A.D. 1600-1750

Musical Characteristics

bulletVast increase in importance of secular art music
bulletUse of absolute music
bulletBasso continuo is one of the characteristic sounds
bulletHomophonic styles (greatly responsible for vertical analysis)
bulletConcept of major/minor tonalities emerges
bulletPolyphonic texture is prominent and common
bulletTendency to monothematic compositions
bulletMelodic phrases often not clearly defined - tendency toward continuous motion, employing weakened cadences through which the melodic line moves with little or no hesitation
bulletElaborate decoration of melodies (ornaments) is prevalent
bulletSequence becomes common and is used considerably
bulletFunctional harmony develops
bulletAuthentic cadences replaced modal cadences
bulletChromaticism played a more prominent role
bulletSystematic modulation became commonplace
bulletChord structure and progressions important
bulletCounterpoint
bulletDoctrine of Affections
bulletFree use of dissonance
bulletMelodic and harmonic sequences
bulletBasic triads and inversions are most common, but 7th chords also used (9th, 11th and 13th chords are virtually nonexistent)
bulletMetric beats are usually very strict in tempo with a minimum variance except for some cadential ritard, rallentando and occasional accelerando
bulletEmphasis on continuity of flow, repetition of rhythmic patterns and prominence of the metric pulse
bulletEnsemble size is usually quite small (choirs of 12-25 not uncommon)
bulletIncrease in importance of instrumental music
bulletInstrumental groups also abbreviated in number
bulletInclination to contrast large sounds against small sounds (concerto grosso)
bulletDynamics used to create contrasts
bulletTerraced dynamics are an integral part and vital to interpretation
bulletImprovisation played a very important role in performances
bulletA revolt against Renaissance polyphony by the Camerata which instigated monody, recitative and opera
bullet1631 - professional female singers appear for the first time on the English stage in the production of Chloridia, a court masque produced by Ben Johnson and indigo Jones

Rococo (1690-1760)

bulletFrench style (also called style galant)
bulletLight texture
bulletElaborate, ornamented melody
bulletPeriodic phrasing with frequent cadences
bulletSimple harmony
bulletFree treatment of dissonances
bulletKept some Baroque traits
bulletMotivic play
bulletLinear bass lines
bulletUsed a reduced scale performance
bulletChamber ensembles
bulletLute
bulletHarpsichord
bulletOpéra-ballet works

Pre-Classical (1740-1770)

bulletTransition period from Baroque to Classical
bulletNo clear distinctions can be drawn between Baroque, Pre-Classical and early Classical music
bulletSome composers often wrote in all three styles
bulletMany musicologists now prefer to use the term early Classical when referring to this time period

Genre and Forms

bulletService
bulletPlain-chant Musical
bulletAnthem
bulletChorale Prelude
bulletFugue
bulletSuite
bulletToccata
bulletCantata
bulletVariation
bulletMotet
bulletChorale
bulletLied
bulletMass
bulletAria
bulletPassion
bulletOratorio
bulletChorale
bulletOpera
bulletSerious Opera
bulletComic Opera (first appeared in 1639)
bulletopera-masque
bulletMasque (mask)
bulletMonody
bulletOratorio
bulletBaroque Sonata
bulletBaroque Concerto

Theorists, Treatises and Collections

bulletMichael Praetorius (1571-1621) Syntagma musicum (1614,1618)
bullet1609-1619 - Fitzwilliam Virginal Book
bulletmanuscripts copied by Francis Tregian
bulletcontains nearly 300 works for virginal
bulletcomposed between 1562-1612 by principal English composers
bulletBartolommeo Cristofori (1655-1730) invented the piano (1709)
bulletJohann Fux (1660-1741) Gradus ad Parnassum (1725)
bulletFrançois Couperin (1668-1733) L'Art de toucher le clavecin (1716)
bulletFriedrich Erhardt Niedt (d. ca 1716) Musikalische Handleitung (1700, 1706)
bulletJean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764) Traité de l'harmonie (1722)
bulletGuiseppe Tartini (1692-1770) Trattato di Musica (1754)

Composers and Major Works

bulletGuilo Caccini (1546-1618)
bulletEuridice (1600) the first surviving opera (the first was Jacapo Peri's Dafne produced in 1598)
bulletLe Nuove Musiche (1602)
bulletClaudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)
bulletL'Orfeo (1607) opera
bulletL'incoronazione di Poppea (1642)
bullet Michael Praetorius (1571-1621)
bulletMusae Sioniae (1605-1610)
bullet"Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland"
bullet Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625)
bulletGirolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643)
bulletHeinrich Schütz (1585-1672)
bulletDafne (1627) opera
bulletPsalmen Davids (1619)
bulletKleine geistliche Konzerte (1636, 1639)
bullet Johann Schein (1586-1630)
bulletFrancesca Caccini (1587 - d. ca 1640)
bulletconsidered the first female composer of modern history and the first female composer of operas
bulletLa Liberazione di Ruggiero (1625) opera
bullet Samuel Scheidt (1587-1654)
bulletGiocomo Carissimi (1605-1674)
bulletBaltazar oratorio
bulletJephte oratorio
bulletHenry Lawes (1596-1662) Coelum Britannicum (1634) masque
bulletVirgilio Mazzocchi (ca 1597-1646) Chi soffre, speri (1639) comic opera
bulletParthenia (1611) first published collection for solo keyboard
bulletMarco Marazzoli (ca 1602-1662) Chi soffre, speri (1639) collaborated with Mazzocchi
bulletJohann Froberger (1616-1667)
bulletMatthew Locke (ca 1620-1677) Psyche (1675) first surviving English opera
bulletJean Baptiste Lully (1632-1687)
bulletDietrich Buxtehude (ca 1637-1707)
bulletMarc-Antoine Charpentier (ca 1645-1704)
bulletPelham Humfrey (1647-1674) Club Anthem (ca 1660)
bullet Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) Trio Sonatas (1681)
bulletJohann Pachelbel (1653-1706)
bulletDurch Adams Fall motet
bulletMagnificat
bulletCanon
bullet Henry Purcell (ca 1659-1695)
bulletDido and Aeneas (1689) opera
bullet"O Give Thanks" (psalm 106)
bullet"Hear My Prayer, O Lord"
bulletAlessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725) Il Tigrane (1715) opera
bulletFrançois Couperin (1668-1733)
bulletConcerts royaux (1714-1715)
bulletPièces de Clavecin (1713)
bulletAntonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
bulletOver 400 concertos
bulletGloria
bulletThe Four Seasons (1726)
bulletGeorge Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)
bulletJohann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
bulletBrandenburg Concertos (1721)
bulletGoldberg Variations (1742)
bulletThe Musical Offering (1747)
bulletJesu meine Freude chorale
bulletSt. Matthew Passion oratorio passion
bulletJESU, JOY OF MAN's DESIRING
bulletDomenico Scarlatti (1685-1757)
bulletGeorge Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
bulletWater Music (1717)
bulletChandos Anthems (1717-1718)
bulletCoronation Anthems (1727)
bulletAlcina (1735) opera featuring dancer Marie Salle
bulletMessiah (1742)
bulletRoyal Fireworks Music (1749)
bulletMessiah (1742) oratorio
bulletGiovanni Battista Sammartini (1701-1775)
bullet Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710-1784)
bulletGiovanni Pergolesi (1710-1736) La serva Padrona (1752)
bulletChristoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787)
bulletOrfeo (1762) opera
bulletAlceste (1767) opera
bulletDon Juan (1761) ballet
bulletJohann Wenzel Anton Stamitz (1717-1757)
bulletThe Beggar's Opera (1728) John Gaye, lyricist and John Pepusch, music
bulletLa Serva Padrona (1733) comic opera, from Battista Pergolesi's serious opera Il Prigionier Superbo, wows Europe with its humorous story and enchanting music
bulletJohann Christian Bach (1735-1782) Orione (1764) opera

Hymnology

bulletMartin Rinkhart (1586-1649) "Now Thank We All Our God"
bulletJohann Crüger (1598-1622)
bullet"Praxis Pietatis Melica" (1644)
bulletNUN DANKET
bulletJESU MEINE FREUDE
bulletPaul Gerhardt (1607-1676) "Jesus, Thy Boundless Love to Me"
bullet John Playford (1623-1686)
bulletIntroduction to the Skill of Musick (1654)
bulletPsalm and Hymns (1671)
bulletThe Whole Book of Psalms (1677)
bulletJohn Bunyan (1628-1688)
bulletPilgrim's Progress (1684)
bullet"He Who Would Valient Be"
bulletBenjamen Keach (1640-1704) Spiritual Melody (1691)
bullet1640 - Bay Psalm Book
bulletJoachim Neander (1650-1680)
bullet"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty"
bulletNEANDER
bulletARNSBERG
bullet1651 - New England Psalm Book (Dunster and Lyon)
bulletErdmann Neumeister (1671-1756) "Christ Receiveth Sinful Men"
bulletIsaac Watts (1674-1748)
bulletHorae Lyricae (1705)
bulletHymns and Spiritual Songs (1707, 1709)
bulletThe Psalms of David Imitated (1719)
bullet"Alas and Did My Savior Bleed"
bullet"When  Survey the Wondrous Cross"
bullet"Joy to the World!"
bullet"Come, We that Love the Lord"
bullet1696 - The Whole Book of Psalms "New Version" by Tate and Brady
bulletCount Nicolaus von Zinzendorf (1700-1760)
bullet"Christian Hearts, in Love United"
bullet"Jesus, Still Lead On"
bulletJohn Wesley (1703-1791)
bulletFounder of Methodist hymnody
bulletHymns and Sacred Poems (1739)
bulletCharles Wesley (1707-1788)
bullet"Christ the Lord is Risen Today"
bullet"Hark, the Herald Angels Sing"
bullet"Jesus, Lover of My Soul"
bullet"Love Divine, All Loves Excelling"
bullet"O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing"
bulletGeorge Whitefield (1714-1770)
bulletEdward Perronet (1726-1792) "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name"
bullet1735 - Das Gesangbuch (Mennonite Herrnhut)

Wesleyan Collections

bulletCharlestown Collection (1737)
bulletA Collection of Psalms and Hymns (1738)
bulletHymns and Sacred Poems (1739)
bulletA Collection of Tunes, Set to Music (1742)

American Collections

bulletPsalterium Americanum (Mather, 1718)
bulletIntroduction to Singing of Psalm Tunes (Tufts, 1721)
bulletGrounds and Rules of Music Explained (Walters, 1721, 1723)
bulletPsalms (reprint of Watts by Benjamin Franklin, 1729)
bulletHymns and Spiritual Songs (reprint of Watts, 1739)
bulletCharlestown Collection (Wesley, 1737)
bulletAusbund (1742)

Last Updated: Thursday, August 04, 2005

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Romantic Period  |  Romantic Style  |  Twentieth-Century Period  |  Twentieth-Century Style