Classical and Baroque Music Eras Compared
Classicism
Historical period comprising the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Historical and Social Context
- Society remained strongly divided into classes.
- The social order was disrupted by the outbreak of the French Revolution (1789).
- The bourgeoisie also organized their demonstrations.
Cultural Context
Culture in this era was more rational than in the Baroque period. In France, the philosophical and cultural movement known as the Enlightenment emerged.
The term Classicism comes from the tendency of artists of the time to reassess and mimic the aesthetics of classical Greece and Rome.
Musical Characteristics
- Melody: Clear structure. Melodic lines are elegant, with little ornamentation.
- Rhythm: Regular rhythm with few complications. Short and defined rhythmic motifs.
- Texture: Homophonic texture is common, often with an Alberti bass accompaniment in piano music.
- Harmony: Still based on tonality.
Religious Works
- Requiem Mass: (Mass for the Dead). Mozart died without finishing his Requiem. Later, his widow took charge of completing it.
- Religious Works by Mozart: 18 Masses (including the Great Mass in C minor and the Requiem Mass).
- Religious Works by Haydn: 14 Masses, but his most important religious works are the two oratorios he wrote: The Creation and The Seasons.
Instrumental Forms
- Symphony: Orchestral piece divided into movements without soloists, the first of which usually follows sonata form.
- Double or Triple Concerto: Features two or three solo instruments.
- Piano Trio: Chamber formation composed of violin, cello, and piano.
- Sonata: A work for solo instrument (often piano) in several movements, which may follow sonata form.
Baroque
Historical period roughly from 1600 to 1750.
Historical and Intellectual Context
- Descartes laid the foundation of the scientific method, which gave more importance to experimental knowledge.
- Galileo, Kepler, and Newton provided mathematical explanations for natural laws.
- Absolute monarchies thrived during this time.
- Religion in the Baroque was still dominated by the ideology of the Counter-Reformation.
Musical Characteristics and Terms
- Color: Use of keys belonging to the tonal system.
- Virtuosity: Complete mastery of the possibilities of an instrument or voice.
- Accompanied Melody: A single melodic line with accompaniment.
- Basso Continuo: An accompaniment system characteristic of Baroque music, consisting of a bass line over which improvised chords are played.
- Castrato: Male singers who were castrated before puberty to prevent voice change and preserve a high vocal range. The castrato’s voice kept a child’s range throughout life but with the lung capacity and power of an adult.
- Cantata: Similar to the oratorio in structure, but usually does not tell a story and is shorter in duration.
- Passion: Recounts the Passion and death of Jesus Christ, widely used during the Baroque period.
- Opera: Staged work with a secular theme.
- Oratorio: Not staged, with a religious theme.
- Camerata: Group of musicians, artists, and intellectuals working under the patronage of a nobleman.
- Overture: Instrumental piece played by the orchestra at the beginning as an introduction.
- Recitative: Vocal procedure where the singer recites text, often used to advance the plot.
- Aria: Excerpt performed by a vocal soloist with instrumental accompaniment, typically expressing emotion.
- Duo, Trio, etc.: Vocal excerpts with similar characteristics to arias, but performed by two, three, or more solo singers simultaneously.
- Chorus: Choral music fragment used especially to represent crowds.
- Dance: Instrumental music designed for dancing or representation.