The Baroque Period

Question 1

what is a trill?

Ornaments

Answer 1

A trill is a quick movement back and forth between two notes.

Question 2

what is a grace note?

Ornaments

Answer 2

A grace note is a very short note played just before the main one.

Question 3

What is homophonic

T/S/F

Answer 3

homophonic, you will hear many sounds moving at the same time.

Listen the opening of Vivaldi’s ‘Spring’ from The Four Seasons.

Question 4

What is polyphonic

T/S/F

Answer 4

polyphonic, you will hear many sounds weaving in and out of each other.

Listen to J.S. Bach’s ‘Fugue in G minor’ (BMV 578).

Question 5

What is Binary form?

T/S/F

Answer 5

Binary form (AB) has two sections: A and then B. Each section is usually played twice. (AA : BB)

Question 6

What is a canon?

T/S/F

Answer 6

A canon is a form of a round (like Frère Jacques). The melody keeps re-entering at different parts, creating polyphony.

Listen to Pachelbel’s ‘Canon in D’ – the original one hit wonder.

Question 7

What is a sequence?

Answer 7

A sequence is a phrase repeated at a higher or lower pitch.

Question 8

What is a ground bass?

Answer 8

A ground bass is a bass line that repeats many times while the upper parts are varied.

Listen to Monteverdi’s ‘Zefiro Torna’.

Question 9

What is secular?

Answer 9

Works not written for the church are secular.

Listen to Battista’s ‘Sonata Terza’.

Question 10

What is a sacred piece?

Answer 10

Works written for the Christian church are sacred. The lyrics will mention God, Biblical texts or words like ‘Hallelujah’, ‘Gloria’, ‘Agnus Dei’.

Listen to Handel’s ‘The Heavens are Telling’ from The Creation.

Question 11

What is a Modulation?

Answer 11

Modulation is when the music changes key. For example, from C major to G major.

Question 12

what is a chorus?

Vocal

Answer 12

A chorus is another word for a choir. Most choruses are SATB (Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass) but you do get male voice choirs.

Listen to Handel’s ‘And the Glory of the Lord’ from The Messiah.

Question 13

what is a recitative?

Vocal

Answer 13

A recitative is where singers will ‘half-speak/halfsing’ to move the story along. The accompaniment strips back to minimum. Remember “recite” – to speak.

Listen to Handel’s ‘Thou Fair Inhabitant of Nile’ from Solomon.

Question 14

what is a aria?

Vocal

Answer 14

An aria is a vocal solo from a larger work like an opera or oratorio, normally accompanied by an orchestra. It usually follows a recitative.

Listen to Vivaldi’s ‘Liquore Ingrato’ from Tito Manlio

Question 15

what is an oratorio?

Vocal

Answer 15

An oratorio is a large scale sacred work for solo singers, chorus and orchestra. It includes recitatives, arias and choruses.

Listen to Handel’s ‘For Unto Us a Child is Born’ from The Messiah.

Question 16

what is a opera?

Vocal

Answer 16

An opera is a large scale play set to music and includes recitatives, arias and chorus. The story is acted out and performed with costume/set.

Listen to Monteverdi’s ‘Dal mi Permesso’ from L’Orfeo.

Question 17

what is an harpsichord ?

Instruments

Answer 17

There were no pianos in the Baroque period. The harpsichord was the main keyboard instrument. It could not produce dynamics or sustain.

Listen to Jean Rondeau play Scarlatti’s ‘Sonata in D minor K141’.

Question 18

what is an organ?

Instruments

Answer 18

The organ is a keyboard instrument usually found in churches. It often has more than one keyboard (called a ‘manual’), plus pedals played with the feet.

Listen to J.S. Bach’s ‘Toccata and Fugue in D minor’.

Question 19

what Instruments are usually grouped together in a consort.?

Instruments

Answer 19

Recorders are wooden woodwind instruments. They are usually grouped together in a consort.

Listen to Dowland’s ‘The Earle of Essex Galiard’.

Question 20

describe a Baroque orchestra?

Instruments

Answer 20

The Baroque orchestra was considerably smaller than a modern orchestra. The strings were the most prominent section.

Listen to Kuhnau’s ‘Magnificat in C major’.

Question 21

name some Instruments from a Baroque orchestra
from the Strings section.

Instruments

Answer 21

Violin,
viola,
cello
double bass.

Question 22

name some Instruments from a Baroque orchestra
from the Woodwind section.

Instruments

Answer 22

Flute,
oboe
bassoon.

Question 23

name some Instruments from a Baroque orchestra
from the Brass section.

Instruments

Answer 23

Trumpet

French horn.

Question 24

name some Instruments from a Baroque orchestra
from the Percussion section.

Instruments

Answer 24

Timpani

Question 25

name some Instruments from a Baroque orchestra
from a Keyboard section.

Instruments

Answer 25

Harpsichord