MUSIC 162: Music History I, Unit 1

Vivaldi

Couperin

Rameau

J.S. Bach

J.S. Bach

J.S. Bach

Handel

Handel

Pergolesi

Hasse

Gay

Gluck

Billings

Instrumental work that exploits the contrast in sonority between a small ensemble of solo instruments (concertino), usually the same forces that appeared in the trio sonata, and a large ensemble (ripieno or concerto grosso).

Concerto in which a single instrument, such as a violin, contrasts with an orchestra.

A set of pieces that are linked together into a single work. During the Baroque, a suite usually referred to a set of stylized dance pieces.

Relatively short setting for organ of a chorale melody, used as an introduction for congregational singing or as an interlude in a Lutheran church service.

Introductory piece for solo instrument, often in the style of an improvisation, or introductory movement in a multimovement work such as an opera or suite.

(Italian, fuga: "flight") Composition or section of a composition in strict imitative counterpoint that is based on a single subject and begins with successive statements of the subject at contrasting pitches, usually the first and fifth scale degrees.

(Italian: "sung") (1) In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, a vocal chamber work with continuo, usually for solo voice, consisting of several sections or movements that include recitatives and arias and setting a lyrical or quasi-dramatic text. (2) Genre of Lutheran church music in the eighteenth century, combining poetic texts with texts drawn from chorales or the Bible, and including recitatives, arias, chorale settings, and usually one or more choruses.

Genre of dramatic music that originated in the seventeenth century, combining narrative, dialogue, and commentary through arias, recitatives, ensembles, choruses, and instrumental music, like an unstaged opera. Usually on a religious or biblical subject.

(Italian: "serious opera") Eighteenth-century genre of Italian opera, on a serious subject but normally with a happy ending, usually without comic characters and scenes.

(Italian: "comic opera") Eighteenth-century genre of Italian comic opera, sung throughout.

(German: "singing play") German genre of opera, featuring spoken dialogue interspersed with songs, choruses, and instrumental music.

(French: "comic opera") (1) In the eighteenth century, light French comic opera, which used spoken dialogue instead of recitatives.

Genre of eighteenth-century English comic play featuring songs in which new words are set to borrowed tunes.

Eighteenth-century genre of Italian comic opera, performed between acts of a serious opera or play.

A movement or passage for such a group in an oratorio, opera, or other multimovement work.

A chorus within a piece that uses the musical strategy, fugue.

Handel used duets from Italy within his piece, Messiah.

An orchestral piece introducing an opera or other long work.

(Italian: "air") (1) In the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, any setting of an Italian strophic poem for a solo singer. (2) Lyrical monologue in an opera or other vocal work such as cantata and oratorio.

Secco (Italian: "dry") recitative is accompanied only by basso continuo.

Recitative that uses orchestral accompaniment to punctuate and reinforce the message of the text.

Eighteenth-century American type of Psalm or hymn tune that features a passage in free imitation, usually preceded and followed by homophonic sections.

(Italian: "refrain") (1) In an aria or similar piece, an instrumental passage that recurs several times. Typically, it is played at the beginning, as interludes (often in modified form), and again at the end, and it states the main theme. (2) In a fast movement of a concerto, the recurring thematic material played at the beginning by the full orchestra and repeated, usually in varied form, throughout the movement and at the end.

Type of overture used in tragèdie en musique and other genres that opens with a slow, homophonic, and majestic section, followed by a faster second section that begins with imitation.

Use of pre-existing music to suit a new text; affect or emotion of the music must be appropriate to the text.

A long melodic passage sung to a single syllable of text.

Using musical gestures to reinforce or suggest images in a text, such as a rising gesture on the word “ascend.”

Music or musical texture consisting of unaccompanied melody.

(1) Melody and accompaniment. (2) Musical texture in which all voices move together in essentially the same rhythm.

Music or musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody.

(Italian, "fuga": "flight") Composition or section of a composition in strict imitative counterpoint that is based on a single subject and begins with successive statements of the subject at contrasting pitches, usually the first and fifth scale degrees. Consists of subject melody and coountersubject melody.

Aria form with two sections. The first section is repeated after the second section’s close, which carries the instruction da capo (Italian: "from the head"), creating an ABA form.

(1678-1741) Violinist, teacher, and composer of opera, cantatas, sacred music, and concerti. Ordained as "The Red Priest" in 1703. He worked at Pietà as a teacher, composer, conductor, and superintendent of musical instruments. He wrote mostly solo concerti (composed over 500); one of his most notable concerti is The Four Seasons. Vivaldi relied heavily on formulaic writing but still had impressive variety. He reflected the stylistic changes of the first half of the 18th century. He wrote in three-movement form (fast-slow-fast), used expanded ritornello structure, liberally used sequences, had a high degree of virtuosity, and had a structural use of cadences.

(1668-1733) The court composer for Louis XIV. He played harpsichord, taught it to the king and the nobility, and wrote a book on it. His French overtures tried to emulate Italian music, using a lot of ornaments and harmonic sequencing (circle of fifths).

(1632-1687) French composer and master of the French overture.

"The Sun King;" called this because he would dress up as the Sun and have dancers revolve around him.

One of the first "music theorists," and he was sponsored by La Puplinière. He really started to take an interest in Italian music, bringing in Italian musicians. This created a rift between those who liked the old music (Lullistes) and those who wanted the new Italian music (Ramistes).

(1685-1750) Born in Eisenach and moved to Leipzig where he helped with churches (Weimar and Cöthen). There were three stages to Bach's career: (1) organist, working in Arnstadt, Mülhausen, and Weimar; (2) director of chamber music (Kapelmeister) in Cöthen; and (3) director of church musi (Cantor) in Leipzig. Bach used Lutheran chorales to create his own music. He often used a descending leap of a diminished 7th (saltus dunisculus). He also wrote preludes and fugues, as well as toccatas ("touch pieces"), which were pieces that involved fast finger work. Bach was an incredible organist, and most notably an incredible pedal player.

(1685-1759) Moved around, wrote operas in Italy. Handel wrote in every genre. One of his musical strategies was sordini (muted strings). Wrote Messiah in 1742 for Lent; it was inspired by Charles Jennens. Handel created the genre of English oratorio.

An Anglican priest; the inspiration for Handel's Messiah. He helped author the libretto of the Messiah, as well as some of Handel's other works.

(1710-1736) Composer of La serva padrona ("The Maid as Mistress," 1733), played originally as an intermezzo (show in between acts of operas).

(1699-1783) German composer, singer, and teacher. Composed Cleofide for his wife, Faustina Bordoni.

(1698-1782) Child prodigy who freestyle rapped on street corners; he was also a poet and librettist, a Vienna court poet for some time. His text was used for Cleofide.

(1700-1781) Soprano, wife of Johann Adolf Hasse, Cleofide.

(1685-1732) English poet and dramatist, composer of The Beggar's Opera. He was a part of the Scriblerus Club and contributed to The British Apollo.

(1712-1778) French philospher, writer, composer. He was a large influencer of the Englightenment and the French Revolution. He wrote "A Discourse on the Arts and Sciences."

(1714-1787) German composer who studied in Italy, was a court composer in Vienna, and popular in France. He was a major musical figure in the time. He also implemented reform opera and wrote Orfeo (1762).

The four humours were believed to be the four fluids of life within one's body. They were to be in balance with each other. These included blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Blood caused sanguine (lust), phlegm led to one being phlegmatic (unemotional, static), yellow bile led to one being choleric (angry), and black bile caused someone to be melancholic (sad, depressed). The latter was believed to necessary to create art.

People representing passion and emotion through music and art.

Convents, orphanages, and/or music schools; a place where people brought their infants if they couldn't afford to take care of them. This was a rare place where women were trained in music and allowed to perform in front of others. The Pio Ospedale della Pietà was a notable ospedale.

(Italian: "little book") Literary text for an opera or musical stage work.

A battle between supporters of Rameau and supporters of Lully. The Lullists found Rameau’s music difficult, forced, grotesque, thick, mechanical, and above all unnatural, claiming that Rameau ruined everything Lully had worked for. Rameau's music imitated Lully's; however, his was more complicated and his melodies were rooted in harmony.

Male singers who were castrated before puberty to preserve their high vocal range, prominent in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, especially in opera.

An age of optimism in which rulers were portrayed as forgiving and there was an emphasis on virtues of humanity and morality. Musically, there was a preference of major keys and music could be used in support or criticism of existing power structures. This movement turned away from the ornamental Baroque stye and shifted toward order, symmetry, simplicity, charm, clarity, and good melody.

Cross-cultural, socially diverse coffeehouses were a hotspot to discuss music, religion, politics, and current events. Virtuosic secular music was performed here, some written by J.S. Bach. Women were permitted in Leipzig, although not in London.

(1751-1772) Denis Diderot's successful attempt to summarize everything known by humanity in 28 volumes.

Bach's Well-Tempered (referring to a type of tuning that allows for performing in every key; not equal temperament) Clavier (meaning "keyboard instrument") was a collection of 48 prelude and fugue pairs written in all 24 major and minor keys.

The teachings and practices of the fraternal order of Free Masons, the largest worldwide secret society—an oath-bound society, often devoted to fellowship, moral discipline, and mutual assistance. The Eye of Providence (triangle symbol on dollar bill) was their symbol.

(Portuguese, "barroco": "a misshapen pearl") Period of music history from about 1600 to about 1750, overlapping the late Renaissance and early Classic periods.

In music history, the era from about 1730 to about 1815, between and overlapping the Baroque and Romantic periods.

Baroque style was highlighted by virtuousic, grandiose, dramatic music mostly focused on solo voice, whereas Classical music style focused on simplicity: disappearance of basso continuo, simple melody and accompaniment, melody organized in paired structures (question and answer), and a rise in public concert and the idea of "musical genius."

Beginning in Italy in the 16th century, this form of theatre was improvised and performed by masked individuals. Pergolesi's "La serva padrona" is a prime example of this style.

("Quarrel of the comic actors") A musical battle that took place in Paris between 1752 and 1754, arguing the relative merits of French opera and Italian opera. Lully and Rameau vs. Pergolesi and Rousseau.

The principles of reform opera included noble simplicity, uniterrupted action (no ABA arias), judicious use of ornaments (no overindulgent cadenzas), lack of unecessary repetition, naturalistic staging and acting, and an overture that foreshadows events.