Small Orchestra Mostly Wlac Baroque Style In 1St
Baroque characteristics summarized
- Emotional impact: Emotional impact is strong and consistent, with one mood throughout.
- Instruments: Small orchestra — mostly strings, usually a harpsichord, and possibly a few winds and/or brass.
- Rhythmic flow: Driving, relentless, constant beat. Slow tempo pieces still have constant beat, but no longer driving.
- Melody: Melodic sequences are often heard.
Assignment
In this assignment we’ll examine the characteristics of baroque style found in the 1st movement of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5. You’ll need to support some of your statements by using exact timings, which you’ll see at the bottom of the Canvas media player window. Listen to the piece:
Discuss this piece with regard to the following musical elements and baroque characteristics. Remember, use exact timings to support your statements. Without them I cannot assess your level of understanding of the concepts.
Emotional impact
1. Does this piece have the dramatic expression characteristic of the baroque period, or is the emotion restrained and refined?
2. What is the mood of the piece? Is it consistent throughout? If not, where exactly does it change?
Instrumentation
3. What instruments do you see, and approximately how many of each are there? Is this ensemble representative of a typical baroque orchestra?
Rhythmic flow
4. What is the tempo and meter?
5. How is the rhythmic flow of the piece characteristic of the baroque period?
Melody
6. Which 2 single instruments have important melodic roles?
7. Do we hear polyphony, 2 or more different melodies played simultaneously, at any point in this piece? If so, give an example using exact timings.
8. There is an excellent example of a melodic sequence in the piece. Where exactly does it occur, and how long does it last?
Dynamics
9. What is the dynamic level in this piece?
10. Do the dynamics stay relatively the same throughout, or do they change? If they change, do they do so suddenly or gradually?