Baroque Music

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Baroque Music
Learn about the art form of Baroque music. After entering this site you can choose the "Information" link to learn about Baroque composers, instruments and articles. Read the history behind this music and people best known for creating it. Or go into the "Frequently Asked Questions" link and read important answers to questions that will help you understand this style of music and its characteristics. The "Midi Archive" link allows you to listen to a variety of Baroque musical works.
Topic: Art, Baroque, Baroque art http://baroque-music.com

Musical Instruments Described
This web site presents "definitions/descriptions of a bunch of musical instruments," most of which are from the early Baroque period. The instruments are listed alphabetically. The user must advance the page to locate the information about the serpent. A brief description of the serpent is provided, discussing the material of which the instrument was made. The author claims the sound of the serpent to be similar to that of present day low brass instruments. A link is provided to the serpent homepage.
Topic: Musical instruments, Serpent (Musical instrument) http://www.dglenn.org

The Baroque Suite
This article will present information about the history of the baroque suite, which dates between 1650 and 1750. Suites were not the daily type of music ordinary people would hear. Well-educated aristocrats would listen to this type of music at special dinners and parties. Composers wrote this very special music to be played on a variety of instruments, such as the harpsichord, cello, lute, and baroque guitar. In addition, the article on this page also discusses baroque music suites and the classical guitar.
Topic: Music--17th century, Music--18th century, Musical form, Suite (Music) http://www.jacaranda-music.com

A Listener's Guide to the Cantatas of J.S. Bach
Classical Net presents a listener's guide to the cantatas of J.S. Bach. The cantatas ofBach form an exceptional body of musical work that is not very well known by the listening public. Over two hundred cantatas are sacred with a score of secular composed by Bach. They were written with a specific function in a Lutheran church service. Modern concert practice did not find these cantatas suitable to play. This article recommends an order of the Cantatas to listen and experience from recordings.
Topic: Cantatas http://www.allclassics.org

History of Classical Music
Much of the music from the Medieval Period was religious in nature, due to the fact that musical manuscripts were written in places associated with learning and the church. Gregorian chant is one form of music from this period. A history of classical music is presented here on this site. Information on classical music begins with the Medieval Period from 1100 to 1400. A Timeline on this page shows the different eras of classical music. Read about Renaissance music, Baroque music, the Classical age, the Romantic years, and the Post "Great War" years of music on this music history Web site.
Topic: Music--History http://www.naxos.com

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
One of the greatest composers in Western musical history was Johann Sebastian Bach. Biographical information about Bach at the British Library web site includes facts about his family, his music education and his careers in the music field. See an image of Bach and find out what is considered special about his music. There are notes about Bach's reputation and an explanation of a fugue, a difficult contrapuntal musical form. Find out about the fugues in Bach's music.
Topic: Bach, Johann Sebastian,--1685-1750, Fugue http://www.bl.uk

The Art of Fugue
This interesting report describes a fugue with audio clips and scores of the various styles of music. Johann Sebastian Bach left a musical legacy when he died in 1750. There has been a lot of controversy about the Art of Fugue, his definitive exploration of the art of fugal counterpoint. In the last years, Bach slowly went blind and was unable to finish the four-part fugue. Was this Bach's idea of a musical puzzle? Did Bach intend his fugues to be played and listened to for pleasure?
Topic: Fugue http://pipedreams.publicradio.org

Johann Sebastian Bach's Bradenburg Concertos
Based on the National Public Radio's "Performance Today" program, this site presents an excerpt from the series of radio essays describing important events in music history called "Milestones of the Millennium." The program, "Johann Sebastian Bach's 'Bradenburg' Concertos with Lisa Simeone," explores the origin and development of the orchestral concertos created during the eighteenth century, with a particular focus on the six musical compositions that Bach presented to the Margrave of Bradenburg in 1721. There is also an audio link to the original broadcast.
Topic: Bach, Johann Sebastian,--1685-1750, Concerto http://www.npr.org

Johann Sebastian Bach
A biographical profile Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the most significant composers of the Baroque era, is presented on this site from the Internet Public Library Music History Web series. The basic information drawn from his personal life and professional career includes his birth, childhood, and family experiences, and how they influence his varied positions as composer and musician for the Royal Courts of Europe. The article also discusses the many contributions that Bach made to the development of orchestral music, especially the concerto. The biography is illustrated with a color portrait.
Topic: Bach, Johann Sebastian,--1685-1750 http://www.ipl.org

J.S. Bach home page
This web site offers a comprehensive look at Johann Sebastian Bach. View multiple biographies, essays, and critical analyses of many of his compositions. There are MIDI files available to listen to these works as well. Additional links are provided that offer current commercial or educational events and information regarding instruments and music in general.
Topic: Bach, Johann Sebastian,--1685-1750 http://www.jsbach.org

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
Nearly everyone in the Western world would recognize the familiar introduction to Handel's Messiah, first performed in 1742 and still one of the most popular choral works today. Learn about the composer behind this magnificent work. Although a contemporary of Bach, the two famous composers never met, lived vastly different lifestyles, and composed in a different musical style. Investigate the characteristics of Handel's musical style, the popularity of oratorios in his day, and the early performances of Handel's Messiah.
Topic: Handel, George Frideric,--1685-1759, Oratorio http://www.bl.uk/collection-items/Messiah-by-George-Frideric-Handel

Great Composers
Many great musical composers can be found at this site from the National Arts Center of Canada. Just click on one of the many composer icons and you will find detailed information. Learn about Ludwig van Beethoven, George Handel, Wolfgang Mozart, and others. There is also information on contemporary composers. For each composer, there are biographical notes about their lives and careers in music. Most provide a photo or an image, and for many, you can listen to their music. Sixteen different composers are featured.
Topic: Composers http://www.artsalive.ca

The Baroque Ideal
Music of the 17th century includes Baroque style, and this web page focuses on the Baroque ideal of music. Discussions include that of Giulio Cesare Monteverdi (dubbed the Godfather of the Baroque), the Doctrine of Affections, basso continuo, Rameau and Fux, and the end of the Baroque era. A glossary of terms is also provided.
Topic: Music--17th century http://jan.ucc.nau.edu

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Baroque Music
This complete site is a great source for information about Baroque music, its composers and the instruments used with this type of music. First learn the definition of Baroque music and continue on to read more through the link provided. The information then goes on to describe the two different types of performances that are related to Baroque. There are music samplers to listen to, information about the most popular Baroque composers and much more.
Topic: Art, Baroque, Baroque art http://www.baroquemusic.org

Early Orchestral Music
Are you interested in learning about music played by a large number of performers, including music of a theatrical origin? If so, then visit this web site to learn about orchestral music during the Baroque period, roughly 1600-1750. The web site provides a list of recommended compact discs to hear different examples of early orchestral music. There is information about works composed by Handel, Bach, Pachelbel, Vivaldi, and so many others. There is also information about the different instruments featured in each work.
Topic: Art, Baroque, Baroque art, Composers, Music--17th century, Music--18th century, Orchestral music http://www.classical.net

Rhythm in Baroque Music
Baroque music pervaded the European culture around 1700, with great composers like Bach and Handel. It incorporated interesting and inventive rhythmic patterns, similar to French Renaissance dances, into the music. It often alternated groups of beats into a repeating rhythm. The beat of music is comfortable when it is similar to the beat of the heart, and fast or slow in comparison. The beat is divided into measures, with a pattern of accents or stresses. The meter of a piece of music describes its pattern.
Topic: Music--17th century, Rhythm http://www.rubinghscience.org