The Baroque Era

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The term Baroque era describes the style or period of European music between the years of 1600 and 1750. Musicians embraced the idea that music could move the listener in a real and physical way. Opera, with its blend of music and drama, was the full realization of this ideal. In instrumental music, no less in opera, composers experimented with ways of creating impressive effects. Music continued to be an important tool. The new styles served as a rich adornment to religious services in both Catholic and Protestant traditions. Music was an important source of entertainment to the merchant and landed classes. During the beginning of the Baroque period, as a companion for operatic and vocal music, the orchestra evolved. By the mid 17th century the orchestra was growing into its own entity. New instrumental forms, such as the concerto and the sonata developed. The concerto featured a solo instrumentalist, or small ensemble of soloists, playing in opposition to the orchestra, there for creating an interesting contrast of volume and texture. Instrument makers created new type of wind instruments. The violin moved to center stage as the most important string instrument. Performers reached new heights of expression and technique. Virtuoso Players reflected these abilities in their own compositions. Even in vocal music, instruments played an important role with the voices. A couple of composers from this time period were Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, and Antonio Vivaldi, but a host of other composers, some with huge output, were active in the period. Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer and organist and an ultimate figure of the German Baroque. He was a master at composing concertos, cantatas, oratorios, chorales, piano inventions, and other religious music. Bach wrote a six-part fugue for King Frederick as a musical offering. Today that fugue is

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