L1 - About Barqoue and The Brandenburg Concerto
Lesson Objectives:
To learn about the background of Bach and his Brandenburg Concertos
To understand what a concerto grosso is and the instrumentation of the Brandenburg Concerto No 5.
To understand what is meant by concertino and ripieno
To understand some of the main features of the Baroque period including ornamentation and dynamics.
Background
Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the greatest and most important figures in all musical history.
He was born in Germany in 1685 to a family of professional musicians and was the youngest of 8 children and an orphan by 10 years old.
Like Purcell, who died 10 years after Bach was born, Bach was composing during the Baroque period.
To make a living as a composer in the 18th century, you had to have a patron who would employ you in the same way they would any other servant.
Bach was appointed choirmaster at the court of Prince Leopold. Just before getting this job, Bach was commissioned by the Margrave (a type of nobleman) of Brandenburg to compose a set of instrumental pieces.
Bach was never paid by the Margrave for the six concertos!
What is a Concerto Grosso?
A concerto is a piece that features a soloist and an orchestra.
If there is only one soloist it is a solo concerto.
If there is a group of solo instruments, it is a concerto grosso
Concertos have three movements - large sections of a piece separated by short breaks. They have contrasting moods and tempo
Brandenburg No. 5 follows the typical order of 3 movements—fast/slow/fast.
The 3 solo instruments are known as the concertino and the small string orchestra as the ripieno.
The 3 solo instruments in Brandenburg No. 5 are; Flute, violin and harpsichord.
As in ‘Music for a While’ there is a basso continuo playing throughout. This is made up a cello and a harpsichord reading from a figured bass.
The harpsichord takes on a dual role as a solo instrument and part of the basso continuo.
The Brandenburg Concerto
Features of Baroque Music
There are many features typical of the Baroque period which can be heard in this movement. We will look at these in more detail, but for the moment, see if you can hear any of these as you listen to the 3rd movement of Brandenburg No. 5 again here Try following the score – not easy!
Ornamentation: Notes that decorate a melody
Changes of texture: Monophonic, canon, unison, contrapuntal
Antiphonal: Texture swapping between 2 musical groups
Sequences: Repetition of a melody at a higher or lower pitch
Pedal notes: A sustained or repeated note usually in the bass
Suspensions: Holding on a note to create a ‘clash’ with the next chord
Diatonic: Melodies and chords that only use the notes of the key
Fugue: A musical form with a contrapuntal texture
Terraced dynamics: Contrasting dynamics of two levels (loud/soft)
Basso continuo: A continual bass part provided by harpsichord and bass instrument (cello)
Figured bass: Numbers used to indicate the chords the continuo harpsichord player should play above the bass line
Ornamentation
Ornamentation is a key feature of the Baroque period. You will hear the same use of melodic decoration in Purcell’s ‘Music for a While’.
Players would improvise their own ornaments on the spot, particularly when the music was repeated.
There are two ornaments notated by Bach. The trill (tr) which alternates very quickly between the printed note and the note above.
The other written ornament is the appoggiatura. This is an expressive melodic device that leans on to the main note that follows.
Dynamics
Composers would rarely write down dynamics during the Baroque period.
Contrasts in volume relied more on changes in texture .
This occurs in this piece when the music shifts from the small concertino of 3 solo instruments to the larger ripieno orchestra.
This gives a clear contrast between loud and soft dynamics which was known as terraced dynamics without the gradual use of crescendos or diminuendos as can often be heard in later music.
Tempo and Metre
The tempo (speed) is indicated by the Italian word Allegro which means fast and lively.
The time signature (metre) is 2/4. The beats are often divided into triplets and in Bach’s day a triplet always had to have 3 notes. When a long-short pattern of notes was wanted it was written like this:
Later this would have been written
Today we might write the entire movement in the compound metre of 6/8. The opening subject would look like this and sound exactly the same as what Bach wrote in 2/4. Try it!
Review Questions:
1) In what century was Bach born and during which musical period was he composing?
2) Identify the difference between a concerto and a concerto grosso?
3) Name the three instruments that make up the concertino
4) Name the instruments that make up the ripieno
5) Explain the duel role of the harpsichord
6) Name three features of the Baroque period
7) Identify two ornaments heard in the 3rd movement of Brandenburg No. 5
8) What is meant by terraced dynamics?