Overview:
As the Baroque era opens in c. 1600, opera begins. From the 1630s there will be
public opera houses that gives the general public access to serious music for the first time.
There will not be public concerts of instrumental music until the end of the Baroque era
(c. 1750).
After 1600, serious instrumental music, which began in the late Renaissance, develops
quickly. By 1680, modern music theory of tonality, with major and minor keys, scales, and
chords, and chord progressions is developed. This period also includes the rise of the orchestra.
Instrumental genres including the sonata, concerto, and orchestra suite are created. New
vocal music genres include the cantata and the oratorio. Organ and harpsichord music
becomes more sophisticated. The piano is invented c. 1700 but it will not play a significant
role until the high Classical era (1770s). Brass instruments do not have valves, limiting the
After 1600, serious instrumental music, which began in the late Renaissance, develops
quickly. By 1680, modern music theory of tonality, with major and minor keys, scales, and
chords, and chord progressions is developed. This period also includes the rise of the orchestra.
Instrumental genres including the sonata, concerto, and orchestra suite are created. New
vocal music genres include the cantata and the oratorio. Organ and harpsichord music
becomes more sophisticated. The piano is invented c. 1700 but it will not play a significant
role until the high Classical era (1770s). Brass instruments do not have valves, limiting the
number of notes they can play.
Late Baroque (1700 - 1750) composers like Antonio Vivaldi, Georg Frideric Handel
and Johann Sebastian Bach will take full advantage of all of this 17th century musical
invention.
Music is influenced by the Age of Absolutism (powerful absolutist monarchs, like Louis XIV
of France), the Scientific Revolution (scientific discoveries and technological developments),
Late Baroque (1700 - 1750) composers like Antonio Vivaldi, Georg Frideric Handel
and Johann Sebastian Bach will take full advantage of all of this 17th century musical
invention.
Music is influenced by the Age of Absolutism (powerful absolutist monarchs, like Louis XIV
of France), the Scientific Revolution (scientific discoveries and technological developments),
public demand for opera, and the continuing power of religion, with Protestantism
influencing music as well as Catholicism.
The Second Half of the Renaissance
The Second Half of the Renaissance
c. 1517 - Martin Luther publishes the Ninety Five Theses starting Protestantism.
Luther composes the first Protestant hymns.
1532-34 - the Reformation Parliament (1532–1534) passed laws abolishing papal authority
in England and declared Henry VIII to be head of the Church of England.
1543 - Publication of Nicolaus Copernicus' On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres
(heliocentrism)
The Age of Absolutism begins, continues into the 18th century:
1547 - 1559 - Henry II rules France
1556 - 1598 - Philip II rules Spain
1558 - 1603 - Elizabeth I rules England
1562 - 1598 - French Wars of Religion
1568 - 1648 - Dutch War of Independence - Rise of the Dutch Republic
1577 - 1582 - The Florentine Camerata, a group of Florence intellectuals, discuss reviving
1532-34 - the Reformation Parliament (1532–1534) passed laws abolishing papal authority
in England and declared Henry VIII to be head of the Church of England.
1543 - Publication of Nicolaus Copernicus' On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres
(heliocentrism)
The Age of Absolutism begins, continues into the 18th century:
1547 - 1559 - Henry II rules France
1556 - 1598 - Philip II rules Spain
1558 - 1603 - Elizabeth I rules England
1562 - 1598 - French Wars of Religion
1568 - 1648 - Dutch War of Independence - Rise of the Dutch Republic
1577 - 1582 - The Florentine Camerata, a group of Florence intellectuals, discuss reviving
ancient Greek drama. The Camerata's musical experiments led to the devel-
opment of the stile recitativo. In this way it facilitated the composition of
dramatic music and the development of opera.
The Baroque Era
1600 - 1700 - Baroque Art & Architecture
1581 - 1638 - The scientific career of Galileo Galilei. His many experiments in physics,
with his application of mathematics, makes him one the very great scientists.
He was forced to recant his championing of heliocentrism by the Catholic
Church in the 1630s.
1607 - The premiere of Claudio Monteverdi's L'Orfeo, the first truly important opera.
1618 - 1648 - The Thirty Years' War. Fought mostly in Germany, over 5 million people died.
opment of the stile recitativo. In this way it facilitated the composition of
dramatic music and the development of opera.
The Baroque Era
1600 - 1700 - Baroque Art & Architecture
1581 - 1638 - The scientific career of Galileo Galilei. His many experiments in physics,
with his application of mathematics, makes him one the very great scientists.
He was forced to recant his championing of heliocentrism by the Catholic
Church in the 1630s.
1607 - The premiere of Claudio Monteverdi's L'Orfeo, the first truly important opera.
1618 - 1648 - The Thirty Years' War. Fought mostly in Germany, over 5 million people died.
The Peace of Westphalia, in 1648, ended religious wars in Europe.
c. 1620 - Francis Bacon publishes Novum Organum. He argued for the possibility of scientific
knowledge based only upon inductive reasoning and careful observation of events in
nature. Most importantly, he argued that science could be achieved by the use of a
skeptical and methodical approach whereby scientists aim to avoid misleading them-
selves (scientific method).
1629 - 1694 - Life of Christiaan Huygens, Dutch mathematician, physicist, engineer, astronomer,
c. 1620 - Francis Bacon publishes Novum Organum. He argued for the possibility of scientific
knowledge based only upon inductive reasoning and careful observation of events in
nature. Most importantly, he argued that science could be achieved by the use of a
skeptical and methodical approach whereby scientists aim to avoid misleading them-
selves (scientific method).
1629 - 1694 - Life of Christiaan Huygens, Dutch mathematician, physicist, engineer, astronomer,
and inventor, who is regarded as one of the greatest scientists of all time and a major
figure in the scientific revolution. He invented the pendulum clock.
1642 - 1651 - The English Civil War, Stuart Restoration: 1660 - 1668.
1643 - 1715 - The reign of Louis XIV of France, the height of absolutism ("I am the state").
The Palace of Versailles is a Baroque era model of extravagance and power.
(You can hear the extravagance in Baroque music.)
1660 - The Restoration of the Stuart monarchy in England.
1685 - J.S. Bach, G.F. Handel, and Domenico Scarlatti are born.
1688 - Publication of Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica, which defines the laws of
motion and gravity.
The Glorious Revolution - English Protestants depose Catholic King James II and
coronate William & Mary of Orange. Parliament now has more control than the
monarchy. By 1707, Scotland and Ireland come under the crown and now England
is Great Britain.
1690s - Opera seria rises to prominence.
c. 1700 - Bartolomeo Cristofori invents the piano, but it will not become popular for another
70 years.
c. 1700 - 1720 - The "golden years" of Stradivarius violin making.
The Baroque aesthetic ideal: passion, extravagance and complexity
with an underlying symmetry, order and control (the Palace of Versailles).
c. 1715 - Louis XIV dies, the Age of Absolution begins to fade.
The middle class has expanded greatly in the past 200 years. Bankers, merchants and
industrialists make good money. By 1750, public instrumental music concerts begin.
The 18th century will see a great expansion of literacy and education.
The Enlightenment is already in progress and will grow and intensify causing the American
Revolution (1775 - 1783) and the French Revolution (1789 - 1799).
c. 1720 - The Galant style of music takes hold and grows for decades as the Baroque style
fades in popularity. The Galant style morphs into the Classical style which will
reach its apex between 1770 - 1800. Neoclassicism permeates architecture,
literature, and the visual arts.
1637 - The first public opera house, Teatro San Cassiano, opens in Venice. Opera becomes
very popular among the middle class. More opera houses open in Italy, Paris and
Vienna.
very popular among the middle class. More opera houses open in Italy, Paris and
Vienna.
1642 - 1651 - The English Civil War, Stuart Restoration: 1660 - 1668.
1643 - 1715 - The reign of Louis XIV of France, the height of absolutism ("I am the state").
The Palace of Versailles is a Baroque era model of extravagance and power.
(You can hear the extravagance in Baroque music.)
1660 - The Restoration of the Stuart monarchy in England.
1685 - J.S. Bach, G.F. Handel, and Domenico Scarlatti are born.
1688 - Publication of Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica, which defines the laws of
motion and gravity.
The Glorious Revolution - English Protestants depose Catholic King James II and
coronate William & Mary of Orange. Parliament now has more control than the
monarchy. By 1707, Scotland and Ireland come under the crown and now England
is Great Britain.
1690s - Opera seria rises to prominence.
c. 1700 - Bartolomeo Cristofori invents the piano, but it will not become popular for another
70 years.
c. 1700 - 1720 - The "golden years" of Stradivarius violin making.
The Baroque aesthetic ideal: passion, extravagance and complexity
with an underlying symmetry, order and control (the Palace of Versailles).
c. 1715 - Louis XIV dies, the Age of Absolution begins to fade.
The middle class has expanded greatly in the past 200 years. Bankers, merchants and
industrialists make good money. By 1750, public instrumental music concerts begin.
The 18th century will see a great expansion of literacy and education.
The Enlightenment is already in progress and will grow and intensify causing the American
Revolution (1775 - 1783) and the French Revolution (1789 - 1799).
c. 1720 - The Galant style of music takes hold and grows for decades as the Baroque style
fades in popularity. The Galant style morphs into the Classical style which will
reach its apex between 1770 - 1800. Neoclassicism permeates architecture,
literature, and the visual arts.
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