1. SOCIAL CONTEXT

Activity 1:

(in small groups of 4 members)

Look at this visuals and choose 8 adjectives describing his appearance:

excessive, dynamic,

elegant, plain

classic,  soft,

delicate,  over decorated,

rich,  lively,

simple,  glorious

energetic,  peaceful,  

friendly, powerful,

strength, linear,

ornamented, clear

exaggerated, elaborated

Do the same with these two visuals more

(or to divide the classroom in two groups A and B, and do one activity for each group)

Activity 2: Dictogloss

(in small groups of 4 members)

As the teacher reads an introduction about social context in this period, put in order the following words:

Magnificence, human, circumstances, God, poverty, ceremonies,

inspire, monarchies, strenght, melody lines

Activity 3:

a) After reading you  carefully now these sentences, reordered them to obtain the original text and write down correctly

(clue:  be aware with punctuation marks)

ANSWER AT THE BACK OF THE SHEET)

In Europe,.....

• The passion for an art that needs to radiate motion, strength and grandeur arises.
• On the other hand, religious music loses moderation, God is regarded as a king who must glorify.
• Religious music has to be great to inspire confidence in the faithful who suffer poverty and epidemics.
• ..the transition from small to large Renaissance courts and splendid monarchies involves a change in the concept of art in general.
• music by circumstance to celebrate victories, real events and, in general, to glorify the king.
• Music brings magnificence and luxury to the European courts, and great composers come in all European countries.
• The human, expressive music does not work for large monarchical ceremonies:
• The ornamentation seen in the plastic arts has its parallel in a musical melody lines ornamented with notes, often improvised by own interpreters.

b) Look back at the visuals and work in pairs. Which of them belong to Baroque Period?

        Structures to use:

In my opinion…

Personally, I think…

I'd say that…

I'd suggest that…

I believe that…

What I mean is…

It is thought that...

It is considered...

More information:

The word Baroque comes from the Portuguese word barocco, which literally means a deformed pearl. It describes a very ornamented style of European art from around 1600 to 1750. Painters, sculptors, architects and musicians made their art very elaborate. Baroque style was well suited to the aristocracy’s power and wealth. For example, in France,

Louis XIV’s court was set in the palace of Versailles, a magnificent

building decorated with Baroque painting, sculpture and architecture.

The baroque style was also used in churches. Baroque also coincided

with great scientific discoveries. Galileo and Newton devised new

approaches to science based on the union of mathematics and

experiments. They discovered the mathematical laws governing bodies

in movement. Baroque art is a complex mixture of rationalism, spirituality,

sensuality and materialism.

Activity 4: REVISION

1. Baroque style appears in Europe around ......... to...................

2. What is the purpose of baroque music?

3. What is the music of circumstance?

4. How is God seen?

5. The music has to radiate.... and Religious music inspires......... in...

6. The word Baroque comes from the word.............that means..........

Activity 5: REVISION

Choose 5 words that you didn’t know their meaning and fill in this card

for each one:

2. VOCABULARY:  

1. Instrumental families

Activity 6. DO YOU REMEMBER?

Which family do every visual belongs to ? Write your answer below the visuals

b. Dynamics

Activity 7:  REVISION

• Put in order the followings expressions of dynamics from soft to loud:

soft - loud - slightly soft -  very loud - slightly loud - 

• What do these symbols mean?  sudden accent                gradually loud        

                        gradually soft                loud then soft

c.  Tempo

Activity 8: Look for these words in the Wordsearch. Translate them to catalan in the chart below. 

3. MUSICAL FEATURES OF BAROQUE MUSIC

Activity 9:

Work in pairs again. You are going to listen four pieces of music. Draw  the table three times  and make notes about the following music features as you listen.

Activity 10:

Work again with your partner. After listening to the audios, look at the sentences below and decide which statements belong to baroque music.

1. Baroque music used ornamented melodies – this means that the melody was not simple but “decorated” with many notes

2. Baroque music used very simple melodies with few notes

3. Baroque music used monophonic texture (one melodic line with no accompaniment)

4. Baroque music used polyphonic /homophonic texture (two or more simultaneous melodies)

5. Baroque music was performed by an orchestra based on string instruments

6. Baroque music was performed by an orchestra based on woodwind instruments

7. There is a new instrument in Baroque music – the harpsichord – which provides the harmonies

8. The organ was very popular in Baroque music

9. The dynamics are the same throughout the entire musical piece

10. There is a lot of contrast in dynamics throughout the entire musical piece

11. The changes in dynamics happened gradually in Baroque music

12. The changes in dynamics happened suddenly in Baroque music

13. The character of the music is the same throughout the piece

14. The character of the music is the same throughout the piece

Activity 11: (In small groups of 4)

One of you  try to remember as many features as possible of music features and repeat them by heart to  the rest of classmates, which have to write down them without orthographical mistakes!

4. VOCAL MUSIC: SECULAR VOCAL MUSIC

Opera was invented in the late Renaissance for the

Florentine Camerata, the musicians  who worked for the Count Bardi in Florence.

Their ideals were based on their perception of ancient Greek musical drama, in which the declamation of the text was of utmost importance.

The first important opera was The Orfeo of Monteverdi (1607).

VOCAL MUSIC: RELIGIOUS VOCAL MUSIC

An ORATORIO is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists.

It tells a religious story from de Bible, such as Sanson, the Messiah, the escape from Israel to Egypt, fleeing the Pharaoh, so on.

George Friedrich Handel was the most important oratorio composer of the baroque period.

A passion is an oratorio about the suffering of Jesus leading up to the Crucifixion.

OPERA VERSUS ORATORIO

The oratorio and the opera were  very similar (including the use of a choir, soloists, an orquestra).

However, opera is a musical theatre composition, while oratorio is strictly a concert piece. A particularly important difference is in the typical subject matter of the text. Opera tends to deal with history and mythology whereas the plot of an oratorio often deals with sacred topics, making it appropriate for performance in the church

Activity 12

List the differences and similarities between opera and oratorio:

COMPOSERS

Johannes Sebastian BACH

Born: March 21, 1685                                Died: July 28, 1750

Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer.

He came from a long line of composers - and some of his sons, (he had 21 ), musicians, too.

Johann became a very good organist, too.

When he was older, Johann worked first for a duke, then for a prince, and finally  became choirmaster of the St. Thomas Church and School in Leipzig, (Germany), a position he held for 30 years.

Bach wrote much of his famous music there. During his lifetime, people thought of Bach as an ordinary working musician. No one really knew much about his music until another composer, Felix Mendelssohn, started performing Bach’s music 100 years after he died.

Bach wrote all kinds of music - for organ, orchestras, choirs and many different instrument combinations.

JS Bach is remembered for the composition of sacred music since he was a religious man and devoted all his music to God.

BACH ‘S WORKS

RELIGIOUS MUSIC:                        Musical form

• St Matthew Passion                        (Oratorio)
• Mass in B minor                        (mass)
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring        (Cantata):

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC:

• Concerto Brandenburg 5
• Toccata ang fugue

PIECE 1:

TITLE:  St Mathew Passion:

MUSICAL FORM: …………………………………..

GENRE……………………………………………………………

Johann Sebastian Bach wrote his St. Matthew Passion for a single purpose: to present

the Passion story in music at Good Friday.

With gripping drama, Bach's Passion retells the story of the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus.

Activity 1:

Look at this words:

spirited, lively, sad, harsh, angry, violent, delightful, loving, tender, irritating, sleepy, excited, anxious, sentimental, nostalgic, funereal, bitter, delicate, tragic, sweet, painful,

1. Sort them out (classify them) depending on negative or positive feelings

        negative - ________________________________________________ + positive

b.        What feelings arise when you listen to this musical work? Select the most accurate

PIECE 2:

TITLE:  Mass in si minor

MUSICAL FORM: ………………………………….

GENRE………………………………………………

PIECE 3:

TITLE:  Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring

MUSICAL FORM: ………………………………….

GENRE………………………………………………

CANTATA  is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements,  involving a choir.

PIECE 4:

TITLE:  Brandenburg Concerto GROSSO No. 2

MUSICAL FORM: ………………………………….

GENRE………………………………………………

WHAT IS A CONCERTO GROSSO?

No, not a gross concerto. Literally, this term means great, or large concerto.

In a concerto grosso two groups alternate. They are called :

<-  concertino (small            ensemble)  

  ->   ripieno   (a large

 group).

When everyone plays

 together, it is called tutti .

PIECE 5:

TITLE: Toccata and fugue in re minor

MUSICAL FORM: ………………………………….

GENRE………………………………………………

WHAT IS A TOCCATA?

from Italian toccare is a virtuous piece of music typically for a keyboard featuring  fast-moving fingers

Activity 2

Fill in the gaps:

Johann Sebastian Bach wrote his St. Matthew Passion for a single purpose: to present

___________________________ in music at Good Friday.

With gripping drama, Bach's Passion retells the story of _______________________________________________________of Jesus.

In a concerto grosso 2 groups ____________________ They are called the

_____________ (small ensemble) and ________________ (a larger group).

When everyone plays together, it is called _______________________ .

Activity 3:         What do you know about…?

1. Which country did he come from?

1. Russia                 b. Germany                c. France        d. England

2. What kind of music did Bach  NOT write?

1. Religious music                b. Symphonies        c. Concertos        d. Pieces for organ

3. Which composer revived Bach’s music?

1. Chopin        B. Schumann        c. Beethoven                d. Mendelssohn

4. The musical form for “Jesu, Joy the Man’s desiring” is...

1. Mass                 b. Cantata                c. Concerto                d. Oratorio

5. St. Mathew Passion sounds…. (choose 2)

1. delightful                b. harsh                c.lively                 d. bitter

6. What’s the meaning of Concerto Grosso?

1. a big concerto //  B. one soloist //  C. a long concerto        // D. several soloists + orchestra

Activity 4

1. Match each concept with its definition
2. REWRITE ONE SENTECE FOR EACH WORD USING THE WHOLE DEFINITION

(…… more activities)

FINAL PROJECT:  REVISION

Final activity

(In small groups)

You are the Palau de la Música Manager and have to organize a concert of Baroque Music. Choose one of the composers we have mentioned, and one of the most famous performances

Make a playbill to be hand it to the public with  the following aspects:

• Title
• Composer: write a few aspects about his biographie:

• dates  of birth and death
• Places of  birth and death
• Countries where he lived
• Instruments he played
• Composition style
• Anything curious you find out

• Name other famous musical performances
• Brief description of the period.
• Main features of this performance

Put some visuals and be creative in the design!

At class, each group will have to show the work and give us a pìece of advise about why we should go to the performance.

Useful Structures

You should/shouldn't...

You ought to...

Why don't you...

How about...

If I were you, ...

You'd better… (without to)