Before the Classical Period (Baroque) Flashcards
What is the Basso Continuo?
A harmonic technique used by an accompaniment instrument such as harpsichord, lute, theorbo, harp, or organ.
How does the Basso Continuo work?
The player is given a bass line with ‘figures’ underneath and must improvise the harmony above.
What is Fortspinnung?
Fortspinnung is a melodic technique used in the Baroque period that translates as ‘spun forth’.
How does Fortspinnung work?
It involves starting with an initial idea/motif and creatively repeating/sequencing it, ending on some sort of cadence, often in a new key.
What is unique about the process of Fortspinnung?
There is no convention to indicate how long the process should continue, making each occurrence potentially unique in terms of phrase length.
What are possible lengths of phrases in Fortspinnung?
The process could result in phrases of various lengths, such as three bars, seven bars, eight bars, eleven bars, or seventeen bars.
What is a flaw of Fortspinnung?
It lacks a clear sense of proportions, evolving over time until a cadence is reached.
How does Fortspinnung affect tonal regions?
It modulates quickly, resulting in no clear sense of tonal regions.
What is a complexity associated with Fortspinnung?
It is rather complex and takes time to compose.
What happens if Fortspinnung is stretched out?
It becomes more difficult to follow and may be boring to listen to.
