MUS 048 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Counterpoint, Figured Bass, Ritornello
1 Oct 2017
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Document Summary
Style features of late baroque music part ii. Standard texture of baroque music is polyphonic (contrapuntal). Many pieces that consist of just melody and bass count as contrapuntal because of independent melodic quality of bass. Large-scale pieces spin contrapuntal lines in all musical space-time. While cellos, basses, bassoons, and organ pedals play lowest line, other instruments take places in middle, with oboes and flutes above them and then trumpets piercing their way up into highest range possible. Density achieved in this way is doubly impressive because of sounds feel alive - alive because they are all in motion, because all parts of moving contrapuntal lines. Some exceptions should be noted to standard polyphonic texture of baroque music. Such are homophonic orchestra sections (ritornellos) in concerto, bach"s prelude in c. Major from the well-tempered clavier, and highly expressive harmonization of old. No accident that textures appear within pieces that feature polyphony elsewhere. 5 alternates with polyphony played by high instruments.
