Early Baroque

prima prattica - Term coined in the early 17th century to describe an older attitude toward text setting in which the projection of a sung text was subordinated to the established conventions of good counterpoint. - The prima practica is closely associated but not synonymous with polyphony. Literally, the "first practice," so called becaue it existed before the emergence of the seconda practtica, the "second" or newer practice. seconda prattica - Sense of rhythmic freedom - More elaborate rhythms that could shift abruptly- This stlyistic hange was made possible by the move toward homophonic texture, which permitted a far great range of freedom in the solo voice than had been possible in the essentially equal- voiced textures of the prima practica.

Prima prattica - Renaissance - polyphony - equal parts - tactus - controlled dissonance Seconda prattica - Baroque - melody - empasis on solo voice - metric ebb and flow - dissoncance to enhance the text

Dr. Kates - Monody solo voice with basso continuo - Music Mimicks textural rhythms - simple vocal line vs. elaborate ornamentation - generally syllabic through-composed, but repetitions in last two lines for emphasis Book - It illustarates another novelty of the seconda prattica, the degree of virtuosity it sometimes required of performers. - It divides in two parts: The first (m. 1-11) is presented from the perspective of a narrator, who sets the scene of a lover himself, calling on the stars to convince his beloved to return his affections. - The rhythms of the opening are slow and measured, and its pitches are confined to a limited range. - The vocal line throughout the second half gives the impression of spontaneity, as if the singer is thinking up the words on the spot: the place of delivery is never predictable. The underlay follows the rhythms of a person speaking, at times slowly or even hesitantly, at other times rushing forward in a torrent.

Represent a kind of synthesis between the single-voiced monody with basso continuo and the multi-voiced a cappella polyphonic madrigal. - Conertato madrigals play an increasingly important role in Monteverdi's output over the final decades of his career.

- Bringing tenor parts together - Bringing together with bass - Immitation - Echo effects - notated dynamics - Afekt = Joy, Quiet - Most of the work rests on an OSTINATO or GROUND BASS, a short phrase repeated older and over again in the lowest voice. - This particular phrase, complete in two measure in modern transcription, shares no thematical material with the upper voices but instead provides a structural framework that allows the voices above it to unfold freely without regard to their harmonic underpinnings. - The GROUND BASS also provides continuity at those moments when neither of the two tenors is singing. - Without the basso continuo, such pauses would simply not be feasible.

- Born September 18, 1587 - Virtuoso and composer of monodies and operas - Followed in the footsteps of her father, the singer and composer Giulio Caccini- She was the first woman to compose an opera and one of the most celebrated singers of her time. - She spent most of her time around the Medicci court in Florence. - By 1620, she had become the highest paid musician in the family's service.

- recurring bass line - Strophic monody or strophic variation - Tritone - Intense lament Production of her opera La liberazione di Ruggiero - Pits a young knight, Ruggiero, against Alcina, a seductive sorceress who puts him under a spell. - Its performance in Warsaw in 1628 was the first for any Italian opera outside Italy. - Francesca Caccini also has Primo libro delle musiche in 1618 - It is a subatantial collection of sonnets, madrigals, arias, motets, hymns, and canzonetas, all for solo voice and continuo.

- Term coined in the early 17th century to describe an older attitude toward text setting in which the projection of a sung text was subordinated to the established conventions of good counterpoint. - The prima practica is closely associated but not synonymous with polyphony. Literally, the "first practice," so called because it existed before the emergence of the seconda practtica, the "second" or newer practice.

- Sense of rhythmic freedom - More elaborate rhythms that could shift abruptly- This stlyistic change was made possible by the move toward homophonic texture, which permitted a far great range of freedom in the solo voice than had been possible in the essentially equal- voiced textures of the prima practica.

- Provided a key ingredient for a new genre - OPERA. - Provided a medium for an individual singer on stage to present the words of a single character. - The rise of the seconda prattica and monody marked the beginning of a series of stylistic changes that together define the music of the Baroque era.

- Melodic line supported by a group of instruments known as the basso continuo. - The basso continuo provided both harmonic and contrapunctal support to the voice, which in turn made it possible for the soloist to project the text at hand with clarity and rhythmic flexibility.

A steady pulse.

- Voices of any number combine with instruments, either basso continuo alone or basso continuo and other instruments. - Concertato madrigals represent a kind of synthesis between the single-voiced monody with basso continuo and the multi-voiced a cappella polyphonic madrigal.

- Variations on bass line patterns. - Were extremely popular in both vocal and instrumental music of the Baroque. - These bass lines are not fixed patterns, and they manifest themselves in a variety of ways over time. - The use of a basso ostinato - an "obstinate bas" that is present at all times and simply will not go away - inspired composers in the art of variation, challenging them to make constant repetition appealing through the use of an ever-changing countermelody above it. - The most important of these were the CHACONNE or PASSACAGLIA, the PASSAMEZZO, and the FOLIA.

- Giovanni Gabrieli was from Venice - Adapted the newly developed technique of RECITATIVE to the German language

A principal thematic idea that takes its cue from the text.

- Used by Francesca Caccini in Lasciatemi qui solo