Bach:
Bradenburg concetos No.1 (1721) – recording found on Spotify
This
piece, set over four movements, contains all of the texture, polyphony and
drama one would expect from a Baroque composition. The first movement, usually played Allegro, carries
a very light and bright feel, underpinned by brass instruments, offering an
almost regal feeling.
The
second movement, Adagio, carries a much calmer and sombre feeling, making good
use of Baroque ornamentation such as trills.
The viols in this section help to portray the sadness and anguish of
this movement. The contrasting third
section moves back toward a similar feeling to the opening section, only this
time portrays more a sense of urgency as the tempo and complexity of the piece
lifts.
The
closing section adopts a Menuet – Trio I – Menuet da capo – Polacca – Menuet da
capo – Trio II – Menuet da capo pattern.
This section moves through a variety of moods and emotions, seemingly
choosing different instruments to play solo melodic lines accompanied by the
low tones of the bassoon.
Telemann –
Concerto in D for Trumpet & Violin TWV 53:D5 (DATE UNKNOWN)
This
composition is an excellent example of the way in which brass instruments such
as the trumpet were using during the Baroque period. Composed in three parts; Vivace, Adagio and Allegro,
Telemann has demonstrated the possibilities of the instrument when used by a
very skilled virtuoso player.
The
opening and closing movements were a complete surprise to me due the complexity
of the interaction between the trumpet and strings. The changes in speed and texture reminded me at
times of a modern ‘mash-up’ featuring a hip-hop beat. The trumpets in this section carry a very
powerful effect, presumably made by the technique of using one’s fist to change
the pitch of the instrument. However,
the second section seemed to focus more on the strings telling the ‘story’,
with the trumpet and bass continuo underpinning the melody.
Perhaps
the most impressive part of this piece is the skill of the players. These parts would have been extremely
technically demanding given the limitations of Baroque instruments, and would
have required a great deal of skill and dexterity from the instrumentalists.
Vivaldi - Concerto No. 1 in E major, Op. 8, RV 269, "La primavera" (Spring) (1725) – recording found on
Spotify
Vivaldi’s Four
Seasons is synonymous with string ensembles of the Baroque era. The opening movement, well known
from TV and radio advertising, demonstrates a sense of hope and joy, with the
principal violin taking the lead whilst gentle polyphonic textures make up the
accompaniment. There are some extreme
moments of virtuosity, which provide a more dramatic and tense feeing, whilst
the lower pitched instruments could be mistaken for the low hum of a
choir.
The second movement,
Largo, provides a more melodic content with gentle movement. This section really displays the range of the
violin, showing its ability to reach a variety of rich notes in order to
portray a deep sense of emotion.
The closing section,
gives the audience a variation upon the first movement with a strong sense of
melodic imitation across the parts.
Throughout there seems to be a deep sense of harmony and the feeling
that something is building and growing. One
imagines that it was Vivaldi’s intention to demonstrate the summer sun
beginning to arrive.
Stoltzer - Erzurne
dich nicht (1526) – recording found on Spotify
This
piece gave me an excellent insight into both the crumhorn and the compositions
of the Renaissance period. Beginning
with a solo horn, later joined by more and more horns, this piece very quickly
adopts a layered textural feeling synonymous with Renaissance.
Whilst
I can appreciate the number of crumhorns that must have been used to create
this amount of texture, by modern standards I found it quite difficult to listen
to. The nasal ‘hum’ of the crumhorn works
well as a solo instrument, although it is limited to a relatively small
range. However, I found that, once
several horns had begun playing separate, intertwining melodies, it all became
a blur of dissonant tones!
Presumably,
by Baroque standards, this piece had a wildly varying range, which the listener
was unaccustomed to hearing. However
given the clarity of tones we now have available in today’s society, my ears
struggled to comprehend the polyphonic nature of this piece.
Telemann –
Concerto in C major, TWV 51:C1: Allegretto (1740) – recording found on Spotify
As
a primary school music teacher, I am all too used to the sounds of recorder. However, it was extremely refreshing to hear
the instrument played with such dexterity and virtuosity!
From
the beginning of this piece it is easy to pick out the bass continuo provided
by the harpsichord, and for the first few minutes it would be easy to mistake
this piece for a viola concerto as the instrument carries most of the melodic
detail. However, when the recorder
enters, it becomes clear that this was the intended principal instrument for
this composition.
Throughout
the piece the recorder shows a fantastic range and ability to present a number
of different ideas and emotions. I
noticed that certain motifs of the recorder were repeated throughout, often
with a slight variation.
After
listening to Stoltzer’s piece above,
I was beginning to question whether any Renaissance instrument was capable of
creating true clarity, thus a better sense of polyphony. However, this piece has certainly shown me
that with the right combination, and despite their imperfections and
limitations, Baroque instruments are capable of creating a truly exceptional
piece of polyphony.
Vivaldi - Concerto
for Viola d’amore and Lute in D Minor – recording found on Spotify
This
piece somewhat reminded me of Latino music, perhaps due to the similar sounds of
the lute and the Spanish guitar. The
opening section, Allegro, shows a good interaction between the viola and lute,
but to me, lacks the polyphonic style of the era. Instead, both instruments almost politely
wait to take turns at delivering their own melody. Unlike later in this piece, the first section
seems to lack a great sense of virtuosity, instead opting for a more harmonic,
simplistic sound.
The
second movement, Largo, sees a progression toward polyphony, but still stops
short of the part. This time, the lute
is also playing the rule of basso continuo, gently strumming chord patterns underneath the smooth and flowing melodic
motion of the viola. There are short
bursts in this section, which again reminded me of Latino music, especially the
Tango.
The
final section at last delivers the polyphony I would expect from a composition
of this era. Once again returning to an
Allegro movement, both the viola and lute appear to have separate stories to
tell, interweaving their melodic lines in a harmonic fashion. I was particularly struck by the feeling of
joy and hope in the closing section. The
high tones of the viola, met with the lute and bass continuo deliver a deep and
rich sound, which perfectly resolves the complete concerto.
Bach - Partita
for Lute in C minor BWV 997 (1740) – recording found on Spotify
Set
in five movements, this composition features a number of variations upon the
same theme, set across a variety of tempo.
This piece really does show of the lute as a solo instrument, demonstrating
its ability to be both a principal and accompanying instrument within the Baroque
ensemble.
Beginning
with a prelude, we are introduced to a number of different motifs as the lute
shows off its ability to play complex melodic content. The harpsichord seems to underpin the entire
movement, but offers regular ‘plucks’ of bass notes to accompany the lute’s
rapidly changing movement. To me this
section carries a feeling of contentment and excitement, as though perhaps
preparing for a big event.
The
second section is written as a fugue, in which a motif is imitated and
interwoven with another. Both
instruments in this section seem to bleed together as one harmonic entity, once
again reflecting the feeling of hope and progression. In contrast, the third section Sarabande,
reflects the style of the Mexican and Spanish Sarabande dance and delivers a
more homophonic and simplistic texture.
The
fourth movement is a jig, thus offering a much faster tempo than the proceeding
section. I found that in many ways this
section also provides a reprise to the opening section with a greater deal of
virtuosity heard from the instrument, demonstrating very quick finger work from
the player.
The
final section sees a rise in tempo and much imitation between the two
instruments. This time, both instruments
whilst working in harmony, create a distinct sense of contrast between each
other. Unlike the opening movement, this
piece feels frenzied and gives the impression of something sinister
approaching.
I
found this piece to be extremely useful in helping me to further understand the
lute’s ability. I suppose that, much
like the modern guitar, the only limitation comes from the skill of the player.
Corelli - Sonata
Da Chiesa a tre Op.3 No.8 (1689) – recording
found on Spotify
Following
a form of four movements in slow, fast, slow, fast format, this piece really
demonstrates the sonata da cheisa form.
The opening movement, Largo, has slow and solemn feel to it, with the
violin carrying the main melody line, whilst the other instruments provide a
suitable accompaniment. To me there was
a sense of homophony in this movement, with no interweaving melodic lines.
The
second movement has a cascading fugal effect in which motifs are introduced by
the principal violin, and then imitated in quick succession by the rest of the
ensemble. Throughout this section it was
clear to see the imitation of various motif, sometimes transformed using
inversion. This movement definitely carries
a greater sense of drama, seemingly taking the listener on a journey.
The
third section comprises and almost aria-like section, delivering very
melancholic and sombre tones. I found
there to be a greater sense of unison between the parts than I’ve heard in
other pieces of this period, and a distinct lack of polyphony. However Corelli has still managed to capture
a rich sense of texture with the instruments he has chosen.
The
closing section provides the most drama and intrigue for the listener. Here there is a definite sense of melodic
lines interweaving to create a very grand, almost regal feel. There is also a great deal of virtuosity in
this final section, from all instruments.
Even the basso continuo seems to break away from its rhythmic pattern at
times.
Bassani - Sonata da chiesa, Op.5, No.3 – recording
found on Spotify
In complete contrast to Corelli’s version of a
Sonata da cheisa, Bassani’s version contains five parts, played fast, slow,
fast, slow, fast. However, despite this,
these pieces do carry many similarities in their techniques of imitation and
counterpoint.
The opening section shows polyphonic sections, introducing
many different motifs and ideas. Bassani
seems to display a very carefree and happy feeling in this movement, possibly
to contrast the upcoming movement.
Grave follows, giving a much slower and more solemn
feeling. Although there are some
textural elements to this section, I think it would be fair to say that the
violin leads this very flowing melodic movement.
The following two sections seem to mimic the first
and second respectively, but offer new motifs and imitations. However, it is the closing section that
really ‘rounds off’ the composition by bringing together many of the ideas in
the first four sections in order to create a distinct feeling of
resolution.
Bach –
Passacaglia in C minor BWV 582 (1706) – recording found on Spotify
This
piece is heavily based on the use of variations. Composed for solo organ, it begins with an
ostinato pattern using only the pedals.
This helps to create a sense of impending drama and intrigue for the
audience. It is not until later in the
piece that the manuals begin to appear, starting off a more polyphonic texture
which carries throughout the entire composition.
As
mentioned before, variations and repetition seems to be key to this piece, each
time returning the listener to familiar patterns and motifs.
In
my opinion, there is a lack of any emotional movement to this piece, and it appears
to remain on a constant level throughout.
Given the ability for the organ to play three different lines, I would
have expected more texture overall.
Palestrina:
Hodie Christus natus est (1601) – recording found on Spotify
As
an example of a Renaissance mass setting, I was surprisingly blown away by this
piece, given my lack of religion. The
rich, deep and polyphonic textures of this piece, mixed with the more
simplistic homo- and monophonic lines create a perfect setting for the Roman
Catholic ceremony. The piece follows
the traditional 6-part structure often found in masses of this period.
Part
one, Kyrie, begins with a texture slightly reminiscent of the Gregorian chant,
but set to a much higher vocal range. In
addition to this, there are other textures that underpin this, thus leading it away
from its monophonic nature. As the
section continues, more voices enter creating a sense of imitation and melodic
texture. There is certainly a feeling of
transcendence to this piece, reflecting its biblical nature.
The
second and third parts, Gloria and Credo carry an unmistakable monophonic
Gregorian chant at the beginning. It is
really interesting to hear how, after a few bars, many other voices begin to
‘grow’ out of the melody, working their way in their own direction. By the end of these sections, there is an
awe-inspiring sense of texture, with many different vocal lines moving at once.
In
contrast, the fourth and fifth parts, Sanctus and Benedictus, both begin with a
form of fugal imitation which creates a waterfall effect. This effect is achieved by different vocal
lines repeating and imitating the melody of the other vocals and culminates in
a euphoric feeling.
The
closing movement, Angus Dei, seems to
provide a final resolve, as all of the vocal lines seem to ‘bleed’ together,
creating a very powerful sense of unity and harmony.
Whitacre: Lux
Aurumsque (2009) – recording found on Spotify
Whilst
listening to this modern take on a mass setting, I was constantly reminded of
Palestrina’s Benedictus section, which
carries a similar feeling of resonance.
Set only in one movement, Whitacre has managed to use four voices to
create a spectacular piece bursting with feelings of awe and
transcendence.
The
piece begins with a gentle hum from the lower ranges, which is broken by the
soprano voice leading the melodic movement.
As the composition develops, the other voices (alto, tenor and bass)
join in, creating a sense of warmth and completeness.
Although
there are definite traces of polyphony as the lower voices contrast the upper, I
would say that overall this piece was possibly more homophonic and harmonically
grounded than Palestrina’s mass. It
stands to reason that, in our modern society that is arguably losing its sense
of faith, Whitacre would want to modernise and move-forward the mass
setting. However, there are a number of
elements, for example the Latin vocals, which pay homage of the earlier works
of Palestrina and other composers.
Handel –
Messiah: Part 2 (1742) – recording found on Spotify
Having
visited Handel’s house in London last year, I was lucky enough to have the
opportunity to gain more knowledge of his work, and was even able to study some
of his original scores. Whilst at the
house, I watched a short documentary that detailed Handel's compositional
process and his inspiration for Messiah, which I found fascinating.
Handel's
use of strings at beginning the piece gives it a very joyous and light
feel. That is quickly contrasted by the
‘eruption’ of the choir, lifting the whole piece to a distinct level of
‘transcendence’.
What
I found particularly interesting were Handel’s use of very quick contrasts to
create a powerful textural effect. For
example, around the middle of the piece, the choir fall very quickly, almost
whispering their part. This is broken by
another ‘eruption’ as the dynamics of the choir change, increasing instantly to
top volume. I feel that Handel may have
used this effect to remind the audience of the sheer power of the choir, to
convey the message they are singing.
Throughout
the piece, there seems to be one main ‘subject’, which is the repetition of the
phrase 'Hallelujah'. However Handel has
managed to skilfully blend together many other vocal lines which interweave
creating a feeling of counterpoint.
However, unlike of Bach’s explorations into this topic, this carries a
distinctly cleaner and unified sound.
Handel - Water
Music: Suite No. 2 in D major (1717) – recording found on Spotify
The
Overture of this piece begins with a very regal feel to it, perhaps giving
credence to the rumour that this piece was composed to gain the favour of King
George, his previous employer. This
short section is based on a number of repeating motifs, which seem to be
subject to variation. The brass section
definitely plays the largest role in this section, demonstrating its ability to
mimic for tones of the regal fanfare.
The
second section, Alla Hornpipe, is a very widely used piece of music in a
variety of settings. This section sees
more interaction between the brass and strings sections, at times imitating
each other's melodic movement. Much like
the last section, I found this to be quite repetitive throughout, probably due
its composition in ternary or rondo form.
The
third section, Minuet, adopts a dance rhythm and somehow mimics tones and
patterns for Latin music. The fourth
section appears to contain many of the same ideas of the second section, but
this time set to a much slower tempo, giving the impression of weariness and
fatigue.
The
closing section, Air, carries a very bright and hopeful feeling. Once again, the brass takes the lead, accompanied
and later mimicked, by the strings. I
particularly noticed the addition of a drum in this section.
Personally,
I found this composition quite difficult to listen to. Whilst I can appreciate some of the
techniques that Handel has used, I feel that this piece certainly lacks the
sense of drama and contrast achieved in Messiah.
Vivaldi - Flute
concerto No. 2 in G minor RV 439 (1729) – recording found on Spotify
In contrast to Handel’s Water Music, I found this piece to be bursting with character,
descriptive motifs and a variety of emotions.
Set over six movements, each part offers a very different mood and
demonstrates different techniques of interweaving the strings and flute.
Beginning with Largo, the audience is given the feeling of darkness and impending doom
as the strings play short and sharp bass notes.
There is a slight vibration to the strings which also offers a slightly
mysterious and ‘creepy' feeling. However,
the darkness is quickly broken by the flute which leads the piece along a
different path of mystery and intrigue. I particularly liked the way that Vivaldi has
used long note lengths on the flute, giving an almost drone and trance-like
feel.
The second section begins with an ‘upward
cascade’ of imitation as the strings rapidly repeat a melody beginning with
bass and rising up the scale. The flute plays in a virtuoso style, making prominent
use of techniques such as trills. This
section carries a very bright feeling, but there is still an underlying sense
of an impending change.
The third section contrasts this feeling of
uncertainty, and delivers a very gentle melodic movement from the flute,
accompanied by a gentle string ensemble.
The fifth section, Largo, also
has the same feel to it, but this time displays a slightly more solemn side as
the flute plays lower and more melancholic notes.
The fourth section has the feel of great
excitement and anticipation. The strings
provide very tense ostinato patterns, with the flutes moving quickly over the
top. This same feeling is present in the
closing section, but the introduction of a ‘hum’, comparable to the buzzing of
a bee, gives the piece a very different and somehow modern, feel.
Bach – Fugue
No. 2 C minor (1722) - recording found
on Spotify
As
I chose this piece as a subject for analysis, I was able to obtain the score
and follow along, highlighting instances of repetition of the main ‘subject’,
sometimes adopting a more rhythmic connection as opposed to a tonal one. By
doing this, I was able to better understand how Bach has composed this
piece.
Set
over three voices; soprano, alto and tenor, Bach lets the alto line deliver the
original ‘subject’, which is quickly answered by a tonal imitation of the
subject on the soprano line. At this
point, a countersubject enters on the bass, beginning the contrapuntal
movement. Bach has continued this
technique throughout the composition adding more subjects and countersubjects
and layering them in such a way to create a feeling of texture and tonal
interest.
Whilst
listening to this piece, a friend interrupted me and claimed that this piece
was, "a pile of rubbish!" He stated that his ears were not able to
decipher the various layers and textures, making the whole composition a jumble
of ‘amateurish’ notes. This lead me to
question whether an understanding of the principles of these compositional
techniques also help one to gain ‘musical ears’ with the ability to pick out
and separate the many different sounds.
De Machaut
- Messe de Nostre Dame: Kyrie (1365) –
recording found on Spotify
This
piece seems to be very slow in its development, but nonetheless gives an excellent
example of the use of isorhythms, the result of which is an almost droning,
trance-like sound provided by the tenor line.
Whilst
listening to this piece I found it very difficult to recognise many of the
lyrics as they hold very long note values, making it difficult to piece
together the words. Whilst I am not in
any way fluent in Latin, it would have still been interesting to understand a
little more of the melodic movement.
As
I mentioned earlier, I found this piece to be very slow and lacking in any
dramatic changes in contrast. In my
opinion the drone of the tenor isorhythms and the inaudible lyrics are
reminiscent of a choral ‘scat’.
Gesualdo –
Donna, se m’ancidete (DATE UNKNOWN) – recording found on Spotify
I
found this piece to be a good example of a madrigal and its emotional
content. This is one of the first
Renaissance pieces to give me a real feeling of emotion and musical contrast.
Composed for six voices, it is easy to see how Gesualdo has mixed unison, solo
and polyphonic voices to compose a piece rich in emotion.
Beginning
with a staggered introduction for each of the voices, resulting in an upward
cascade effect, Gesualdo has carefully guided each voice along their own
path. However, there are distinct
moments of unity when these polyphonic lines seem to come together in style
reminiscent of Bach.
Byrd – Sing
joyfully (c.1610) – recording found on Spotify
This
is a great piece for understanding Byrd’s use of polyphony in his
compositions. This piece, set for vocals
with no accompaniment, takes a clear and easily understandable lyrical stance,
but demonstrates great technique in the blending and interweaving across
voices.
Beginning
with a solo soprano voice, the first few bars of this piece are somewhat
reminiscent of a solo choirboy performance.
However, as the voices of the alto, tenor and bass begin to creep in the
composition takes a very different feel.
Byrd’s use of repetition and imitation results in a very calming, yet
biblically rousing composition, developing the sense of joy and adoration
required for the Anglican Church.
This
provides a stark contrast to the Roman Catholic mass setting by the likes of Palestrina that seemed to deliver a
feeling of a more rigid structure and approach to composition.
Byrd –
Fantastia in G (1611) – recording found on Spotify
Offering
a lighter and more hopeful feeling this composition demonstrates Byrd’s love of
the organ as a solo instrument, with the contrasting sections showing Byrd’s
virtuoso style and the capabilities of the instrument. However, all throughout the piece it is clear
to hear Byrd’s use of dissonance which, for me, at times proves
unsuccessful.
The
first section delivers a homophonic feel with the high range of the organ’s
manuals taking the lead, accompanied by the lower tones. As the piece continues, a polyphonic texture
appears and soprano, alto and tenor lines each take their own path. By the close of the piece there a numerous
textural motifs, such as quick ‘runs’, that seem to underpin the more sustained
notes, delivering a very interesting sound.
As
mentioned earlier, this piece carried too much dissonance for my taste. At times I really struggled to pick out
independent lines from the ‘jumble’ of tones.
However, this may be due to my lack of experience of the organ as a solo
instrument.
Byrd – Mass for
Four Voices: Kyrie (c.1610) – recording found on Spotify
Whilst
this piece seems to carry many of the same contrapuntal vocal techniques as Sing Joyfully, it holds a much more
sombre timbre.
As
with Sing Joyfully, this piece begins
with the higher voices, which are later accompanied by the lower. However, there seems to be more of a harmonic
property to the lower voices, as opposed the polyphonic independence of other
Renaissance compositions.
It is
interesting to note how Byrd has used periods of silence within the
composition. Although these only appear
once or twice, they almost provide the feeling of cadence, but are quickly
interrupted by the introduction of one or more voices.
Overall
I must admit to finding this piece quite boring and lacking in dramatic
content. Whilst I appreciate that a mass
setting does not lend itself to flamboyancy, I feel that, unlike Palestrina’s
composition, this piece lacked the sense of ascension and awe.
Procol Harum – A
Whiter Shade of Pale (1967)
As the subject for my fifth assignment, I have listened and
explored the score for this composition at length. This piece provides a clear homage to both
Bach and the Baroque period. The choice
of instruments, the melodic movement and sense of polyphony culminate in a very
odd, old-fashioned sounding ‘modern' song!
The piece begins with a pattern very similar to that of
Bach’s Air movement from his
Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major with a very similar stepwise descending
motion. However, it is only when the
organ’s complex melody begins that we are given a clear indication of the
similarities in the two pieces.
However, it is later in the piece that we see the most
obvious similarity to Baroque and Bach – counterpoint. Procol Harum’s vocals provide an element of
polyphony, heavily contrasted with the movement of the organ’s treble
line. This complexity results in a rich
texture seen in many of Bach’s compositions.
Further analysis of this piece can be found in my final
assignment.
Bach – Orchestral
Suite No. 3: Air (1730) – recording found on Spotify
As a pianist myself, this piece, known more famously as Air on a G String, is a classic piece
for any musician’s repertoire. The
polyphonic melodic movement contrasts the simplicity of the descending bass
patterns, displaying a wide variety of emotions and music techniques.
As the chosen song for the 1960’s advert for Hamlet Cigars,
this piece’s link to Procol Harum’s A
Whiter Shade of Pale is abundantly clear.
A more detailed analysis of this piece can be found within
my final assignment.
Bach - Wachet Auf
Ruft Uns die Stimme BWV 140 (1731) – recording found on Spotify
As this piece is allegedly the inspiration for Fisher’s
organ part in A Whiter Shade of Pale, I
have tried to draw some similarities between the two compositions.
The prominence of the organ in this piece is very clear from
the outset, beginning with a simple melody and developing into a much more
complex piece as counterpoint sneaks in.
It is very clear to hear patterns that are mimicked in A Whiter Shade of Pale such as short
ornamental motifs and the use of long prolonged notes.
I think perhaps that this piece plays a bigger influence on
Procol Harum’s piece than Air on a G
String.
The Beatles - All You
Need is Love (1967) & The Doors - Light my Fire (1966-7) – recordings found
on Spotify
I listened to both of these pieces as a means of comparison
against Procol Harum’s A Whiter Shade of
Pale. Both piece do very much portray a very different image of 1960’s ‘pop
culture’ than Procol’s piece.
My initial thoughts were of the homophonic nature of these
pieces. Although there are simply
written lines for instruments, it is the vocals that are the intended prominent
feature of the tracks. In addition,
these songs follow a very simple repeating chord pattern, unlike the more
complex works of Bach and Procol Harum.
Lastly, the mood of both of these pieces seems very
different to my comparative subject. The
Beatles’ All You Need is Love is
filled with a distinct feeling of optimism and joy, and although The Door’s Light My Fire does have a darker feel it
is, its subject matter is very similar.
Bach – Mass in B
minor: Crucifixus (1733) – recording found on Spotify
When listening to this piece, I was particularly focussing
on the chord progression for research on my final assignment.
Along with a great deal of Bach’s polyphonic talent, this
piece carries a very distinct descending chord pattern, seen particularly in
the latter half . At this time, all
vocal lines seem to slowly ‘step’ down the diatonic scale in patterns, before
reversing the movement. This provides a
great deal of similarity to both Bach’s other works including Air, but also Procol Harum’s A Whiter Shade of Pale.
