BIOL 1002 Chapter : CH 32 Outline Spring 2013
MUS 2053
Intro to Baroque Era
October 21, 2011
I. What does “Baroque” mean?
a. Derived from Portuguese term “Barroco”
i. Applied to pearls.
ii. Used to describe pearls that are odd colored or strange shaped
b. Through 1850, the term was used negatively
c. Through 19th century, it was known as other names
d. Term “baroque” was not applied until the 20th century
II. Trends in Baroque music
a. Influence of drama
i. It is important to recognize the presence of drama throughout the baroque
ii. More emotion
iii. Parallel in music is Opera
b. Doctrine of Affections
i. Or “theory of the affects”
ii. Idea: music should reflect specific emotional states
iii. New idea to the Baroque
iv. Came into practice in 16th century, but came into full swing in the 17th century
v. Idea was shunned in Medieval times
c. Prima and Seconda Pratica
i. Mostly applied to early baroque music
ii. Applied by Monteverdi
1. Artusi (conservative music critic) did not like Monteverdi’s new
madrigals because they broke the rules of counterpoint. Artusi attacked
the new ideas in Monteverdi’s madrigals. The attack came out before
the madrigals were even published.
2. Applies rules that words take prominence over the music. Words affect
the way the music is written
3. It wasn’t the dissonance that Artusi didn’t like, but the treatment of the
dissonance
III. Innovations
a. Basso Continuo
i. Single bass line with implied harmonies that are improvised in performance
b. Extensive Ornamentation
c. Invention of Opera
IV. Opera
a. Had desire to recapture the power of Greek music
i. Greek Plays
