During periods
of dramatic expression such as the Baroque era, the listener's attention is meant to focus upon
the music as expression of the general states of the soul. With the powerful and contradictory
currents of the Baroque period, the visual arts certainly fostered ornate splendor and
complexity. Thus, composers sought a more expansive musical language in order to express a wide
range of emotions. In this approach, they reached for new resources of harmony and dissonance,
rhythm, and form. Choirs experimented with new ways to use voices and multiphonic
sound.
Claudio Monteverdi introduced modern
tonalities by mixing polyphony and
harmony with a focus upon the solo voice and its supporting bass
line. Instrumental music remained popular, and the harpsichord became essential. Dance music was
popular for ballets and the popular social dancing. Improvisation was not unusual as it showed
off a performer's virtuosity. Franz Liszt was such a virtuoso that some of his music could only
be performed by him. Composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frederic Handel, and
Antonio Vivaldi are among this period's most popular.
Bach - A virtuoso on the harpsichord and piano, Bach wrote
for almost all the popular forms. He composed over 300 cantatas and
is known for music that is artistic, highly technical, and of intellectual depth. He was
skilled on the organ.
Handel - His most famous
work is Messiah, and with it he created the musical
oratorio, a musical narrative with a religious theme, as there are
fifty movements with a three-act structure. He also created a technique known as
text painting, in which a line of music imitates a written line.
e.g. the Hallelujain which the word repeatedly underscores the other
vocals.
Vivaldi - He is credited with the
ritornello, (a form that has a theme running through it). He is
best known for his concertos for the violin, an instrument on which
he was a virtuoso. He also wrote some opera.
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