Music History. Visual & Performing Arts Assignment.

Music History
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Music History
Music of the Baroque Period
Baroque period is a term widely used to describe the period between 1600 and 1750 AD in Western Europe art music. This period like any other period, had music with different characteristics. The current music, however, has become dynamic and incorporate older styles to come up with music. The authenticity of this period's music has unique instrumentation, musical expression, tuning, and improvisation, which make us understand and appreciate the music.
Instrumentation of Baroque music is unique. Instruments that Baroque orchestras use include strings in violins and cellos, woodwind in wooden flutes and bassoons, brass in trumpets and horns, timpani and continuo. Baroque has no standard pitch in its instrumentation, but it varies in different places and times. However, in one piece of music, the music was written in suites representing a changing tempo, different dances but always maintaining the same unity of key throughout the art. Samuel Scheidt is one of the many Baroque composers who made effective use of instrumentation in their work.
Contrast is a significant element of the Baroque composition. Differences are evident in loud and soft tones, ensembles, solos, and different instruments play significant roles in Baroque's composition. The composers often pick and direct specific instruments that play certain parts instead of letting the instrumentalist decide on his own. It is why violins and trumpets became very popular ("Major Baroque Composers - Music of the Baroque," n.d.). The vocals in Baroque compositions inhibit a great sense of drama. Expressive dissonances and aggressive rhythms create attention-catching pieces that make Baroque music unique. For example, Heinrich Schütz occasionally made use of pungent dissonance, intending to bring meaning to the text.
Improvisation is another aspect that defines Baroque compositions. Considering that they were mostly practiced in churches and palaces, Baroque music addressed contemporary issues like war and immorality, among others. Music generally, addresses contemporary issues in life. However, the Baroque composition has a different angle of addressing such issues because they praised leaders and their work while upholding morality in society (Law & Ruppert, n.d.). For instance, George Frederic Han...