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 [pictured: "Jester with a Lute" by Frans Hals]

Introduction

The scope of our site is mostly centered on the Classical, Romantic, and Modern Periods, but any discussion of them cannot be complete without an overview of the Baroque Period. The basics fundamentals for Western music (and thus chamber music) were set in the Baroque Period by the likes of Handel, Vivaldi, and (of course) Bach. We'll try to keep the discussion short...


Historical Context

The Baroque Period began around the start of the 17th century. This was a time when the world's thought was constantly being shaken and revised. From Galileo and his geocentric theory to the settlement of the New World, change was taking place and people scrambled to update old philosophies and ways of thought. Much in the same way, early baroque composers sought to expand their musical expression.

But there was a problem: their new musical thoughts and ideas were too large and powerful to be fully expressed through old ways of writing music. It was kind of like a child wanting to write a story, but realizing that he doesn't know how to write. Realizing their problem, copmosers worked through most of the 17th century to develop new and better musical forms and methods.

Finally, musical techniques such as counterpoint and fugue began to emerge, which were used well into the modern period. Also, you can see the very early stages of some of the Classical Period's key elements: use of the continuo paved the way for the spread of homophony; the binary form gradually turned into sonata form.

The last part of the baroque period is generally characterized by very elaborate pieces. These were generally very complex because of their wildly contrapuntal design. In fact, this complication is partly what caused the end of the barouque period. Tired of such excess, composers like the young Haydn began to seek simpler means of musical communication.


Chamber Music in the Classical Period

In baroque times, music was still largely written for religious uses. In fact, many composers were employed by the Church to write new music for weekly services. Because the music was mostly designed for the glory of God rather than for man's pleausre, chamber music as we know it did not have much of an environment to grow in. Chamber music could not flourish until the later growth of the middle class during the Classical Period.


New Developments


Binary Form

Of the newly emerging classical forms, one of the most common and most influential was the binary form.
Counterpoint

Counterpoint, the art of combining two or more simultaneous musical lines, emerged in the baroque period and eventually became a basic element of music.
Fugue

Mastered by Bach and used by countless others, the fugue became one of the most important forms in music.


Further resources:

Back to Time Periods On to the Classical Period