HIGH BAROQUE

(1700-1750)

The Baroque reaches new heights

The High Baroque was a time that brought Baroque music to its most developed stage.  It is here that we find the Baroque era’s most famous tunes and its most famous composers. Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Handel’s Messiah, and J.S. Bach’s Toccata and Fugue were all written during this rich period of musical history.  The theme to Masterpiece Theater and the opening music to CBS Sunday Morning are also from the High Baroque.    

New rules established

Significant changes in composition style took place in the High Baroque.  Virtuosos (talented soloists) were growing in popularity by the beginning of the High Baroque, and musical forms that had first emerged in the Early Baroque were now designed so that virtuosos could show off their talent.  Many operas, concerti, and sonatas were now written with a particular singer or instrumentalist in mind. 

The distinctions between sacred and secular music grew blurry during the High Baroque. Many sacred works incorporated dance-like instrumental pieces and it was not uncommon for religious works (like Handel’s Messiah, for example) to receive wide popularity inside and outside of the church.

Italian Music in the High Baroque

The countries that played important roles in the Early Baroque continued to be major players in the High Baroque.  Italy remained the musical center of the world.  Music lovers from all over Europe traveled to Italy to experience the latest styles and music techniques.  Two of the most notable Italian composers that lived during this time were Antonio Vivaldi (1679-1741) and the keyboard-genius Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757).  Both were revered and respected composers in their day.

The English Sound

England failed to produce any substantial homegrown composers in the eighteenth century, but the German composer George Frederic Handel (1685-1759) managed to capture the essence of the 18^th century British spirit in his music and the English people adored him.  When his music was played, London thoroughfares were known to halt and create enormous traffic jams.

Germany takes Baroque music to the limit

During the High Baroque, Germany produced some of history’s most prolific and talented composers.  The German composer Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) practically spent his every waking moment writing music.  Over his lifetime, Telemann wrote over 4,000 compositions, more than any other composer in history. 

Another German composer, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), is known as the greatest composer of the Baroque Era (some even say the greatest composer in history).  Bach has been named the Titan of Western music, and his music proves it.  Inspired by his profound faith in Christ, Bach used his magnificent musical skill to create extraordinarily flawless, passionate compositions.  Bach explored new frontiers with his music.  By the end of his life, Bach had taken the Baroque style to its farthest limits.  He had thoroughly exhausted the Baroque system.  Fortunately, Bach trained his children to become composers, and they became the founding fathers of the next musical era, the Classical era.

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