The Berkshire Bach Society

Glossary of Baroque Musical Terms

November 2020

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 Glossary of Baroque Musical Terms
Adagio A tempo marking for slow. An Adagio movement indicates a
piece played at a tempo slower than Andante.

Air A short melodic instrumental or vocal piece dating from the

17th and 18th centuries that did not follow a specific structural
form. While French opera of the period often used Airs to
accompany dancing, Bach used the Air as a simple melodic
movement in his Partitas and Sonatas.

Allegro A tempo marking for fast. An Allegro movement indicates a

piece played at a fast tempo that contrasts with slower
movements such as a Sarabande or Loure in a suite or an
Adagio in a sonata.

Allemande A dance movement in a moderate tempo, typically used to

open a Baroque suite.

Andante A tempo marking equivalent to a very moderate walking

speed. Andante is slower than Allegro but faster than
Adagio. By extension, an Andante movement indicates a
piece played at a moderate, leisurely tempo.

Anthem In English Baroque music, a major vocal composition on a

liturgical or sacred text performed during the Protestant
service. Anthems can be accompanied by organ or
orchestra, and served the same purpose as the motet in the
Roman Catholic Church service.

Aria A florid composition typically for solo voice with

instrumental accompaniment that figured prominently in
cantatas, oratorios, and opera in the 17th and 18th centuries.
The aria provided an opportunity for a character to reflect on
the action of the plot, and to reveal the emotional impact of

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 events. Arias in Baroque opera provided an opportunity for
virtuosic vocal display.

Arioso More correctly, recitativo arioso. A musical passage that is

more expressive than a typical recitative with its narrative,
speech-like form and function, but less florid than a full aria.

Basso Continuo Alternatively, Continuo, Figured Bass, or

Thoroughbass. In Baroque music, continuo refers to the
bass part that was performed by the harpsichord or organ, by
the lower strings (e.g., viola da gamba or violincello), or by
the lower winds (e.g., bassoon). The purpose of the continuo
was to define the harmonic structure of a composition and to
keep the ensemble together in an age before conductors.

BWV Abbreviation for Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis, the standard

catalog of the works of J.S. Bach. Edited by Wolfgang
Schmieder, the Catalog was first published in 1950, with the
second edition and an abbreviated version (BWV2a)
appearing in 1990 and 1998 respectively. The Catalog
contains over 1,100 works confirmed to be by J.S. Bach,
with an appendix (Anhang) of 200+ pieces of questionable
attribution.

Cadence A musical term to describe the final notes or ending section

of a musical composition. In the Baroque era, the cadence
was an opportunity for a final musical flourish to enhance
the importance of the close.

Canon A contrapuntal device in which a melody is played against

itself exactly and in its entirety. The canon was a common
compositional technique in the Baroque, and a pure expression
of imitative counterpoint used by composers throughout the
period in both vocal and instrumental music.
Cantata A Baroque-era vocal music form that comprises several
movements—arias, recitatives, duets, choruses, instrumental
pieces—that is based on a continuous narrative text. Solo

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 cantatas with secular themes were especially common during
the 17th century in Italy, but it is with the choral cantatas on
religious themes—church cantatas—written by J.S. Bach
that the form achieved its greatest artistic distinction. Of the
estimated 300 cantatas written by Bach, nearly 200 have
been preserved, and many are performed regularly
throughout the world. The cantata is typically shorter than
an oratorio.

Catch An English round or canon in which three or more voices

sing the same words and melody beginning at different
times, as in the nursery rhyme Three Blind Mice (1609).
Typically short, and written with profane, irreverent, or even
(by modern standards) obscene lyrics, catches were
especially popular during the reign of Charles II, and were
written on current events and subjects designed to amuse.

Chorale In a Baroque context, typically the hymn tunes of the

German Protestant Church, many of which form the basis for
J.S. Bach’s cantatas and other works.

Circle of Fifths In tonal music, the concept that it takes twelve steps to
return to the starting tone when progressing by the interval
of a fifth. This concept assumes equal temperament to adjust
the surplus, known as the Pythagorean Comma (about an
eighth of a tone), between the mathematically correct
intervals and the pitch as heard by the human ear.
Beginning on C, the circle of fifths is: C-G-D-A-E-B-F#-
C#-G#(=Ab)-Eb- Bb-F-C, where the tone G# is
enharmonically the same as Ab.

Clavecin The French term for harpsichord.

Clavichord A stringed keyboard instrument that produces sound by
striking the strings with a brass blade and using a damping
mechanism. Closely related to the monochord, the
clavichord produces an intimate sound, making it the

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 preferred domestic instrument in the 16th through 18th
centuries.

Concerto grosso An important Baroque musical form written to

showcase a small group of solo instruments (concertino or
principale) vs orchestral accompaniment (tutti or concerto).
The soloists typically included two violins and thoroughbass
(cello and harpsichord); the orchestra was typically a string
ensemble, with the occasional addition of winds later in the
period.

Counterpoint (Adj: Contrapuntal) Literally, note against note, but

chiefly used to indicate polyphonic music written from
1600-1750 with two or more lines that sound
simultaneously. The individual melodies form the horizontal
part of the musical fabric, with the intervals between them
establishing the vertical or harmonic structure. This
compositional method was associated more with German
than French, Italian, or English music. Bach explored and
perfected the intricacies of counterpoint in The Well-
Tempered Clavier (1722, 1742) and The Art of Fugue (1740-
1750), two of the most influential studies in the history of
Western music. After his death, music developed in another
direction.

Courante A dance movement in moderate to fast tempo, that

originated in the 17th century and became a standard
movement in the Baroque suite.

Fanfare A short, ceremonial tune, usually for trumpets. In the

Baroque era, fanfares were usually played by natural
instruments—that is, those without valves or keys—and
emphasized the tones of the triad, which are the notes most
easily played on such instruments.

Fantasia (Eng: fantasy or fancy) In the Baroque era, a piece of

instrumental music with an improvisational character as if

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 written according to the way imagination (“fancy”) dictates.
The fantasie has no prescribed formal structure.

Figured Bass Another term for Basso Continuo or Thoroughbass.

Fugue A musical texture that is created from three or more

independent voices carrying a subject in imitative fashion.
The fugue, usually written for keyboard, was an important
Baroque compositional technique that developed from the
earlier ricercar and was frequently preceded by a Prelude in
the same or a related key. J.S. Bach began a monumental
exploration of the technique in Die Kunst der Fuge (The Art
of Fugue) in the last decade of his life, and originally
planned to include pieces of increasing complexity in every
key, major and minor. The work was unfinished at the time
of his death, and comprises 14 fugues and 4 canons on a
single theme in d minor.

Perfected by J.S. Bach, fugue is a sophisticated

compositional technique with strict rules, but it fell out of
fashion after his death. Later composers including Mozart,
Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and others learned to write correct
fugues as part of their musical education, and used the
technique particularly at the conclusion of larger works to
heighten emotional intensity. The strict application of the
technique is comparatively rare in the music of the 19th and
20th centuries.

Gavotte A dance movement in a moderate tempo that originated in

the 17th century and was used in the Baroque suite.

Gigue A dance movement in a quick tempo often in compound

duple meter (6/8 or 6/4), typically used as the final
movement of the Baroque suite.

Harpsichord A stringed keyboard instrument that produces sound by

plucking the strings. The harpsichord was the dominant

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 keyboard instrument of the 18th century for secular music
and was used for solo and ensemble performance. When
used with orchestra, the harpsichord typically provides the
harmonic progression in the continuo, its unique timbre
penetrating the orchestral texture and keeping the players
together in an era before conductors. The harpsichord
produces sound of a uniform dynamic and quality, which
could be varied by engaging different keyboard manuals or
by writing music with a dense texture and faster tempo or
lighter texture and slower tempo for “louder” and “softer”
effects respectively.

Interval The difference in pitch between two notes. Intervals are

named by counting from a starting tone (one) to an ending
tone x number of steps away. In tonal music, the perfect
intervals include the octave (8 steps, e.g., c-d-e-f-g-a-b-c’),
fifth (5 steps, e.g., c-d-e-f-g), and fourth (e.g., c-d-e-f),
represented mathematically by the ratios 2:1, 3:2, and 4:3
respectively. The intervals of the third and sixth may be
either major or minor—major intervals comprise whole steps
between notes; minor intervals comprise whole and half
steps. Various musical traditions use smaller intervals than
the Western half step, introducing an exotic sound.

Loure A slow dance movement also known as a gigue lente (slow

gigue), typically an optional movement in a Baroque suite.

Marche (Eng: March) Music designed to accompany the movements

of soldiers in formation, characterized by strong, simple
rhythms and regular phrases. The earliest written musical
marches date from the 16th century, with many examples in
English music.

Monody The style of music developed in the last quarter of the 16th c
based on the theories of the Florentine Camerata, and
characterized by the rhythms of spoken dialog with
thoroughbass accompaniment.

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Motet Generally, an unaccompanied polyphonic composition based
on a Latin sacred text and performed in the Roman Catholic
Church service, usually at Vespers. The motet is the most
important form of early polyphonic music, beginning in the
thirteenth century and continuing through the Baroque era.
In 17th-century France, Charpentier was among the first to
write a grand motet for soloists, chorus, orchestra, and
organ. In England, the motet developed as the anthem, and
similarly could be either a large or smaller-scaled work.

Natural Trumpet A trumpet without keys or valves. Natural instruments

had a limited range, and typically emphasized the tones of
the triad, which are the notes most easily played on
such instruments.

Organ The principal keyboard instrument for church music in the

Baroque era. From the 14th century, large bellows-driven
organs were installed as permanent fixtures in churches and
by the Baroque era had developed into sophisticated
mechanical devices housed in elaborate cases—as beautiful
to see as to hear. The 17th and 18th centuries were the golden
age of organ construction, especially in France and the
German states, seeing technical advances that transformed
individual instruments into celebrities in their own right that
encouraged composers to write musical repertoire to match.
J.S. Bach was most known in his lifetime as an organ
virtuoso, and traveled in Germany to consult on the technical
aspects of many instruments.

Oratorio A musical composition typically on a religious theme

performed by solo voices, chorus, and orchestra in a concert
setting—that is, without costumes, scenery, or physical
interaction among the characters. The form most recognized
today as Baroque oratorio was established by Heinrich
Schütz (1585-1672) and Giacomo Carissimi (1605-1674) in

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 the early and mid-17th century. Oratorios are similar to
cantatas, but are typically longer.

Ornamentation An important element of Baroque performance practice

used to intensify the emotion of a composition and to
showcase the virtuosity of the performer. Originally
improvised, Baroque ornamentation was indicated by
standard notation in the 18th century, and even written out
explicitly by various composers. French music of the period
was particularly known for its embellishment, but the
practice was common in all national musical traditions. J.S.
Bach’s son, C.P.E. Bach, included a section on
ornamentation in his influential Essay on the True Art of
Playing Keyboard Instruments (c.1753) that sums up the
practice of the late Baroque.

Partita By J.S. Bach’s time, a suite. The term derives possibly from
the French word partie, (part), and replaces the earlier 17th-
century meaning of partita as a variation.

Piano-forte A stringed keyboard instrument invented c.1725 that

produces sound by striking the strings with hammers, as
opposed to the harpsichord, in which sound is produced by
plucking. The action of the piano-forte enables the player to
play soft (piano) or loud (forte), hence the name of the
instrument. There is evidence that J.S. Bach first
encountered the piano-forte in the late 1720s, finding the
action very stiff compared to the organ and harpsichord. By
the 1740’s, when the piano had been improved technically,
Bach may have modified his views, but never composed
specifically for the instrument.

Picardy Third The major third used as the final sonority in a piece
written in a minor key. Beginning c.1500, the major third
was admitted to the rules of composition for the cadence,
being considered more perfect than the minor third. The

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 Picardy Third was used throughout the Baroque, and less
frequently in the later 18th century and beyond.

Polyphony (Adj: polyphonic) Music written with more than one voice
or part. Polyphony developed in the 13th century, and
although largely synonymous with counterpoint, typically is
used to indicate music before 1600.

Prelude A piece of Baroque keyboard music written to be played as

an introduction to another composition, such as a suite or a
fugue (music characterized by imitative counterpoint). Bach
published two set of preludes and fugues in all keys (major
and minor), in The Well-Tempered Clavier of 1722 and
1742.

Recitative A musical passage written to emulate the pace, declamation,

and natural inflections of speech. In Baroque music,
passages of recitative function to describe events or advance
the action of an opera, cantata, or oratorio. In contrast, the
aria is designed for characters to pause and reflect on the
action and showcase their vocal virtuosity.

Rondeau A 17th-century instrumental musical form comprising a

refrain (A) and couplets (B, C, etc) in a pattern of A B A C
A D…A. The couplets usually appear in different keys from
the refrain.

Sarabande A slow, dignified dance in triple meter, originating in the

17th and 18th centuries and becoming a standard movement of
the Baroque dance suite.

Siciliana Also Siciliano. A dance originating in Sicily in the 17th and

18th centuries used in sonatas, cantatas, and operas of the
period. The Siciliana is written in 6/8 or 12/8 time and is
characterized by lyrical melodies and dotted rhythms. The
Siciliana was frequently used to evoke gentle and pastoral
musical imagery.

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Sonata In Bach’s time, an instrumental musical form for one or
more performers and with three or four movements. Sonatas
were performed in the church (sonata da Chiesa) or chamber
(sonata di camera), with the typical form alternating Adagio
and Allegro movements.

Stile recitativo

Suite In the Baroque era, an important instrumental musical form

comprising several movements or dances, all in the same
key, and alternating in tempo between slow and moderate or
fast. The standard Baroque suite includes the Allemande
(moderate tempo), Courante (fast), Sarabande (slow), and
Gigue (fast). Optional movements include the Minuet
(moderate), Bourrée (fast), Gavotte (moderate), Passepied
(fast), Polonaise (moderate), Anglaise (fast), Loure
(moderate), and Air (moderate).

Tafelmusik Literally, table music—that is, music to be played during

formal banquets as background entertainment.

Te Deum A song of praise and rejoicing, a hymn of thanksgiving that

can be sung on any occasion. The text Te Deum laudamus
translates to We praise Thee, O God. The Te Deum was
frequently set to music by Baroque composers

Temperament A system of tuning that adjusts the acoustically or

mathematically correct intervals in the circle of fifths to
ensure that they sound in tune in all keys. Equal
temperament, which adjusts the size of intervals equally
across all tones and keys, is the standard tuning system in
use today.

Thoroughbass Synonymous with continuo, also known as figured bass.

A notational system that indicates the bassline or harmonic
progression of a composition that is played or realized by the

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 continuo. The notation shows numbers written above the
bass notes in each measure to indicate the chord positions or
intervals to be played. Thoroughbass represents a
sophisticated performance practice that developed out of
16th-century improvisational traditions, and was the subject
of treatises by many prominent Baroque composers,
including Michael Praetorius, Matthew Locke, J.D.
Heinichen, Georg Philipp Telemann, and others. Bach’s
second son, C.P.E. Bach, included an influential section on
ornamentation in his Essay on the True Art of Playing
Keyboard Instruments (1753).

Toccata A piece of Baroque keyboard music written in a free style

and typically played as an introduction to another
composition, such as a fugue.

Trio Sonata The most important form of Baroque chamber music,

typically written for three players plus thoroughbass
accompaniment. Trio sonatas were typically scored for two
violins and cello, with the continuo doubling the bass part
and realizing the figured bass. Most important composers of
the period wrote trio sonatas, including Corelli, Buxtehude,
Handel, François Couperin, Vivaldi, and J.S. Bach.

Tune A non-specific term to indicate a voluntary or other

instrumental piece. Tunes do not have a specific musical
form.

Viola da gamba In the Baroque era, the bass size of the viol family,
played while held between the legs. With six vs the standard
four strings of the modern violin and viola, the viola da
gamba was an important Baroque continuo and solo
instrument.

Voluntary A name for an English organ piece played at the church

service, usually between the reading of the psalms and the

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first lesson or between the end of Morning Prayer and the
beginning of Communion. In the 17th and 18th centuries,
voluntaries were written in a free or quasi improvisational
style. The trumpet voluntary was so called because it was
played using the trumpet stop on the organ.

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