What is meant by the word baroque when applied to music

A.� The English word baroque comes from the Italian� 'barocco', meaning�bizarre. It's�used to define an innovative section of�cultural history when painting, architecture and�music passed�from�more sombre phase into much more�complex and varied forms.

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Q.� Why did things change

A.� Like all all forms, music is subject to changes reflecting the�spirit of the times. The Baroque period, which covered the latter half of the�16th century,�saw the adoption of different types of musical instrument , providing a far richer and more diverse sound palette than had been available previously.�

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Q.� Did simple geography play a part

A.� That's correct. Influences from Germany and Holland moved south through Europe, while Italian influences moved north. The�two eventually met and merged�to give music a�rich variety and usher in a period of intense evolution in classical music.

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Q.� Who were the main influences in the Baroque movement

A.� Archangelo Corelli proved a major influence on his fellow Italian composers.�And he is known to have influence Handel, who lived and worked in Rome from 1704 until 1710. Handel met Corelli,�Scarlatti and Vivaldi regularly to discuss musical ideas, and some of the most famous Baroque works were written around this time.

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Q.� Was meetings of that kind routine

A.� Not before�the advent of the Baroque style - in fact, they�gave it unusually wide�influence and effect. The spread of musical ideas and styles at this time�was �remarkable in view of the�primitive means of transport and communication that were available.

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Q.� Does any one composer crystallise the Baroque style

A.� Opinions among classical enthusiasts vary, but� Bach was a major player in the Baroque movement. Apart from his own works, Bach re-wrote other composers' pieces�for different instruments - the orchestral instruments that were then just coming into use, but which are common today. Bach enjoyed entertaining visiting composers in Leipzig His famous 48 Preludes�& Fugues encapsulated the spirit of the whole�Baroque style.

Q.� Was the choice of�instruments significant

A.� The harpsichord was the instrument of choice, but had textural limitations that made it difficult for the composers of the time to�exploit�the�wider tonal range opened up by Baroque. The search for a keyboard instrument�which could accommodate�such subtleties led directly to the development and widespread use of the modern piano.

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Q.� Are there any particular composers whose works are good examples of the Baroque style

A.� Bach, Scarlatti and particularly Vivaldi make an excellent introduction to the Baroque library of music.�It is possible to find an extensive collection of Baroque composers and material�- any knowledgeable local classical dealer or library should be able to assist.

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If you need an answer to your own musical question, please click here.

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By Andy Hughes

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