Exercise: Understanding Baroque Forms

As there are seemingly a large number of these Baroque ‘forms’, I will provide a quote describing each form listed in the course material, and then provide a more detailed description of five additional forms.  My reflections on pieces composed using these ‘forms’ can be found in my listening log. 

Variations

“A composition form in the theme is repeated several or many times with various modifications.” (Yale University Music Library, n.d)

Fugue

“A musical composition in which one or two themes are repeated or imitated by successively entering voices and contrapuntally developed in a continuous interweaving of the voice parts.” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, n.d.)

Cantata

“An unstaged secular or sacred composition, with several movements, for single voice or voices (alternating aria, duet, recitative, full chorus, etc.), normally accompanied by instruments. The vocal equivalent of sonata.” (Smith, 1996)

Concerto

“An instrumental composition featuring alternating passages dominated by the orchestra and passages dominated by a solo instrument (solo concerto) or small group of instruments (concerto grosso).” (Smith, 1996)

Sonata da camera

“A suite of several traditional binary form dance movements, usually preceded by an introduction.” (Lockair n.d.)

Oratorio

“An unstaged drama or narrative of Biblical events composed for voices (alternating aria, narrator, recitative, full chorus, etc.) and accompanied by instruments.” (Smith, 1996)

Chaconne

“A slow, stately instrumental work in duple meter employing variations.” (Yale University Music Library, n.d.)

Concerto grosso

“A concerto that contrasts the timbre of the full orchestra (ripieno) with those of a smaller group of instruments (concertino). The most important orchestral genre of the baroque era.” (Smith, 1996)

Canzona

“An important Italian instrumental form of the 16th and 17th centuries, evolved from the French chanson, and precursor of the 18th-century sonata.” (Smith, 1996)

Passion

“An extended choral drama portraying the events of the last week of the life of Jesus Christ, traditionally performed in an unstaged liturgical environment on Good Friday.” (Smith, 1996)

Motet

“Generally an unaccompanied choral composition, in Latin, to a sacred text that is not part of the Mass ordinary or proper. In the German baroque, the motet was usually in the vernacular, and sometimes accompanied by instruments.” (Smith, 1996)

In addition to my brief research into the forms above, I have chosen five forms to look at in greater depth:

Mass

The mass form is a choral setting to the Roman Catholic Eucharistic Liturgy (mass), often written in Latin, but sometimes translated into other languages.   Fitting with the biblical nature, the emotion and power of these compositions invoke deep emotion, and for some, a deep sense of religious belief.  There appears to be a long history of mass setting, beginning with the Gregorian Chant, perhaps dating back as far as the 9th century.   However, it seems that it was the Renaissance and Baroque periods that began to apply more harmonic properties to the ritualistic compositions.

Hughes & Abraham (1960) write that polyphony played a large role in the development of the mass setting in the Renaissance and Baroque periods, and he describes distinctive features of the compositions including the use of a sense of simplicity and parallel movement across the various parts.  

O’Rourke-Jones & Summers (2013:47) describe a compositional technique called cyclic mass, based on a cantus firmus.  Cantus firmus is the idea of using a pre-existing melody (in this case a Gregorian Chant), and using it as a basis for contrapuntal composition.   Other techniques, such as paraphrasing (ornamenting and elaborating the cantus firmus),and parody (the incorporation of several polyphonic voices), were also adopted by composers such as Palestrina and Byrd. By the turn of the 15^th century, many masses would have been composed for four voice parts and some composers such as Ockeghem and Obrecht had begun using canons and imitation to create large-scale works. 

Burkholder et al. (2010:48-51) explains that the mass is split into two parts, the ‘ordinary’ and the ‘proper’ mass.  The 'ordinary' relates to the regular sections of the mass ritual and is made up of six parts: the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei, all relating to different sections of the mass.  The 'proper' relates to the changing sections to suit the season or occasion.  It is suggested that the ‘proper’ mass was more often spoken.

Suite

O’Rourke-Jones & Summers (2013:104) write that the Baroque suite was an instrumental composition comprising of a series of contrasting movements, based on dance forms.  All movements were written in the same key to provide a sense to ‘unity to the contrasting sections.  A suite could be composed using any variety of instruments, but was often a solo instrumental work.   

Composers such as Handel and Bach had a tendency to follow a stricter pattern, opting for a prelude, allemande (German dance moderately paced based in duple time), courante (fast paced movement written in triple time), sarabande (sombre movement), bourrees or gaviottes (light, bouncy minuets) finished by a gigue (a jig). 

Handel’s Water Music (1717) and Music for the Royal Fireworks (1749) both provide  good examples of a Baroque suite, along with Bach’s Cello Suite No.1 in G major (DATE).

Sonata da Chiesa

“A 17th and 18th century instrumental composition for two or more instruments with continuo usually in four movements of which one or more are in fugato style.” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, n.d.)

Burkholder et al., (2010:393) writes that sonata da cheisa (or church sonata) often consisted of more ‘abstract’ movements, adopting (but not necessarily naming), one or more dance or binary rhythms.  They suggest that these sonatas could be played in church services, in place of certain mass settings or for entertainment in private concerts. Kirby (1984) strongly argues that although compositions written in sonata da cheisa form were played during religious ceremonies, they were not written with that expressed intention.

However, when reading more on the subject I found an interesting online article which contrasted Burkholder’s mention of ‘abstract movements’. 

“The sonata da chiesa was popularised outside the church in the works of many composers; in their mature form these sonatas were usually constructed in four movements arranged in the order slow-fast-slow-fast. The first was of a solemn introductory nature, often elaborated spontaneously by the performer. The next, usually fugal in style, was the most cerebral and weighty of the four. A tranquil aria would follow, leading to a virtuosic, bravura, and dance-like finale.” Goluses (n.d.)

Burkholder et al. (2010:393) details how these sonatas would likely have included two treble instruments with basso continuo.  Given the instrumentation available at the time, it would have been likely played by violins, and an organ or lute to fulfil to chord playing requirements.

Ravennate Arcangelo Corelli is credited with being a pioneer of the use of this form, notably in his composition 6 Sonata Da Cheisa Op.1 (1681), dedicated to the Queen of Sweden.  Giovanni Battista Bassani adopted the sonata da chiesa form within many of his works including Sonata da Chiesa, Op.5, No.2 (c.1680). In addition, three of J.S. Bach’s Violin sonatas, including Sonata No.1 in G Minor, BWV 1001 (1720), use this compositional style. Details of my thoughts of these pieces can be found in my listening log.

Passacaglia

“An instrumental dance form usually in triple meter in which there are ground-bass or ostinato variations.” (Yale University Music Library, n.d.)

A passacaglia is a composition based on a bass ostinato pattern, often written within triple metre.  According to Bukofzer (1947) there seems to be some difficulty in separating this form with the chaconne form.   However, Goetschius (1915:29,40) suggests that the chaconne may have been based on a harmonic sequence with overlying soprano melody, whilst the passacaglia formed a more melodic bass pattern. 

Perhaps one of the most famous examples of the passacaglia form was J.S. Bach’s Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor BWV 582 (c1710).  However, many composers of the era such as Couperin, Pachelbel and Muffat all chose to use this form for many compositions.  Details of my thoughts of these pieces can be found in my listening log.