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Baroque culture significantly impacted musical development in Europe, and the world still admires that periods compositions. European music of the seventeenth and first half of the eighteenth centuries, created in Italy, France, England, and Germany, is characterized by contrasting elements and differential instrumental sounds (Music of The Baroque). Harvard Baroque Chamber Orchestra performed the most fascinating and loved compositions of the period. In October 2017, they gave the anniversary appearance with six famous operas and concertos played by stringed instruments with choral accompaniment to share their honor to the early music composers (MemChurchHarvard). This paper aims to reflect on my impressions about the Chamber Orchestras performance and discuss the concerts compositions order and selection.
Harvard Baroque Chamber Orchestra included multiple famous baroque compositions and operas, thus their anniversary concert was impressive. The musicians used clarinets and stringed instruments such as violins, cellos, and double bass. They began with Handels Italian Semele and then played the French version of Sémélé by Marais (MemChurchHarvard). These two first operas caught my full attention because the variety of elements and sounds performed instead of a brusque manner made me afraid of missing an essential part of these compositions. Moreover, baroque musical concepts were not the same for Italy and France, and I understood it while listening to the Marais Sémélé with its smooth transitions between the parts and a more precise structure.
After the Semele operas versions, the choir joined the orchestra, and their first composition was Monteverdis Beatus Vir. The combination of violins, tenors, and sopranos in the baroque manner of various musical ornaments caused the chills to appear on my skin because it was the fascinating part of the concert. Monteverdi is a classical Italian composer, and Beatus Vir includes various baroque elements inherent to the nations musical preferences (Frampton et al.).
While I did not know the songs meaning, I was too inspired to cope with the lack of the meanings understanding. The music itself was loud compared to the voices, however, the choirs parts were accompanied by quieter violins background. The performance took place in a church, and the fulfilling nature of the buildings acoustics was heard even on the video record.
The choir appearances alternated with the instrumental compositions, and the orchestra performed the Concerto Grosso in D, Op.6 no.1 written by Corelli. The composition had the sharpest transitions in tempo, and I did not expect them to appear. Concerto Grosso in D is a brilliant example of baroque music because it shows how multiple rhythms and tunes can be played simultaneously and still be perceived as a harmonic melody (Walls 77). When the sounds got softer, I remained tensed due to the feeling that a loud and fast part must suddenly occur.
The next baroque composition performed by the orchestra with the choir was Welcome to All The Treasures by Purcell. The instrumental part was softer than the singing one because the choristers features included intense solo additions (MemChurchHarvard). Purcell is the most well-known baroque compositor from England of the seventeenth century, with operas and concertos that combined French and Italian musical elements (Music of The Baroque). The music changed within the plots tension that felt due to the growing intensity of the choristers loudness and the alternations between tenors, solo inclusions, and sopranos. I enjoyed that concerts performance because the opera was in English, and I got a more in-depth perception of the periods culture.
Harvard Baroque Chamber Orchestra finished the anniversary celebration by playing Vivaldis Concerto Alla Rustica in G, RV 151 . The Italian composers creations can be identified without difficulties due to the steady rhythmic transitions combined with the variety of melodies in various ornaments (Talbot). The musicians performed Concerto Alla Rustica with the most incredible intensity of the whole concert, and although it was the shortest piece, it will surely be remembered by the audience as the brightest part. I love Vivaldis compositions because of their uplifting nature; they make me want to have a life full of changes and impressive turnouts.
Baroque musics forms, rhythms, ornaments vary depending on the composers country of origin, therefore they can be interpreted as historical parts for each European nation involved. With the periods cultural development, melodies included in operas and concertos became communication tools that made the audiences understand a compositions meaning even without words (Music of The Baroque). Harvard Baroque Chamber Orchestras performance made me dive into history and think of how societies changed the culture and vice versa.
The whole concert was impressive due to the musicians and choristers high professionalism combined with the thoughtful selection and ordering of the performed compositions. I find it crucial for each student to know baroque music well because it became a foundation for many musical forms and genres that appeared in the next centuries. Compositions of Handel, Marais, Monteverdi, Corelli, Purcell, and Vivaldi are the musical treasures of humanity being loved and played by orchestras to honor the composers talents.
Works Cited
Frampton, Andrew, et al. Italian Baroque. Early Music, vol. 46, no. 4, 2018, pp. 708-711.
Harvard Baroque Chamber Orchestra presents A 20th Anniversary Celebration. YouTube, uploaded by MemChurchHarvard. 2017. Web.
Talbot, Michael. Italian Baroque music. Early Music, vol. 47, no. 2, 2019, pp. 275277.
Walls, Peter, editor. Baroque Music. Routledge, 2017.
What are The Characteristics of Baroque Music? , Music of The Baroque. Web.
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