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Chapter Eight: Early Baroque Vocal Music

Chapter Eight: Early Baroque Vocal Music. Baroque. Opera emerged in Italy around 1600 Sought to re-create the emotive powers of classical Greek theatre Opera : A stage play in which the drama is expressed through music; opera drammatica in musica Libretto : The text of an opera

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Chapter Eight: Early Baroque Vocal Music

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  1. Chapter Eight:Early Baroque Vocal Music

  2. Baroque • Opera emerged in Italy around 1600 • Sought to re-create the emotive powers of classical Greek theatre • Opera: A stage play in which the drama is expressed through music; opera drammatica in musica • Libretto: The text of an opera • Overture: Opening instrumental piece • Use of Monody

  3. Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) • “The father of opera” • Composed operas, madrigals, Masses, motets • 1590: Worked as singer and performer on string instruments for Duke Vincenzo Gonzaga in Mantua • 1601: Appointed court director of music • Composed the operas Orfeo (1607) and Arianna (1608) • Became maestro di cappella at Saint Mark’s basilica in Venice • Important later operas: Il ritorno d’Ulisse (1640) and L’incoronazione di Poppea (1642)

  4. Orfeo (1607) • The first important opera in the history of Western music • Based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice • Use of Monody: Expressive solo singing to simple accompaniment • Recitative: Musically heightened speech, narrates the plot • Usually only accompanied by basso continuo • Simple Recitative: Sparsely accompanied recitative

  5. Orfeo (1607) • Aria: “Song;” Passionate, expansive, tuneful • Lyrical type of Monody • Expression of feelings and emotions • Accompanied by full orchestra and basso continuo • Self-contained unit, both textually and musically • Arisoso: Manner of singing halfway between aria and recitative • Listening Examples: pp. 100-102

  6. Chamber Cantata • For solo voice and a few accompanying instruments • Intended to be performed at home or a private chamber (chamber music) • Subjects usually described the worldly exploits of the heroes and heroines of classical mythology or takes of unrequited love

  7. Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677) • Steeped in the traditions of Claudio Monteverdi • Wrote chamber cantatas for herself to sing • Cantata L’amante segreto (The Secret Lover): “Voglio morire” (I Want to Die) • Use of figured bass and ostinato (melody, harmony, or rhythm that continually repeats)

  8. Opera in London • Opera spread from Italy to German-speaking countries, to France, then to England Henry Purcell (1659-1695) • Has been called the “greatest of all English composers” • 1679: Position as organist at Westminster Abbey • By 1682, organist for the king’s Chapel Royal as well • Dido and Aeneas (1689): One of the first operas written in English • Written for performance at a private girl’s boarding school • Libretto from Virgil’s Aeneid

  9. Dido’s Final Aria • Introduced by “Thy hand, Belinda” – Simple recitative • “When I am laid in earth”– Aria (Listening Ex: p. 106) • Built on a basso ostinato (or ground round) – Purcell used a chromatic step-wise descending line with a two measure cadence returning to tonic

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