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Period: Jan 14, 1573 to Jan 14, 1582
The Florentine Camerata
An informal academy or scholarly get-together of intellectuals who discussed literature, science, and the fine arts. In addition to that, this gathering doubled as a venue for the performance of new music during that time. -
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Baroque Music Period
The duration and existence of music categorized by design and performance as adhering to the "Baroque" style -
Le nuove musiche
"Le nuove musiche" is a collection of solo songs that feature a basso continuo; the first of its kind. Caccini, though a singer, composed the song collection, dividing the collection into two sections: madrigals & air songs. The difference was in the concept of the air songs (or arias) were strophic in setting, whereas the madrigals were through-composed and polyphonic. -
L'Orfeo
This is Monteverdi's first opera, a work so successful that it became the first work of its kind to keep a permanent place in the repertory of opera. Monteverdi created this work through imitating and drawing upon the inspirations of previous works, except for his concept of recitative, which appears to have been inspired by Jacopo Peri's "L'Euridice." -
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Versailles' Orchestras "Vingtquatre Violons du Roi"
Created by the predecessor of Jean Baptiste Lully, the "24 Violins of the King" is one of the first large ensembles from the violin family, and one of Lully's prime ensembles he composed for. This orchestra typically played most composed music in five part texture, with six soprano violins devoted to the melody alone. -
First Public Concerts in England
While a specific date is not mentioned, it is agreed upon that the concept of public concerts began to appear in London in the early 1670s. One such concert occurred in 1672, where John Banister set up his own concert inside of his own house. -
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Arcangelo Corelli's Trio Sonatas
Major Works include: Op. 1 (1681) - 12 Trio Sonatas
Op. 2 (1685) - 12 Trio Sonate de Camera
Op. 3 (1689) - 12 Trio Sonate de Chiesa
Op. 4 (1695) - 12 Trio Sonate de Camera
Op. 5 (1700) - 12 Solo Violin Sonatas
Op. 6 (1714) - 12 Concerti Grossi / 6 Trio Sonatas / 3 Quartets -
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George Frederic Handel
One of the most popular Baroque composers, Handel was known as a master of all types of vocal and instrumental music. One of the few composers to achieve fame and never fall out of it, Handel also was somewhat of a prodigy, impressing nobility with his skilss since the age of 9. -
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Johann Sebastian Bach
One of the foremost composers of the Baroque period, although he did not receive fame for his works until well after he was dead. Bach is known for his consistency to form, and his vast knowledge of Baroque style, so much so that he regularly manipulated and played with the rules in his music. -
Jean Baptiste Lully's "Armide"
One of Lully's masterpieces, "Armide" is one of the finest examples of Baroque technique and persentation through composition. Examples include the variation of "recitatif mesure" & "recitatif simple," and Lully's unique "ouvertures" that began each of his operas. -
Dido and Aeneas
One of the two successful dramas set to continuous music, "Dido and Aeneas," composed by Purcell, is considered a masterpiece despite its shortness and concise structure. The performance has only four named roles, and the whole thing takes about an hour to perform -
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Farinelli
The most famous and one of the most impressive Castrati singers ever, was said to have such a massive control over his voice that he out-sang one of the top ensemble's principle trumpet player. His skill with the voice was so expressive and effortless that he gained an international fame that lasted well past his death. -
Antonio Vivaldi's "L'Estro Armonico"
Published in Amsterdam, this work was created at a time where Vivaldi's works held great interest and lvoe in Northern Europe. The name, which translates to "Harmonic Inspiration," was created mostly to attract buyers and give the work a fanciful connotation. -
The Brandenburg Concertos
These six pieces are dedicated to the Margrave of Brandenburg and are written, with the exception of the first piece in three-movement Italian style of its concertos. Within these works are expansions of his basic models through the forms of ritornello infusion into his episodes, shown through a musical conversation between the soloist and the orchestra. -
Rameau's "Traite de l'harmonie"
One of the most influential works on music theory ever written, Rameau created this work by spending his life in French towns, moving from place to place and gathering knowledge until he settled in Paris. Once this work was published, his renown as a music theorist solidified, and he continued in his life teaching harmonies and playing basso continuo for a couple of ensembles, eventually finding a position as an organist. -
The Well-Tempered Clavier (Volume 1)
One of Bach's best-known and best written works, this double cycle of fugues and preludes consists of 24 works, one for each major and minor key, paired together and arranged in rising chromatic order beginning at C. -
Giulio Cesare
"Giulio Cesare" is an opera that is known for its wide variety of solo arias, specifically in their presentation of vocal dexterity through melismatic phrases. The ornamentations in some of the songs could only be sung some of the top soprano coloraturas. -
St. Matthew's Passion
One of the two surviving Passions written by Bach, St. Matthew's Passion is a work that draws upon several different styles of performance at the time, including opera, cantata, and oratorio. In these works, a tenor narrates the story of Jesus's life, important characters such as Jesus and Mary are sung by soloists and the rest are sung by the chorus. -
The Messiah
Handel's most famous work, this oratorio was premiered in Dublin, Ireland. Unlike other oratorios, this work displayed a variety of Christian ideologies and contemplations that were seen regularly throughout the Bible.