The Baroque Period was a period in Music History. (In fact, it was the 3rd, and came after the Medieval and Renaissance Periods. The time frame for this period was from 1600-1750. During the Baroque Period, you did not have to necessarily go to college to study to be a musician. You did, however, had to have talent. Some musicians inherited the position, gave a donation to gain the position, or married into the work. Henry Purcell, George Frederic Handel and J.S. Bach are just a few of the prominent composers of this period.

By examining these musicians and how they came to prominence, you may gain more insight into the period. Please write about the music of the Baroque Period in general, new forms of music during the Baroque Period and a few prominent composers of the period. You will have no problem finding enough information for this Discussion Board. I have included links that may help you down below.

Introduction to Music

            Seventeenth-century marked a significant turning point, with Italy being the front-liner in Baroque music. Baroque music is a music style used by music composers in western countries from about 1600 to 1750. It became a dominant style during the period and was characterized by grandiose, dramatic, vigor, and stylistic diversity (Britannica, n.d). The new music forms that emerged during the period included opera, oratorio, and cantata, which became the most significant vocal forms. Other forms of Baroque music that emerged during the period included sonata, concerto, and overture purposefully created for instrumental music. Baroque music had a broad scope because of its complexity of instrumental performance and other forms of music that emerged during the period. However, other universal polyphonic styles of the sixteenth century, like stile antico, were reserved for sacred music.

            The emergence of great composers also characterized the Baroque music period. Claudio Monteverdi was the leading music composer of the period. He was closely followed by Alessandro Scarlatti and Giovanni Pergolesi of Italy (Britannica, n.d). Baroque instrumental tradition in Italy was primarily used in Arcangelo Corelli, Antonio Vivaldi, and Giuseppe Tartini. Jean-Baptiste Lully was the most famous composer of opera music, while Jean Philippe Rameau was the leading composer of Baroque music in France. George Frideric Handel steered Baroque music in England while Johann Sebastian Bach developed and promoted Baroque sacred music in Germany.