Baroque music

Instrumental music became dominant in the Baroque, and most

major music forms were defined. Counterpoint1 was one of the

major forces in both the instrumental and the vocal music of the

period. Although a strong religious musical tradition continued,

secular music came to the fore with the development of

the sonata2, the concerto3, and the concerto grosso4.

Much Baroque music was designed for improvisation5, with a 

figured bass6 provided by the composer for the performer to

flesh out and ornament.

1 In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonicallyinterdependent. It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period, especially in Baroque music. The term originates from the Latin punctus contra punctum meaning "point against point".

2 Sonata (from Latin and Italian sonare, "to sound", Italian: pl., Sonate), in music, literally means a piece  played as opposed to a cantata (Latin and Italian cantare, "to sing"), a piece sung.3 A concerto (from the Italian: concerto, plural concerti or, often, the anglicised form concertos) as a musical work is a composition usually in three parts or movements, in which (usually) one solo instrument (for instance, a piano or violin) is accompanied by an orchestra. The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have origin from the conjunction of the two Latin words concert  (meaning to tie, to join, to weave) and certamen (competition, fight): the idea is that the two parts in a concert, the soloist and the orchestra, alternate episodes of opposition and cooperation in the creation of the music flow.4 The concerto, as understood in this modern way, arose in the Baroque period side by side with the concerto grosso, which contrasted a small group of instruments with the rest of the orchestra. While the concerto grosso is confined to the Baroque period, the solo concerto has continued as a vital musical force to this day.5 Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or new ways to act.

6 Figured bassis a kind of musical notation used to indicate intervals, chords, andnonchord tones, in relation to a bass note. Figured bass is closely associated with basso continuo, used in almost all genres of music in the Baroque period, though rarely in modern music.

1 одељење VII 3 датум: 2. 3. 2016 OШ "Краљ Петар I"

Much Baroque music featured a basso continuo7 consisting of a keyboard, either

harpsichord or organ), and a bass instrument, such as a viola da gamba8 or bassoon9. The

three outstanding composers of the period were Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric

Handel, and Antonio Vivaldi10, but a host of other composers, some with huge output, were

active in the period.

7 Basso continuo parts, almost universal in the Baroque era (1600-1750), provided the  harmonic structure of the music..8 The viol (also known as the Viola da gamba) is any one of a family of  bowed,  fretted  and  stringed  musical instruments developed in the mid-late 15th century and used primarily in the Renaissance  and  Baroque periods.

9

bassoon bow

9

10 Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (March 4, 1678 – July 28, 1741), was an Italian Baroque composer, priest, and virtuoso violinist, born in Venice. Vivaldi is recognized as one of the greatest Baroque composers, and his influence during his lifetime was widespread over Europe. Vivaldi is known mainly for composing instrumental concertos, especially for the violin..

2 одељење VII 3 датум: 2. 3. 2016 OШ "Краљ Петар I"