Notes from Monday, March 10 class session:

Preparation For Mon. Mar 10:
1. Read textbook Chapter 5 (Baroque)--pages 31-38 (Music Guides 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)

2. Listen to "Classical Music Online" examples for Baroque Instrumental Music.

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Instrumental Music of the Baroque

(See Chapter 5 for details)

The following bold or bold/italic terms/works/composers were studied:

New Categories of Music for Instruments Alone

SONATA

- At first this term indicated that the work was "sounded" by instruments ("cantata" is the analogous term for a work that is sung).

- By the mid-Baroque, the term sonata describes a multi-movement work for 1 to 4 instruments (as opposed to the concerto which requires a larger ensemble [see "Concerto," below])

- In the Baroque, a very common type of sonata is the TRIO SONATA: a multi-movement work for 2 high instruments with basso continuo accompaniment (thus, it requires FOUR performers)

- There are two distinct categories of TRIO SONATAS: (1) CHURCH (2) CHAMBER

- a CHURCH SONATA ("sonata da chiesa") is generally more serious in nature and uses an ORGAN as the keyboard instrument of the basso continuo

- a CHAMBER SONATA ("sonata da camera") his more related to dance styles and uses a HARPSICHORD as the keyboard instrument of the basso continuo

- Arcangelo CORELLI wrote many TRIO SONATAS, and he was the first Western composer to write only music for instruments.

- In class, we heard Corelli's Trio Sonata in D major, Op. 3, No. 2 (see Music Guide 14/Chapter 5)

- In the Classical Music Online MUS1700 folder, you can hear the 4th movement of Corelli's Trio Sonata, Op. 3, No. 12 (different piece from the same collection, but just focus on hearing 2 high violins and basso continuo)

- Corelli's style often features free or strict imitative entrances between the upper instruments (sometimes he also includes the melodic bass instrument in the imitation)

- Corelli is especially known for his use of chain suspensions: a succession of suspensions usually between the two upper instruments (created by delaying the rhythm of one of the upper voices by a quarter or half note, so that when one line moves, the other stays to create a "suspension" (a single dissonant pitch that is then resolved DOWN on the next note of that line).

- Common types of contrapuntal suspensions are:
"4-3" (a dissonant 4th in the UPPER voice of the interval that resolves down to create a consonant 3rd on its next note)
"7-6" (a dissonant 7th in the UPPER voice of the interval that resolves down to create a consonant 6th on its next note)

"9-8" (a dissonant 9th in the UPPER voice of the interval that resolves down to create a consonant 8th/octave on its next note)

"2-3" (a dissonant 2nd in the LOWER voice of the interval that resolves down to create a consonant 3rd on its next note)

CONCERTO

- By the mid-Baroque, the term concerto is used to describe a multi-movement work that alternates an ORCHESTRA vs. SOLOIST(s)

- In the Baroque, there are two distinct categories of concertos: (1) SOLO CONCERTO, (2) CONCERTO GROSSO

- a SOLO CONCERTO pits one soloist against an orchestra (with basso continuo accompaniment)

- In class, we heard movement 1 (and the start of mvts. 2 and 3) of Vivaldi's "Spring" from The Four Seasons (see Music Guide 15/Chapter 5)

- Vivaldi was one of the first composers to write IDIOMATIC music for the violin ("idiomatic" means it is written to be played on a particular instrument--using techniques common for that instrument)

- Vivaldi's The Four Seasons is also a great example of PROGRAMMATIC MUSIC (instrumental music intended to portray a specific idea or image without words)

- a CONCERTO GROSSO pits a small group of soloists ["concertino"] against an orchestra (with basso continuo accompaniment)

- In class, we heard movement 1 of J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 (see Music Guide 19/Chapter 5)

- In Brandenburg No. 5, Bach uses a violin, a flute and a harpsichord for his concertino solo group, then mixes and matches them in various combinations in the solo sections of the movement's RITORNELLO FORM: "tutti" vs. "soli" ("tutti means the entire ensemble plays together; "soli" means it is more than one soloist playing)