine of affections

Answer 1

• there are no key changes in a song. If it starts in A major, it stays that way
• it can be in major or minor but it will stay that way throughout the song

Question 2

Virtuoso

Answer 2

An outstanding performer of an instrument

Question 3

Terraced Dynamics

Answer 3

• How loud or soft was made in music at this time
• used soli and tutti
• to get soft music, they would cut the number if musicians playing a part

Question 4

Soli

Answer 4

-when only a few would play a part to ensure it was quiet. Used to make piano.

Question 5

Tutti

Answer 5

• used for loud parts of the song

- all instruments and players would play

Question 6

Basso Continuo

Answer 6

• the core group of instruments in almost all pieces and kinds of music
• harpsichord + cello, bass, or bassoon
• everybody reads off of the figured bass

Question 7

Figured Bass

Answer 7

• the piece of music that basso continuo musicians read from
• all on the same piece of paper
• notes are for the cello, bass, bassoon and numbers are for the harpsichord

Question 8

The Baroque Orchestra

Answer 8

• it’s the group of musicians that composers want the most
• had string, woodwind, brass, percussion, keyboard in the ensemble
• very small compared to modern day orchestra
• May not have all of every instrument kind

Question 9

Possible instruments in a concerto grosso

Answer 9

STRING: violin, viola, cello, bass
WOODWIND: recorder, oboe, bassoon, flute 
BRASS: trumpet, French horn
PERCUSSION: timpani 
KEYBOARD: harpsichord, pipe organ

Question 10

Concerto Grosso

Answer 10

• written only for the orchestra
• had 3 movements. 1 and 3 were fast. 2 was slow.
• had soli and tutti parts sometimes played in ritornello
• was around 20 minutes long

Question 11

Ritornello

Answer 11

• sometimes in the concerto grosso

- when the soli and tutti groups alternate strictly every certain number of measures

Question 12

Suite

Answer 12

• music written for orchestra or smaller group
• has several dance related movements
• the movements reminded audience of dances

Question 13

Types of court dances

Answer 13

• minuet
• gigue
• polka
• bourree
• gavotte
• allemande
• sarabande

Question 14

Sonata

Answer 14

• written for small group (1-8)
• has several movements
• trio sonata which means it’s written for basso continuo and 2 melody parts

Question 15

Fugue

Answer 15

• written only for one instrument
• the pile organ or harpsichord
• Bach wrote the best fugues
• based on one melody that’s repeated
• there are 5 parts to a fugue

Question 16

5 parts to a fugue

Answer 16

1. ) Subject = the first entrance of the melody
2. ) Answer = every time the melody comes in after the subject
3. ) Episode = a fragment of the subject. Played between entrances of the melody in the song
4. ) Pedal Point = a low sustained note played on the pedals
5. ) Countersubject = the new melody introduced near the end of the fugue. (Not played in all fugues)

Question 17

Bach

Answer 17

• from a musical family
• had 20 kids and 4 became prominent composers
• was a keyboardist
• st. Thomas Lutheran church
• wrote 295 cantatas for his church
• wrote “JJ” at beginning and “SDG” at end of pieces
• wrote “art of the fugue” and “well-tempered clavier”
• wrote 6 Brandenburg concerto grosso

Question 18

Handel

Answer 18

• not from a musical family
• worked for Queen Anne of England
• wrote Italian operas and possibly invented English oratorios
• “Messiah” and “Easter” oratorios
• “water music” and “fireworks” suites

Question 19

Vivaldi

Answer 19

-from musical family
-was an ordained priest at St. Marks cathedral
-outstanding violinist
-started a girls orphanage orchestra in Venice
-wrote 450 concerto grosso’s
-created the solo concerto where there’s only 1 featured instrument in the orchestra
Wrote “4 seasons”

Question 20

Who created the opera

Answer 20

• Camerata
• in Florence, Italy
• by a group of artisans and nobility who paid for it

Question 21

Things needed for an Opera

Answer 21

• singers
• orchestra
• composer
• opera house
• a stage and a pit for the orchestra

Question 22

Libretto

Answer 22

-the text or story of the opera

Question 23

Librettist

Answer 23

• the people who tell the story or sing the story of the opera.
• it puts the text in song format

Question 24

Greek and Roman Mythology

Answer 24

• all stories told in the opera are from mythology

- because that was the popular literature of the day

Question 25

Aria

Answer 25

• a major point that a character adds to the story

- a major song

Question 26

Recitative

Answer 26

• it imitates talking in the opera

- it moves the action forward

Question 27

Overture of an opera

Answer 27

• piece of music that’s played by the orchestra before the opera begins
• made up of melodies that will be the arias of the opera
• intended to get audiences attention

Question 28

Info about the opera

Answer 28

Made up of :

• libretto
• librettist
• aria
• recitative
• lasted 2 1/2 to 3 hours
• overture

Question 29

Oratorio

Answer 29

• performed for religious holidays on religious holidays
• for the English church
• performed in English
• the libretto is taken from the bible
• not performed in an opera house. More of a concert
• 2 1/2 to 3 hours
• no acting like with opera. People stood when it was their turn to sing

Question 30

Cantata

Answer 30

• associated with Lutheran Church
• it’s a part of their weekly service and done every week
• libretto based on that weeks sermon
• purpose is to reinforce sermon
• 30 minutes long max.
• no acting. Performance style