The Baroque Period

The famous composers of the Baroque period include Moteverdi, Purcell, Barbara Strozzi, Vivaldi, Handel, Mouret, Bach, etc. While the major composers in Classical period are Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and so on. Baroque is an older style of music, and it lots of times has all the instruments playing the same melody, while classical has various interchanging parts and melody's. The melody in Baroque period is repeated, although it is distinct but it is not lyrical. In Baroque music, the phrasing was continuous with wide leaps, chromatic tones for emotional effect, while in Classical music phrasing was short, balanced and based on cadences. Classical music has very clear melodies and can be identified easily. To be clear, it’s a single
melody with accompaniment. One voice carries the primary melody which is tuneful, diatonic and with narrow leaps, while another voice plays a simpler line that supports the melody. Baroque ornamentation was very common especially trills, appogiatura, acciacatura and mordents sometimes turns. However, Classical ornaments were used but not as much. Baroque rhythmic patterns are often repeated throughout a piece. It’s steady, energetic pulse and freer in vocal music. While classical is regularly recurring accents and sounds dance rhythms favored. Baroque composers were the first to use complex harmonies in their compositions. They use chromatic harmony for expressive effect or the major-minor system established with brief excursions to other keys. In Classical, the use of tonic-dominant relationship expanded and as a result, it becomes basis for large-scale form. Baroque music is primarily characterized by its polyphonic texture, meaning that the music contains 2 or more independent melodic voices. multiple melodic lines in different voices. While Classical is more towards a single melody with accompaniment. This created music with less texture but with a more clearly defined melody. The examples of instrumental genres in Baroque period are trio sonata, concerto grosso, suite, prelude, fugue, chaconne, passacaglia. While symphony, solo concerto, solo sonata, string quartet, and other chamber music genres and in Classical. Classical music is generally considered to have begun with the invention of the sonata. In Baroque period, opera was a new and growing in popularity at the beginning. Italy was the center of operatic creation. Besides, oratorio became a much popular art form in England for a period of time. Mass and cantata also included in vocal genres at that time. In Classical, Opera became more grand. Mozart was one of the first composer to write an opera. But still, mass and oratoria still axist at that time. Barouque use of dynamics are often over exaggerated and can be interpreted differently.
The dynamics change suddenly rather than gradually as they contrast the forte or piano to make the echo effects. However, Classical music used more dynamics. For example, the uses of continuously changing dynamics through crescendo and decreacendo. In Baroque music, the string orchestra concept begun, with added woodwinds. Also, the harpsichord or organ were used instead of a piano instruments and it was the main social instrument. In Classical, the orchestra was enlarged and organised into it’s present four families(woodwind, string, brass and percussion. The orchestra was massive advancments in the string section and brass took a bigger role, more percussion like bass drum, snare drum, cymbals and triangle was used and the clarinet and trombone was added. Also, the piano was invented and used and became the main social instrument of the day. Baroque music also allowed for much more improvisation than Classical music and featured many more opportunities for ensemble soloing. The soloists often improvised melodies and phrases. And the harmonies realized from figured bass. During the classical period, musicians were known to follow the music rather than improvising and adding ornamentation. Especially, their improvisation are largely limited to cadenzes in concertos. Furthermore, in Baroque music, each piece features a single emotion, meaning, a piece that begins happy will remain happy. However, Classical music is emotional balance and
restraint.

In Baroque period, a melody(theme) usually appears in sequence, the style remains the same and quite chromatic at times.

In Classical period, the melodic lines were simpler and more diatonic compare to the Baroque.