An overview of style characteristics in the Baroque

1
Introduction

• An overview of style characteristics in the
  Baroque

2
Doctrine of Affections

• The composer was supposed to move the affections
  of the audience.
• There are many analogies between rhetoric and
  music in this period.
• Individual movements tended to express one
  affection affective unity happy, sad, love,
  joy, hate, etc.

3
Texture

• The music is contrapuntal.
• Except for recitative, melody with accommpaniment
  is not found in this style.
• Even the parts supporting a primary melody are
  linearly rather than vertically conceived.
• There are four general categories
• Cantus Firmus -- a preexisting melody
• Continuo -- solo arias, solo and trio sonatas
  that use a basso continuo
• Free Counterpoint -- dance movements and keyboard
  pieces that dont use a cantus firmus or continuo
  and have free interaction between the parts
• Imitative -- pieces based on one or more subjects
  and exhibit greater equality of voices.

4
Formal Construction

• Structure is determined more by key relationships
  rather than thematic contrast (remember affective
  unity).
• Great economy of material one or two motivic
  figures go through intensive development.
• When a new key is reached and confirmed, the
  music then moves to a new key.

5
Thoroughbass

• Thoroughbass refers to intervals above the bass.
• Intervals are diatonic unless preceded by a
  sharp, flat, natural, or if there is a slash
  through the number.

6
Dissonance

• All dissonance involves stepwise or common tone
  motion either preceding and/or following the
  dissonance.
• Unaccented dissonance (non-harmonic or non-chord
  tones) includes passing tones, neighbor tones,
  and incomplete neighbors (anticipation, escape
  tone, leaping tone).
• Appoggiaturas are accented dissonance.

7
Dissonance

• Suspensions that involve the voices above the
  bass are the 4-3, 9-8, and the 7-6.
• 4-3 suspensions occur over scale degrees 1, 3,
  and 5, the 9-8 over 1, 4, and 6, and the 7-6 over
  any of the scale degrees.

8
Dissonance

• The only bass suspension used is the 2-3.
• A very common cadential formula involves a sixth
  and fourth over the dominant pitch moving to a
  fifth and a third.

9
Dissonance

• Chordal dissonance includes the seventh chords.
• They are prepared and resolved like non-harmonic
  tones.

10
Mode

• By 1700, because of ficta and other common
  practice procedures, the Renaissance modes have
  evolved into the major/minor modes, which become
  firmly established.
• Scale degrees 1, 3, and 5 are relatively stable
  the others are more active tones.
• In minor, scale degrees 6 and 7 are raised going
  up and natural going down.

11
Harmonic Function

• Baroque harmonic function was largely based on
  the linear concepts of thorough bass (except for
  Rameau).
• There were special rules on possible
  harmonizations of each scale degree (see Example
  1-7 pg. 9) and lists of chordal succession
  expectations based on the scale degree and how it
  was harmonized.

12
Harmonic Function

• Using modern terminology, there are three
  classifications of chords pre-dominant harmony
  which progresses to dominant harmony which in
  turn resolves to tonic.
• The principle of a succession of fifths is
  particularly evident approaching cadences.
• However, this principle is not always used in the
  middle of phrases or in sequences.

13
Non-Diatonic Tones and Chords

• Altered pitches are most commonly used to
  increase the tendency of the pitch to resolve by
  half-step to the adjacent tone, creating a
  secondary leading tone.
• These tones create the category of chords known
  as applied (secondary) dominants which
  temporarily tonicize a harmony other than tonic.

14
Non-Diatonic Tones and Chords

• Non-dominant functioning chromatic chords are
  much less common the borrowed iv and flat-VI
  chords in major, and the Neapolitan and Augmented
  sixth chords in minor.

15
Modulation

• Modulation can be thought of an extended
  tonicization of a scale degree other than tonic.
  
• The most common key relationships are
  diatonically related keys. Scale degrees 2
  through 6 in major, and scale degrees 3 through 7
  in minor (natural minor scale form).
• Note that diatonic scale degrees that result in
  diminished and augmented triads cannot be
  tonicized.

16
Modulation

• Modulations are most commonly by either direct
  key change (at the conclusions and beginnings of
  sections), common chord, or chromatic inflection.
  
• Enharmonic modulations are usually limited to
  fantasies and similar pieces.

17
Cadential Formulas

• A cadence is the tonal goal of its preceding
  phrase and not just a progression of two chords.
  The melodic tendency is as equally important as
  the harmonic support.
• The Perfect Authentic is the most conclusive and
  the only one to be used to end a composition.
• The Imperfect Authentic is less conclusive
  because of the soprano note.
• The Half is suspensive in quality because of the
  cadence on dominant harmony.
• The Phrygian is a Half that includes a m2
  descending to the dominant pitch.
• The Deceptive substitutes an ascending step in
  the bass as opposed to a descending fifth.
• Use the formula outlined in Example 1-11, pg. 14.

18
Sequential Patterns

• Melodic/harmonic sequences are very common in the
  late Baroque. Example 1-12, pg. 16, shows the
  typical paradigms.

19
Sequential Paradigm Root Movement by Seconds