The Baroque

1/4
(1600 – 1750)

Based on the writings of Anna Butterworth:

‘Stylistic Harmony’ (OUP 1992)
NB To understand the slides herein, you must play though all
the sound examples to hear the principles in action.
The sound of the music will make sense of the rules.

Introduction

General points about the Baroque:

• The Baroque is more of a collection of different styles, whose emphasis

was on involving the onlooker in the sense of passion (‘affect’) the art
sought to convey.
• After 1600, the theory of ‘affections’ categorised the emotions to be
expressed in music into recognised states of mind (e.g., anger, hate,
jealousy, joy or despair)
• In most compositions of this time, an ‘affectation’ governed a whole
movement.

• The birth of many vocal and instrumental forms (e.g., opera, oratorio,
cantata, concerto and suite).
• This stemmed from the development of instruments, especially the
violin, and the consequent expansion of available instrumentalists
• The early Baroque reverted to a simple style, melody-dominated, and
supported by a bass-line in reaction to the complex polyphony of the
late Renaissance (compare to Classical)
 Some composers

Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)

Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713)

Henry Purcell (1659 – 1659)

Alessandro Scarlatti (1660 – 1725)
George Frederick Handel Johann Sebastian Bach
(1685 – 1759) (1685 – 1750)
 Session 1: Basic Harmonic and Melodic Features of Baroque music
(Compare with session 1 of Renaissance)

Musical Features explored in this session:

Baroque Musical Language: Music based on Triads

1. The continuo and figured bass

2. Interpretation of figured bass
3. The chord of the dominant 7th
4. Some features of Baroque melody (e.g., sequence as an extension
of imitation, taking on a harmonic role)

Functional Harmony

1. Chord progressions
1. Strong progressions (e.g., the progression of fifths, scale
movement in the bass, the ground bass
2. Neutral progressions (e.g., progressions of first inversions)
2. Harmony at the cadence: further characteristics
1. The cadential 6/4
2. Harmonic rhythm: the hemiola
3. ‘Coloured’ chords at the cadence

Baroque Musical Language 1: The Continuo and Figured Bass

•Harmonic dominance, acceptance of the ‘basso continuo.’

•Two players provided the continuo, which usually included a bass
instrument (e.g., viola da gamba) and a keyboard
•The keyboard player ‘realised’ the ‘figured’ bass, filling the harmonies
implied by the figures

Interpretation of Figured Bass:

(a)The figures (with the highest number on top) represent intervals counted
from the bass note. The triad notes can be put between in any order
(b)A root-position chord usually has no figure, but 5 sometimes follows 6 to
3 4
indicate resolution.
6
(c)The figuring for 3 (first inversion) is usually reduced to 6.
(d)An accidental on its own affects the third of the triad
(e)An accidental next to a number affects that specific interval. A diagonal
stroke through a figure indicated sharpening.
(f)Suspension figurings are 9-(8), 7-6, and 4-(3). Care must be taken to
prepare the dissonance in the part in which it occurs.
Example 1: How to realise figured bass
Play:

Example 2: Suspension figuring

Play:

Baroque Musical Language 2: The Dominant Seventh

V7 - I
is the fundamental harmonic progression of the tonal era

•The 5th of the scale is the strongest note in the harmonic series apart from
the octave, with a natural ‘pull’ towards its fundamental
•The other notes of motion in the dominant 7th chord include
•The leading note – semitone ‘pull’ towards the tonic
•The minor seventh – resolved downwards

Play:

•Its function is to reinforce

the sense of key

•Its diatonic spelling is

unique to a specific key
In the Renaissance, the 7th, as a dissonance, usually required preparation.

Monteverdi and the early opera writers, in seeking greater means of musical
expression, shook off this convention, and the dominant 7th emerged as an
independent chord with its own special sound.
Play:

Inversions, figurings and resolutions of the dominant seventh:

Play:

•All inversions used freely

•In V7c-Ib, the 7th may rise
•V7d – a favourite chord of Handel, normally resolves into Ib
 Baroque Musical Language 3: Features of Melody

Sequences:

•In the Renaissance, imitation was used to draw attention to the text
•Baroque composers soon realised the potential of the repeated pattern (varied in
pitch) as a means of extending a single musical line: the sequence became a
favourite feature
•It could be either an exact (real) sequence, or one in which the intervals were
slightly altered

Repeated phrases, ‘echoes’, melodic decoration:

•Frequently, composers did not differentiate between the lines that they wrote for
voices, and those for instruments.
•Thus, it was often very difficult to sing.

Example: Sequences
Play:
Example: Complex vocal lines
Play:

Some composers did write melodies for a particular medium.

Corelli wrote music for the violin that demonstrated its lyrical and dynamic
qualities

Play:
... and Purcell and Handel wrote with skill specifically for the voice.

Purcell captured the essence of the words in an individual way.

In this example, notice the effect of the rests and of the hypnotic repetition of
words:
Play:

Handel wrote to please popular taste, seeking to move and involve his audience.
His ability to write a good ‘tune’ was vital to his success.

For your listening diary: find examples of melodies by Baroque composers – how
are they characteristic of the Baroque?

Session 1: Basic Harmonic and Melodic Features of Baroque music

(Compare with session 1 of Renaissance)

Musical Features explored in this session:

Baroque Musical Language: Music based on Triads

1. The continuo and figured bass

2. Interpretation of figured bass
3. The chord of the dominant 7th
4. Some features of Baroque melody (e.g., sequence as an extension
of imitation, taking on a harmonic role)

Functional Harmony

1. Chord progressions
1. Strong progressions (e.g., the progression of fifths, scale
movement in the bass, the ground bass
2. Neutral progressions (e.g., progressions of first inversions)
2. Harmony at the cadence: further characteristics
1. The cadential 6/4
2. Harmonic rhythm: the hemiola
3. ‘Coloured’ chords at the cadence
 Functional Harmony 1: Chord Progressions

From about 1620, some important principles were formulated which came to
dominate harmonic thought and practice.

Tonality was the most important principle established at that time – by

gradually replacing the modal system with major and minor scales.

The chords in each key in three groups (tonic; dominant: 5th higher; and
subdominant: 5th lower) now had specific functions to the tonal centre , and to
each other.

Play:

Strong progressions:

1.The progression of fifths

This progression, a ‘sequence’ of roots with falling 5ths or rising 4ths, is

probably the strongest and most natural progression. Much tonal music is
based on it:

I – IV – vii – iii – vi – ii – V – I
The most common version of this progression has its roots in the
Renaissance, using the end part of the sequence:

vi or I – iib – V – I
The falling fifths combined with the pull of the semitone movement - often
decorated by a suspension – assured the constant use of the progression
throughout the whole tonal era.
 The addition of the seventh, to either the dominant or supertonic chord,
strengthens the progression further through the pull of semitones.

This can also be achieved by the chromatic alteration of notes in the

progressions, e.g., the alteration of the 3rd in ii7 makes a dominant seventh
of the dominant:

Play:

Strong progressions:

2. Scale movements in the bass

The use of ascending and descending scales in the bass dates back to
very early part-music.
Step-wise movement gives the music direction – towards the tonic or the
dominant; often helped by contrary motion in the top part.

•Ascending scales usually move between tonic and dominant chords

(examples on next slide).

•Descending scale movements produce particularly strong and satisfying

progressions; they generally move from tonic and often include chords
associated with the progression of 5ths (examples on slide 20).
Play:

Play:
 Strong progressions:

3. The Ground Bass

The descending scale was often used as a ‘ground’ (a repeating bass on

which variations were built):
Play:

Chromatic movement was included where the ‘affect’ of the music

demanded an emotional response of grief or anguish from the listener.

‘Neutral’ progressions:

Progressions involving roots rising a 3rd, e.g., I – iii

Weak progressions: The consecutives rule

The most difficult progressions to handle are those that rise or fall by step.
There is a danger of consecutive fifths and octaves, so there has to be
some contrary motion.

The rule of no consecutives remained the general norm (the bareness of

the sound was deemed unacceptable), but some are found, especially
between inside parts. The rule only replies to moving parts and to perfect
fifths.

Stepwise root progressions, really belong to the modal period of the

Renaissance or earlier (where the movement towards a tonal centre was
often lacking); or to the 19th century Impressionists, where root movement
by step was a characteristic trait.
 Functional Harmony 2: Harmony at the Cadence

6
The Cadential :
4
During the Baroque, decorations other than the suspension became common
at the cadence. The decorated dominant (ic-V) became typical of the late
Baroque and Classical styles, and decorations of the tonic (usually involving
the progression I-IVc-I) also occurred:

Play:

Functional Harmony 2: Harmony at the Cadence

Harmonic Rhythm: The Hemiola

It became increasingly common for the harmonic rhythm to quicken towards the
cadence – to give a forward momentum to the music.

This effect was enhanced by the use of the ‘hemiola’ – a rhythmic interaction
between the standard metre and the harmonic rhythm, creating a ‘broadening’ at
cadences:
Play:
The hemiola, with its syncopated effect, serves to drive home the message of
the words in no uncertain manner.

Sing:

Functional Harmony 2: Harmony at the Cadence

‘Coloured’ chords at the cadence

Introduction of chromatically-altered (‘coloured’ chords) before the dominant

1.The diminished seventh (viid7)

•Has a dominant function
•Built up on minor thirds on the semitone below the root of the final chord

Play:
 • In music of the 17th and 18th centuries it usually occurs in the minor key
where its characteristic sound adds to the expressiveness of the passage:

Play:

2. The Neapolitan 6th

• Took its name from frequent use by Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725), who
composed operas in Naples for many years
• It is a major chord built on the flattened supertonic
• In the 17th and 18th centuries it is usually found in a minor key in its first
inversion (hence the term, ‘Neapolitan 6th’)
• It functions in the same way as iib, moving towards V directly (a), via Ic (b) or
via a diminished 7th chord (c):
Session 1: Basic Harmonic and Melodic Features of Baroque music
(Compare with session 1 of Renaissance)

Musical Features explored in this session:

Baroque Musical Language: Music based on Triads

1. The continuo and figured bass

2. Interpretation of figured bass
3. The chord of the dominant 7th
4. Some features of Baroque melody (e.g., sequence as an extension
of imitation, taking on a harmonic role)

Functional Harmony

1. Chord progressions
1. Strong progressions (e.g., the progression of fifths, scale
movement in the bass, the ground bass
2. Neutral progressions (e.g., progressions of first inversions)
2. Harmony at the cadence: further characteristics
1. The cadential 6/4
2. Harmonic rhythm: the hemiola
3. ‘Coloured’ chords at the cadence