How to Learn to Listen to Baroque Music

Baroque music is lively and engaging and it seems to be always in motion. Baroque music flourished in the churches and courts of Western Europe from 1600 to 1750, but it is still very popular today. A good way to learn about Baroque music is to identify four well-known musicians of the period and remember one of each person's compositions that is representative of the period.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Think of Johann Sebastian Bach in connection with the fugue, a form that became popular during the Baroque period. In a fugue, one type of instrument introduces a melody. After several moments of that theme, a second type of instrument begins to play the same theme while the first goes on to a different set of harmonizing notes. Soon a third and then a fourth voice chimes in, too. The effect is like that of a round, in singing. Bach's Fugue in D Minor is a perfect example to hear and remember.
2. Associate Antonio Vivaldi with the concerto, another form that developed during the Baroque era. A concerto is written for a solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra. Usually, concertos have three sections, called "movements." In Vivaldi's famous "The Four Seasons," each concerto has a fast, then a slow, then another fast movement. Listen to "The Four Seasons" to hear how the music reflects the joy of spring, the scorching heat of summer, as well as the moods of autumn and winter.
3. Connect George Frederick Handel with the well-known oratorio "The Messiah." An oratorio is a long composition made up of separate pieces that tell a sacred story. It combines vocal and instrumental solos, duets, and trios with a full choir and orchestra. Musical works on such a magnificent scale first became possible during the Baroque period. You are probably already familiar with many parts of "The Messiah," but make a point of listening to the "Hallelujah Chorus" to gain a concept of the power and sounds of a Baroque oratorio.
4. Attach the name "Henry Purcell" in your mind with operas. Opera first developed during the Baroque Period. Like an oratorio, an opera combines an orchestra with vocal music to tell a story. Opera, however, adds the element of acting out the story, using settings and costumes. One of Purcell's best known operas is "Dido and Aeneas." Listen to parts or all of that music to get a feeling for the Baroque beginnings of opera.
5. Explore the works of Telemann, Corelli, Scarlatti, Rameau, Monteverdi and Pachelbel to have a more complete understanding of Baroque music. All of the composers mentioned have a very large body of music, with a great variety of styles and different types of compositions. You probably are much more familiar with their music than your realize. On the radio, television, DVDs and even on the Internet, the works of these composers and more are readily available, and always worth listening to.
6. Listen for the sounds of the harpsichord in Baroque compositions. Although harpsichord music is written today mostly as a novelty, the harpsichord was an extremely popular instrument of the Baroque Period. Listen for its distinctive sounds. If you hear some unfamiliar music which includes the harpsichord, you are probably listening to music from the Baroque Period.