Answer

Various Musical Pieces Analysis: Short Essays

The evolution of music has seen different music genres develop due to classical compositions and adaptations that cross over into modern music. Baroque music was such a genre that led to the development of musical pieces by composers worldwide between 1600 and 1750. Baroque music focused on lower and upper tones infused with layered melodies, characterized by the orchestra size. Baroque music brought about melodic lines that were long flowing with instruments and an interchange between loud and soft ensembles. This paper focuses on musical compositions by famous artists and adaptations in the modern age by musicians and composers.

Strozzi: Amor Dormiglione

Barbara Strozzi, born in 1619, was an Italian composer and singer responsible for Amor Dormiglione. During her time as a composer, she developed Amor Dormiglione in the Baroque genre. The composition consists of a melodic bass instrument that provides low contrast, while the performance is for a solo soprano who provides a solo melody through the performance of the whole piece. The shifts in tone from high to low in the musical piece express the octave rage blended with low melodies. Amor Dormiglione is a masterpiece of the Baroque period that brings the charming, captivating work that pushes boundaries in the era of music.

Bach: Cantata No. 140, Wachet auf,

Cantata No. 140, Wachet Auf is a composition by Johann Sebastian Bach, a German musical composer, and musician born in 1685 during the Baroque period. His composition follows the features of Barque music with the incorporation of three main vocalists. The vocalists are a soprano, tenor, and bass. These three voices are part of the orchestral team that provides the theme of the composition by Bach. Bach in the Cantata No. 140, Wachet auf composition fuses the low orchestral melodies and high melodies using instruments that include a bassoon, horns, oboes, violin piccolo, violins, a viola, a taille, and a basso continuo. The blending of the soloist melodies, harmonies, and instruments highlights the production of the religious theme of the piece. As a cantata, Bach’s Cantata No. 140, Wachet auf covers the reading of the parable of the Ten Virgins from the bible. The sequencing of the music piece through the seven movements incorporates the instruments to provide a blend of perfect harmony. Cantata No. 140, Wachet Auf is a Bach masterpiece that truly expresses the message in its performance.

Handel: Water Music, Alla Hornpipe

George Frideric Handel composed the Water music collection to be played on the water while being commissioned by King George I during his royal expedition up the Thames River during the summer period of 1717. Before his commissioning, Handel received musical training as a composer in Baroque music in Hamburg and Italy, far from his roots as a German composer. In the Water Music collection, Alla Hornpipe is one of the compositions that includes flutes, recorders, oboes, horns, strings, trumpets, and continuo. The fusion of the instruments to provide a contrasting Baroque melody and harmony shows Handel’s incredible talent of the piece with the inclusion of soloist voices in tenor and soprano. The performance highlights tenors and sopranos with clear altos that do not disappear over the main voices.

Vivaldi: Spring, from The Four Seasons

As an advent lover and art enthusiast, Antonio Vivaldi was inspired by a Baroque painting by Marco Ricci to compose the famous The Four Seasons in 1716-1717. Born in 1678-1741 during the Baroque era, Vivaldi ventured into music as a composer, virtuoso violinist, and teacher while gathering inspiration from God’s work as a Roman Catholic priest. The Four Seasons blends with instruments including a solo viola, accompanied by a dozen violins, cellos, a double bass, and a harpsichord to bring about the contrasting features highlighted in Baroque music. The “Spring” part is played in E major key to highlight the brightness spring brings with it. Collectively, there is a rustic atmosphere displayed when The Four Seasons is performed.

Bach: Contrapunctus 1, from The Art of Fugue

Johann Sebastian Bach comes up with yet another composition through Contrapunctus 1, from The Art of Fugue. The Contrapunctus 1, from The Art of Fugue, completes Bach’s working experiment in monothematic instrumentation in his compositions. Bach composed the piece to be played on keyboard instruments, especially the harpsichord, highlighting the somber and darkened mood.

Händel: Lascia ch’io pianga

As a musical genius, Handel develops the Lascia Ch’io Pianga, which has been adapted in movie representation. The song has a head soloist who is male singing in a soprano. As yet another music piece in the Baroque music genre, the fusion of the violins and melodies of the soloist brings the audience to a complete captivation through the somber emotion evoked. 

Led Zeppelin – Stairway to Heaven (One of many Rock tunes based on Baroque music)

Led Zeppelin is an English rock band formed in 1968 that adapted the instrumental of their song Stairway to Heaven from the Baroque music’s contrasting melodies. The song revolves around materialism and greed, where the song highlights how women get everything they desire without giving anything back. Stairway to Heaven can be expressed as folk-rock and hard rock. The lyrics of the song infused with the Baroque-featured instrumentals bring about the contrast of emotion in the song.

Conclusion

 The Baroque music genre came with features that brought about melodic lines that were long flowing with instruments and an interchange between loud and soft ensembles. The emotions are deeply expressed using perfect vocals that promote artistic values and appreciation of vocal talent.