Near the end of the sixteenth century a great revival of Ancient Greek culture occurred. Painters painted pictures depicting Greek mythology and poets modeled their works after Greek poets. Back in the late sixteenth century, the upper class couldn’t show their faces in public unless they showed some sign of being retro-Greek.

The Florentine Camerata

The home of a wealthy aristocrat named Count Bardi became the meeting place for a group of prominent Greek-loving Florentine poets, composers, and musicians. This little group liked to call themselves the Florentine Camerata. Each member of the Florentine Camerata was each extremely accomplished in his individual field, yet they wanted a way to combine all of their talents into one, gigantic theatrical production. Naturally, wanting to be hip, they thought, “How would the Ancient Greeks have done it?”

Galilei gets an idea

Suddenly, an idea hit one of the members of the group. His name was Vincenzo Galilei, father of the famous astronomer, Galileo. Galilei, who had paid attention in his Ancient Civ. Class in school, recalled that back in ancient times the Greeks would perform musical plays that featured poetry, instruments, choruses, and lots of singing. “Hmmm,” Thought Galilei. “Why not recreate a modern Greek musical play?” His brow then crossed in frustration. “No! That would never work with today’s music. We use polyphony and it’s so complicated that it’s often hard to distinguish the words of the song.” A revelation occurred to Galilei. He sprang to his feet. “But who says we can’t change music? We don’t have to use polyphony in our plays. We could invent a style of music that is both beautiful and easy to comprehend!”

The Cammeratta gets inspired

Galilei and his Florentine Cammeratta friends got excited and began pacing around the room, thinking of all sorts of new musical methods that could enhance the emotional impact of the play without covering up the story line. They slammed their fists in excitement and muttered as their brains cooked up new ideas. A Cammeratta member resolutely stated, “When the singer has something to say that is vital to the plot, the orchestra should play one long, continuous note or chord so that the singer’s word’s won’t be misunderstood.” Jumping in the air, he suddenly screamed with delight, “It shall be called a recitative and it shall be sung between regular songs… which will be called arias. And the stage will be huge, and the special effects will be breath-taking, and the choruses and orchestra will be immense!!!” By now, the Florentine Cammeratta was a storm of ideas.

Homophony replaces Polyphony

The Cammeratta put their new ideas into action and developed a style of music that featured a music techniqued called homophony. Homophony wasn’t anything like polyphony. It featured a single tune supported by a harmonic instrumental background. This new form of music was less complicated, easier to understand, and more fun to whistle. It inevitably became the basis for much of the popular music of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and heralded the sound of music in the modern world.

Before long, the Florentine Camerata produced the first retro-Greek play. It was based on a popular ancient Greek myth and was titled Daphne. Although it wasn’t a smash hit, the composers of the Cammerata didn’t give up their grand vision. They continued to write more retro-Greek plays and they were eventually recognized as genius innovators of a new musical form. Their retro-Greek plays became known as opera and before long, the first successful operatic productions were being produced.

An Italian composer named Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) wrote the first successful, surviving opera. Monteverdi had great respect for the Florentine Camerata and their musical developments. Already famous as a composer of polyphony, Monteverdi decided to take the new style of homophony and create what resulted in history’s first successful opera. Monteverdi used a large orchestra and wrote the tunes to vary in sound and pitch, making it tremendously different from Renaissance music. Monteverdi’s melodies were far more emotional and his harmonies were more complex than that of the earlier music of the Renaissance. Because of its different, severe sound, this new style of music was called ‘Baroque’, which means grotesque and ugly. To the modern-day listener this may seem confusing. Baroque music doesn’t sound severe and it’s hardly emotional. Yet, to the people of the early seventeenth century, this stuff was ‘Acid-Renaissance music’.

Opera quickly spread to all corners of Europe and with it the new Baroque style replaced the polyphonic music of the past. The German composer Heinrich Schutz (1585-1672) traveled to Italy to study the art of opera composition from Claudio Monteverdi. Schutz traveled back to his homeland and introduced the Baroque style to his fellow countrymen. Although Germany had been previously viewed as a land of uncultured barbarians, the influence of Schutz ultimately gifted Germany with some of the greatest composers in history.

The Italian composer Jean Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) journeyed to France where he was employed under Louis XIV. In France, Lully molded the opera genre to please the French and thus began a tradition of French opera that would be followed by thousands, zillions, if not gazillions of famous French opera composers. French opera became known as the most light-hearted, comical, and risqué of all opera genres.

The English composer Henry Purcell (1659-1695) officially heralded opera and the Baroque style into England. Having a great respect for Italian music and the French style did not deter Purcell from creating an exclusively British sound that would ultimately inspire great British musicians of the future.

The cutting-edge of the Baroque style was still being written in Italy at the end of the seventeenth century. The composer Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) and many of his contemporaries gave instrumental Baroque music its famous sound. Corelli devised musical methods that were reckless and wild for his day, and in the process developed famous musical forms like the concerto and the sonata.

At the dawn of the eighteenth century all of Europe was bubbling with the expressive new style of Baroque music. Sacred and secular music had both been dramatically transformed. New forms of secular music were being developed like the sonata and the concerto. The popularity of opera inspired the creation of the oratorio, a sacred opera based on Biblical stories. The Renaissance music world had been replaced by the promising new world of the Baroque.

A few good Early Baroque composers to get to know

- Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643): Monteverdi composed the earliest surviving opera and is the first composer of the Baroque era. Monteverdi wrote music of an emotional depth never before explored in music.

- Heinrich Schutz (1585-1672): Educated in Italy, Schutz brought the Baroque style back to his fellow German countrymen and ultimately inspired the rise of Germany to musical greatness.

- Jean Baptiste Lully (1632-1687): The first of a long line of French Opera composers, Lully was a monumental figure in the shaping of French music in the sixteenth century.

- Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713): An esteemed Italian violinist and composer, Corelli was at the forefront of musical development, creating popular musical forms like the sonata and the concerto.

- Henry Purcell (1659-1695): The last great composer that would be produced by England for several centuries, Purcell pulled England out of the

age of the Renaissance and introduced it to the opera and the Baroque style


EARLY BAROQUE (1600-1700) Greeks become hip Near the end of the sixteenth century a great revival of Ancient Greek culture occurred. Painters painted pictures depicting Greek mythology and poets modeled their works after Greek poets. Back in the late sixteenth century, the upper class couldn’t show their faces in public unless they showed some sign of being retro-Greek. The Florentine Camerata The home of a wealthy aristocrat named Count Bardi became the meeting place for a group of prominent Greek-loving Florentine poets, composers, and musicians. This little group liked to call themselves the Florentine Camerata. Each member of the Florentine Camerata was each extremely accomplished in his individual field, yet they wanted a way to combine all of their talents into one, gigantic theatrical production. Naturally, wanting to be hip, they thought, “How would the Ancient Greeks have done it?” Galilei gets an idea Suddenly, an idea hit one of the members of the group. His name was Vincenzo Galilei, father of the famous astronomer, Galileo. Galilei, who had paid attention in his Ancient Civ. Class in school, recalled that back in ancient times the Greeks would perform musical plays that featured poetry, instruments, choruses, and lots of singing. “Hmmm,” Thought Galilei. “Why not recreate a modern Greek musical play?” His brow then crossed in frustration. “No! That would never work with today’s music. We use polyphony and it’s so complicated that it’s often hard to distinguish the words of the song.” A revelation occurred to Galilei. He sprang to his feet. “But who says we can’t change music? We don’t have to use polyphony in our plays. We could invent a style of music that is both beautiful and easy to comprehend!” The Cammeratta gets inspired Galilei and his Florentine Cammeratta friends got excited and began pacing around the room, thinking of all sorts of new musical methods that could enhance the emotional impact of the play without covering up the story line. They slammed their fists in excitement and muttered as their brains cooked up new ideas. A Cammeratta member resolutely stated, “When the singer has something to say that is vital to the plot, the orchestra should play one long, continuous note or chord so that the singer’s word’s won’t be misunderstood.” Jumping in the air, he suddenly screamed with delight, “It shall be called a recitative and it shall be sung between regular songs… which will be called arias. And the stage will be huge, and the special effects will be breath-taking, and the choruses and orchestra will be immense!!!” By now, the Florentine Cammeratta was a storm of ideas. Homophony replaces Polyphony The Cammeratta put their new ideas into action and developed a style of music that featured a music techniqued called homophony. Homophony wasn’t anything like polyphony. It featured a single tune supported by a harmonic instrumental background. This new form of music was less complicated, easier to understand, and more fun to whistle. It inevitably became the basis for much of the popular music of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and heralded the sound of music in the modern world. *The first operas* Before long, the Florentine Camerata produced the first retro-Greek play. It was based on a popular ancient Greek myth and was titled Daphne. Although it wasn’t a smash hit, the composers of the Cammerata didn’t give up their grand vision. They continued to write more retro-Greek plays and they were eventually recognized as genius innovators of a new musical form. Their retro-Greek plays became known as opera and before long, the first successful operatic productions were being produced. *Monteverdi lets the fat lady sing* An Italian composer named Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) wrote the first successful, surviving opera. Monteverdi had great respect for the Florentine Camerata and their musical developments. Already famous as a composer of polyphony, Monteverdi decided to take the new style of homophony and create what resulted in history’s first successful opera. Monteverdi used a large orchestra and wrote the tunes to vary in sound and pitch, making it tremendously different from Renaissance music. Monteverdi’s melodies were far more emotional and his harmonies were more complex than that of the earlier music of the Renaissance. Because of its different, severe sound, this new style of music was called ‘Baroque’, which means grotesque and ugly. To the modern-day listener this may seem confusing. Baroque music doesn’t sound severe and it’s hardly emotional. Yet, to the people of the early seventeenth century, this stuff was ‘Acid-Renaissance music’. *Schutz Delivers German Opera* Opera quickly spread to all corners of Europe and with it the new Baroque style replaced the polyphonic music of the past. The German composer Heinrich Schutz (1585-1672) traveled to Italy to study the art of opera composition from Claudio Monteverdi. Schutz traveled back to his homeland and introduced the Baroque style to his fellow countrymen. Although Germany had been previously viewed as a land of uncultured barbarians, the influence of Schutz ultimately gifted Germany with some of the greatest composers in history. *Lully Delivers French Opera* The Italian composer Jean Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) journeyed to France where he was employed under Louis XIV. In France, Lully molded the opera genre to please the French and thus began a tradition of French opera that would be followed by thousands, zillions, if not gazillions of famous French opera composers. French opera became known as the most light-hearted, comical, and risqué of all opera genres. *Purcell Delivers English Opera* The English composer Henry Purcell (1659-1695) officially heralded opera and the Baroque style into England. Having a great respect for Italian music and the French style did not deter Purcell from creating an exclusively British sound that would ultimately inspire great British musicians of the future. *Meanwhile, back in Italy…* The cutting-edge of the Baroque style was still being written in Italy at the end of the seventeenth century. The composer Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) and many of his contemporaries gave instrumental Baroque music its famous sound. Corelli devised musical methods that were reckless and wild for his day, and in the process developed famous musical forms like the concerto and the sonata. *Brave New Baroque World* At the dawn of the eighteenth century all of Europe was bubbling with the expressive new style of Baroque music. Sacred and secular music had both been dramatically transformed. New forms of secular music were being developed like the sonata and the concerto. The popularity of opera inspired the creation of the oratorio, a sacred opera based on Biblical stories. The Renaissance music world had been replaced by the promising new world of the Baroque. A few good Early Baroque composers to get to know - Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643): Monteverdi composed the earliest surviving opera and is the first composer of the Baroque era. Monteverdi wrote music of an emotional depth never before explored in music. - Heinrich Schutz (1585-1672): Educated in Italy, Schutz brought the Baroque style back to his fellow German countrymen and ultimately inspired the rise of Germany to musical greatness. - Jean Baptiste Lully (1632-1687): The first of a long line of French Opera composers, Lully was a monumental figure in the shaping of French music in the sixteenth century. - Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713): An esteemed Italian violinist and composer, Corelli was at the forefront of musical development, creating popular musical forms like the sonata and the concerto. - Henry Purcell (1659-1695): The last great composer that would be produced by England for several centuries, Purcell pulled England out of the age of the Renaissance and introduced it to the opera and the Baroque style



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Greeks become hip

The Florentine Camerata

Galilei gets an idea

The Cammeratta gets inspired

Homophony replaces Polyphony

A few good Early Baroque composers to get to know