MUSIC FROM THE BAROQUE: "summer" by A. VIVALDI

    Here it is an interesting Power Point presentation where we can learn how to listen to the third movement of that popular piece of music written by Antonio Vivaldi. After watching the presentation   I recommend you THIS VIDEO in "you tube". Enjoy it.

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Baroque Period (1600 – 1750)


       Baroque means "highly decorated". The word Baroque was borrowed from architecture to describe the elaborate music of the day. Baroque music is full of confidence and very complicated.
Music of the Baroque period is complicated. It's like trying to listen to four or five people talking, all at the same time.
        Musicians of the day made up music as they played it. That's called improvising. It let performers "show off."
        People who supported musicians were called patrons. They were usually kings, queens, dukes, and wealthy business people. The Catholic Church also helped support musicians.
       Opera appeared during this period. Opera is a singing play, like a musical. Opera singers had to learn how to sing very loud because there was no way back then to amplify their voice. One famous opera singer defined opera as a controlled scream.
       Two popular keyboard instruments of the day were the organ and harpsichord. The violin was the queen of instruments during this time. The piano had not yet been invented.


       Before the Baroque period, instrumental music was used mostly for singing and dancing. Now instrumental music was being written and played for its own sake.


       The Baroque period saw the beginning of the orchestra. A chamber orchestra is a small orchestra where each player has his own part to play. Chamber music is played by trios (3), quartets (4), quintets (5), and up to about ten players.