AoS2 Baroque Solo Concerto

Question 1

Baroque Period

Answer 1

Music Period from 1600-1750.

Question 2

Baroque Solo Concerto

Answer 2

A piece of music written for a solo instrument and orchestra.

This is a clip from Handel’s Trumpet Concerto

Question 3

Important Baroque composers.

Answer 3

Handel, Bach, Vivaldi

Question 4

Harpsichord

Answer 4

Plucked keyboard instruments common in Baroque music.

Question 5

Solo instruments typically used in a Baroque concerto.

Answer 5

Violin, Cello, Recorder, Flute, Oboe, Bassoon

Question 6

Basso Continuo (or Continuo)

Answer 6

Continuous bass accompaniment (usually harpsichord and cello) found in Baroque music.

The Cello reads the notes of the bass line and the Harpsichord improvises chords from the numbers on the score (or figured bass).

Question 7

Polyphonic Texture

Answer 7

Two or more different melodies playing at the same time.

Listen to how the different musical phrases overlap in this example of Polyphonic texture from Bach’s Harpsichord Concerto No.1 in D Minor.

Question 8

Musical Sequence

Answer 8

Musical sequence is when a passage of music is repeated at a higher or lower pitch. It is often found in Baroque music.

This is an example of a descending sequence taken from Vivaldi’s Recorder Concerto.

Question 9

Ornaments

Answer 9

Trills, turns, mordents and grace notes.

Listen to the trills played by the Piccolo in Vivaldi’s Piccolo Concerto.

You can also see how a trill is notated on a score.

Question 10

Terraced Dynanics

Answer 10

The dynamics go suddenly rom loud to quiet or quiet to loud.

There are no gradual crescendos or diminuendos.

Also described as stepped dynamics.

Question 11

Melody & Accompaniment

Answer 11

This is a musical texture where there is a main melody supported by other instruments.

This is an example of Melody and Accompaniment texture from a Baroque Oboe Concerto.

Not all Baroque music is Polyphonic!

Question 12

1 / This musical extract is taken from a Baroque Solo Concerto. From your knowledge of this style of music, identify six features which are typical of this style.

2/ What is the name of the solo instrument?

3/ Name a possible composer for this piece of music?

Answer 12

1/ The typical musical features include:

i/ Polyphonic (contrapuntal) texture at the start of the extract. But much of the extract is melody and accompaniment.

ii/ A Harpsichord (Continuo part).

iii/ Terraced or stepped dynamics.

iv/ A small orchestra.

v/ The use of imitation and melodic sequences.

vi/ A combination of a solo instrument with the rest of the orchestra.

2/ Oboe

3/ Marcello (Bach, Vivaldi or Handel)