Baroque and the Fugue

Today, after a brief discussion of Slimjim's post (should be fun), we are going to have some fugue moments and learn a little more about the baroque. In the past, the students seemed to know more about the Baroque than I expected. If so, we will not spend as much time on it as we have the other subjects. Yet, we still need to understand figured bass, Da Capo Aria, parts of the fugue, composers, and style.

Today is a quick but hopefully pointed discussion of the Baroque Period. We are talking about the two types of Sonatas, the parts of a suite, the trio sonata, the passacaglia and chaconne, the toccata, the cantata, and of course opera. Composers mentioned will be Corelli, Vivaldi, Rameau, Frescobaldi, Purcell, and J.S. Bach. Theoretical concepts include the anatomy of a fugue, da capo aria, non-harmonic tones, homophony, text painting, the doctrine of affections, and the establishment of major and minor keys.

Johann Fux's text on counterpoint and Rameau's text on harmony are both very important treatises as are the writings on music by Michael Praetorius.

The anatomy of a fugue includes the subject, countersubject, answers--both real and tonal, development, the use of stretto, contrary motion, sequence, augmentation, diminution, pedal point, and motivic application. We listened to several examples of fugues from the Well-tempered Clavier http://www2.nau.edu/tas3/wtc.html. As we listened, we pointed out the different kinds of answers and the various techniques used by Bach for his fugues.

Continuing study on the fugue and Baroque theory, we discussed counterpoint, harmony, and found ourselves in the land of the Doctrine of Affections. Connected to this was a brief listen to the music of Rameau and his influence on music history. His identification of the application of the harmonic series, his recognition of the sounds of nature, and his use of the the doctrine of affections for particular emotional response, were all established as significant.

Finally we get to the master himself, Johann Sebastian Bach whose music ranges from concertos to masses, cantatas, chorales, organ works, instrumental pieces, small forms, and large forms. His music is characterized by beauty of line, adherence to structure, complex counterpoint, harmonic invention, rhythmic drive, and richness of texture. All these things within the established Baroque harmonic framework! I encouraged everyone to study the Well-tempered Clavier as a way to understand the parts of a fugue as well as the harmony supporting the fugue.

Now back to the 20th century with more discussion of primitivism, folk influence, and finally 12-tone music.