The Baroque Era in Western Music (c. 1600–1750)

The Baroque era, spanning from approximately 1600 to 1750, marks a period of profound change and dramatic flair in Western music. The era is characterised by its ornate, highly decorated, and often complex textures, Baroque music is a rich tapestry woven with expressive melodies and rigorous structures. This period is pivotal in music history, solidifying many forms and practices that would influence music for centuries to come.

Explore the Rich Tapestry of Baroque Music with Triquetrae's Level 9 Music History Programme

Key Elements of Baroque Music

Dominant Musical Styles

The musical styles of the Baroque era were marked by a shift from the polyphony of the Renaissance towards a more clear distinction between melody and accompaniment, known as monody. The most defining stylistic features include:

• Basso Continuo: This is arguably the most defining characteristic. It consists of a bass line (played by an instrument like a cello or bassoon) and a chord-playing instrument (like a harpsichord, organ, or lute). The bass line provides the harmonic foundation, and the chord player improvises the harmonies based on figured-bass notation.

• Doctrine of the Affections: Composers aimed to evoke specific emotions ("affections") in the listener. A single piece or movement was often dedicated to expressing one particular state of feeling, such as joy, sorrow, or rage.

• Contrapuntal and Polyphonic Textures: While monody was prevalent, complex polyphony, especially in the form of the fugue, reached its zenith. This involves multiple independent melodic lines interwoven together.

• Contrast and Dynamics: There was a strong use of sudden shifts in dynamics, known as "terraced dynamics," rather than gradual crescendos and diminuendos. This provided a dramatic contrast between loud and soft sections.

Predominant Forms

The Baroque era saw the standardisation and development of several major musical forms that remain central to the classical repertoire:

Opera

A dramatic work set to music, using singers and an orchestra, often featuring elaborate staging.

Claudio Monteverdi's Orfeo

Concerto Grosso

Features a small group of soloists (the concertino) contrasted against a larger ensemble (the ripieno or tutti).

Corelli: Concerto grosso g-Moll op. 6 Nr. 8

Solo Concerto

Showcases a single instrument against the backdrop of the orchestra.

Antonio Vivaldi's The Four Seasons

Fugue

A compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject (a short melodic idea) that is introduced at the beginning in imitation and recurs frequently.

Oratorio

A large-scale musical work for orchestra, choir, and soloists, typically based on a sacred theme and performed in a concert setting without staging.

George Frideric Handel's Messiah

Suite

A collection of dance movements (such as the Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, and Gigue) unified by key.

Bach's Cello Suites

Trio Sonata

A sonata written on three staves for two solo instruments (often violin, flute or oboe) and basso continuo.

Arcangelo Corelli's Trio Sonatas

Instruments of the Era

The orchestra, as a distinct ensemble, began to take shape during the Baroque period. While modern instruments are often used for performances today, the original instruments had a different sound and character.

Keyboard Instruments

• Harpsichord: The leading keyboard instrument, producing sound by plucking strings. It was crucial for performing the basso continuo.

• Pipe Organ: Used extensively in church music and for solo virtuosic works.

String Instruments

• The family of violins, violas, cellos, and basses (often still using gut strings and slightly different bows than modern instruments) formed the core of the orchestra.

• The viol family (such as the viola da gamba) was still in use, particularly in early Baroque.

Wind Instruments

• The Recorder and the Baroque Flute (a one-keyed transverse flute).

• The Baroque Oboe and Bassoon.

Lute

• The Theorbo is a large lute used as a chordal/harmonic instrument in Baroque ensembles.

• The Lute remained popular for solo and chamber music.

Brass Instruments

• Trumpets (without valves) and Horns were used mainly in festive or military settings.

Principal Composers

The Baroque era is synonymous with the genius of a few towering figures, whose works define the period's sound and legacy:

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): A German master of counterpoint, his works—including the Brandenburg Concertos, the Goldberg Variations, and numerous fugues—represent the culmination of the Baroque style.

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• George Frideric Handel (1685–1759): Also German, but known for his career in England, Handel is best remembered for his Italian Operas and his Oratorios, most famously Messiah.

• Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741): An Italian composer and violinist known as "The Red Priest." He popularised the three-movement ritornello form in the concerto, exemplified by his hundreds of concertos, particularly The Four Seasons.

• Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643): Often considered the transition figure between the Renaissance and Baroque. His opera L'Orfeo is one of the earliest and most important operas.

• Henry Purcell (1659–1695): The greatest English composer of the Baroque era, famous for his opera Dido and Aeneas.

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Short Essay Questions

1. The Role of the Basso Continuo: Explain the concept of the Basso Continuo and why it is considered the most defining feature of Baroque music. Which instruments typically played this part, and what was the importance of the figured bass notation?

2. Music and Emotion (Doctrine of the Affections): Describe the Baroque idea known as the Doctrine of the Affections. How did composers like Bach or Handel use musical elements (like melody, rhythm, or harmony) to create and maintain a single, specific emotion (like joy or sorrow) throughout a piece or movement?

3. The Rise of the Concerto: Compare and contrast the two main types of concertos developed in the Baroque era: the Solo Concerto and the Concerto Grosso. Explain how Antonio Vivaldi's contributions helped to popularise the concerto form.

4. Opera in the Baroque Era: What major changes did composers like Claudio Monteverdi introduce that led to the development of Opera as a distinct musical form? Why was the combination of drama, singing, and instrumental music so popular during this period?

5. The End of an Era: The year 1750 (the death of J.S. Bach) is often used to mark the end of the Baroque era. Based on the major characteristics and forms (like the fugue, terraced dynamics, and ornate melodies), summarise what made Baroque music different from the music that came before it (the Renaissance) and why its influence remains important today.

Glossary of Key Terms

• Basso Continuo: A defining Baroque feature consisting of a bass line and a chord-playing instrument that provides a harmonic foundation.

• Concertino: The small group of soloists featured in a Concerto Grosso.

• Concerto Grosso: A musical form that creates contrast between a small group of soloists and a full ensemble.

• Doctrine of the Affections: The aesthetic theory that music should evoke and maintain a single specific emotion throughout a movement or piece.

• Figured-bass: A numerical notation system used by chord-playing instruments in a basso continuo to improvise harmonies.

• Fugue: A complex polyphonic composition based on a short melodic subject that is introduced in imitation and recurs throughout.

• Harpsichord: A primary Baroque keyboard instrument that produces sound by plucking strings; essential for basso continuo.

• Monody: A musical style featuring a single melody with instrumental accompaniment, marking a shift away from Renaissance polyphony.

• Opera: A large-scale dramatic work combining music, singing, and orchestra, typically featuring elaborate staging.

• Oratorio: A large-scale musical work for choir, soloists, and orchestra, usually based on sacred themes and performed without staging.

• Polyphony: A musical texture consisting of multiple independent melodic lines interwoven together.

• Ripieno/Tutti: The full ensemble or orchestra in a Concerto Grosso, used in contrast with the soloists.

• Solo Concerto: A musical form that showcases a single soloist accompanied by an orchestra.

• Suite: A collection of dance movements (such as the Allemande and Gigue) unified by a single key.

• Terraced Dynamics: The practice of making sudden shifts between loud and soft volumes without gradual transitions.

• Trio Sonata: A composition for two solo instruments and a basso continuo, typically written on three staves.

Reference list

• Encyclopaedia Britannica (2007). Homophony | Polyphony, Counterpoint, Harmony | Britannica. [online] Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/print/article/270609 [Accessed 25 Jan. 2026].

• Encyclopaedia Britannica (2011). Basso Continuo | Baroque Music, Accompaniment & Improvisation | Britannica. [online] Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/print/article/55528 [Accessed 25 Jan. 2026].

• Encyclopaedia Britannica (2017). Polyphony | Definition, Melodic Lines, & Counterpoint | Britannica. [online] Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/print/article/469009 [Accessed 25 Jan. 2026].

• Felis , L. (2012). "Baroque Music, the Library of Essays on Music Performance "Baroque Music, the Library of Essays on Music Performance. [online] State University of New York at New Paltz . Available at: https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1255&context=ppr [Accessed 25 Jan. 2026].

• Fenaroli, F. (2022). Partimenti Di Fedele Fenaroli (Fenaroli, Fedele) - IMSLP. [online] Imslp.org. Available at: https://imslp.org/wiki/Partimenti_di_Fedele_Fenaroli_(Fenaroli%2C_Fedele) [Accessed 25 Jan. 2026].

• Gan, Y. (2024). Research on the Stylistic Characteristics of Keyboard Music Works in the Baroque Period. Frontiers in Art Research, [online] 6(10). doi:https://doi.org/10.25236/far.2024.061012.

• Harriss, E. (1939). Johann Mattheson - Der Vellkommene Capellmeister. [online] Scribd. Available at: https://www.scribd.com/document/816450894/Johann-Mattheson-Der-Vellkommene-Capellmeister [Accessed 25 Jan. 2026].

• Harriss, E. (2025). Der Vollkommene CapellMeister Book II. [online] Scribd. Available at: https://www.scribd.com/document/367701596/Der-Vollkommene-CapellMeister-Book-II [Accessed 2026].

• Pachelbel, J. (1680). Canon and Gigue in D major, P.37. [online] IMSLP. Available at: https://imslp.org/wiki/Canon_and_Gigue_in_D_(Pachelbel,_Johann) [Accessed 25 Jan. 2026].

• Sanyal, S. (2008). Baroque Music and Musicians: a Short Study. SSRN Electronic Journal. [online] doi:https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1309130.