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Humanism and the Birth of Opera. “Baroque” “A baroque music is that in which the harmony is confused, charged with modulations and dissonances, the melody is harsh and little natural, the intonation difficult, and the movement constrained.” J . J . Rousseau, Dictionnaire de musique (1768).
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“Baroque” • “A baroque music is that in which the harmony is confused, charged with modulations and dissonances, the melody is harsh and little natural, the intonation difficult, and the movement constrained.” • J. J. Rousseau, Dictionnaire de musique (1768)
Age of Absolutism • Galilean period • Cartesian period • Theatrical age • The continuo age • Basso continuo
The Pressure of Humanism • “Academy” • Florentine Camerata • Count Giovanni de’ Bardi • Girolamo Mei (1519–1594) • VincenzoGalilei (late 1520s–1591) • Dialogodellamusicaantica et dellamoderna(1581)
The Representational Style • Stile rappresentativo • “Monody” • a single voice accompanied by the lute
Intermedii • Entertainment for the wedding of Princess Christine of Lorraine and the Grand Duke Ferdinando de’ Medici (1589) • Between the acts of La pellegrina
Intermedii • Entertainment for the wedding of Princess Christine of Lorraine and the Grand Duke Ferdinando de’ Medici (1589) • Between the acts of La pellegrina • OttavioRinuccini (1562–1621) • Emilio de’ Cavalieri (ca. 1550–1602) • GiulioCaccini (1551–1618) • Jacopo Peri (1561–1633)
The Monodic Revolution • Cavalieri, Rappresentationedi Anima, et diCorpo(1600) • “for recitation in singing” • earliest printed figured bass • stile recitativo
The Monodic Revolution • Peri and Caccini, Euridice (1601) [Anthology 1-65] • pastoral play • Rinuccini • Myth of Orpheus and Euridice • recitative
Madrigals and Arias Revisited • Caccini, Le nuovemusiche(1602) • “new music” • solo songs: madrigals and arias • Amarillimiabella [Anthology 1-66]
Favola in Musica • La Dafne(1598) • Peri and Rinuccini • La Dafne(1608) • Marco daGagliano (1582–1643) • Favola in musica(musical tale)
Operatic Conventions:Heard and Unheard Music • Representing music • Representing speech • “Music was coded one way for the characters onstage and another way for the audience”
Monteverdi:From Court to Commerce • L’Orfeo(1607) • favola in musica • written for court • L’incoronazionediPoppea(1643) • Opera regia(regal work) • public music drama • commercial opera
Monteverdi • 1590: began serving Vincenzo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua • 1605: Fifth Book of Madrigals • 1607: Scherzimusicali • response to Artusi • prima pratica • Arsperfecta, stile antico • secondapratica • emerging new musical style
L’Orfeo:The Quintessential Princely Spectacle • [Anthology 1-67, 68] • Performed in 1607 (printed in 1609) • Libretto by Alessandro Striggio
Monteverdi in Venice • 1613: begins serving as maestro di cappella at St. Mark’s • 1638: Eighth Book of Madrigals, Madrigaliguerrieri et amorosi • Il combattimentodiTancredieClorinda • stile concitato(agitated style)
Opera and Its Politics • Teatro San Cassiano • public opera house • opened during the carnival season, 1637 • Castrati
The Carnival Show:L’incoronazione Di Poppea • Written for public Teatro SS. Giovanni e Paolo in 1643 • Libretto by Giovanni Francesco Busenello