Micek Music

The Baroque Period (1600-1760) The term Baroque is used to describe the style of music written from approximately 1600 to 1750. This title was originally used to describe a style of art and architecture of highly decorative and extravagant design in the 17th and 18th centuries. The elaborate detail of design during the Baroque period can also be seen in the furniture of the era. It was a time when people wore lavish clothes and ornamented themselves with ruffles, jewels, and powdered wigs. Most Baroque musicians worked as servants of a royal court, church, or town. Their music reflected their occupations. Court musicians wrote dances and music for concerts and royal ceremonies. Church musicians wrote instrumental and vocal music for church services and oratorios and masses for special occasions. Some musicians were supported by patrons who expected the composer to write music for them. Most Baroque musicians were composers, performers, conductors, and also teachers. You ca...

Johann Sebastian Bach Lived: 1685-1750 Country: Germany Most Famous Works: Too many to list! Listening Links: Toccata & Fugue in D Minor Prelude & Fugue in C Major (from The Well-Tempered Clavier ) Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (from Cantata 147 ) Suite for Cello Solo No. 1 in G Johann Sebastian Bach was a Baroque composer, organist, singer and violinist. He was a master of counterpoint , and is particularly renowned for his church music, including the famous St. John Passion and Mass in B Minor. Bach's music was "rediscovered" in the 19th century care of the "Bach revival" promoted by Felix Mendelssohn. J.S. Bach is now universally acclaimed as the unequaled giant of Baroque music, and one of the greatest musicians to ever live. Early Life of Johann Sebastian Bach J.S. Bach, was born in Eisenach, Germany on 21 March 1685. Orphaned at age 10, he went to live with his older brother Johann Christoph who gave him musical instruction on the clavichor...

George Frideric Handel Lived: 1685-1759 Country: Born in Germany, died in England Most Famous Works: Messiah (oratorio), Water Music, Music for the Royal Fireworks Listening Links: “Hallelujah” (from Messiah ) Alla hornpipe (from Water Music ) Ouverture (from Music for the Royal Fireworks ) George Frideric Handel was an English composer and violinist of German birth. He is famous for oratorio his " Messiah ," anthem " Zadok the Priest ," " Water Music Suite ," & " Music for the Royal Fireworks ." His life and music may justly be described as "cosmopolitan": he was born in Germany, trained in Italy, and spent most of his life in England. Handel received wide acclaim for his work during his lifetime. To this day he is hailed as one of the greatest masters of the Baroque period. Early Life Handel was born in Halle, Germany on February 23, 1685, the son of a barber-surgeon. His father wanted him to pursue law instead of mu...

Claudio Monteverdi Lived: 1567-1643 Country: Italy Most Famous Works: L'Orfeo (opera), Vespers for the Blessed Virgin , 9 books of Madrigals (vocal works) Listening Links: Ave Maris Stella (from Vespers for the Blessed Virgin ) Claudio Monteverdi was an Italian composer. He is most well-known for his opera La Favola d'Orfeo (The Fable of Orpheus). His lifespan stretched across the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods, and as a composer he provided crucial contributions to the early development of opera . He specialized in composing operas, madrigals, and motets. He is particularly renowned for his skillful vocal writing. Monteverdi exhibited consistent development in his abilities from his first opera, La favola d’Orfeo (The Legend of Orpheus), to his last opera, L’incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppea). The opera he wrote to follow these, Arianna , is now lost in performance except for the famous work's famous "Lament". Monteverdi is of...

Antonio Vivaldi Lived: 1678-1741 Country: Italy Most Famous Work: "The Four Seasons" ( Le Quattro Stagione ), for violin and orchestra Listening Links: (all from The Four Seasons ) Spring - 1. Allegro Summer - 3. Presto Autumn - 3. Allegro Winter - 3. Allegro Antonio Vivaldi was a prolific Italian composer, violinist and conductor. He was widely known during his lifetime by the nickname The Red Priest ( Il Prete Rosso) , owing to his flaming hair color. Early Life of Vivaldi Vivaldi was born in Venice, Italy, on March 4, 1678, the eldest son of a professional violinist. Antonio was the only one among six children to follow in their father’s musical footsteps. His father, Giovanni Battista, was originally a baker but he eventually gave up this family trade to become a musician, finding employ at St. Mark's church as a violinist. Aged 15, Vivaldi began training for the priesthood and was ordained in 1703. At this same time he was developing his own skills on the...

Domenico Scarlatti Lived: 1685-1757 Country: Italy Most Famous Works: His many keyboard Sonatas Listening Links: Sonata in E Major, “Capriccio” Domenico Scarlatti is best known for his harpsichord sonatas and as one of the most celebrated harpsichordists of his time. His most famous works are his 550 single-movement sonatas or esercizi (exercises). Early Life Giuseppe Domenico Scarlatti, Italian composer and keyboard player, was born on October 26, 1685 in Naples, the eldest son of Alessandro Scarlatti. The Scarlatti family was very musical. Two of Alessandro's brothers were famous musician/composers and his Alessandro himself was famed as an opera composer. It was only natural, then, that Domenico received his first music instruction from his father. At 16, Domenico became organist and composer at the royal chapel in Naples. Later, he went to study in Venice and, while there, became a good friend of George F. Handel. After visiting Venice and spending time in Rome (1709), ...

Henry Purcell Lived: 1659 - 1695 Country: England Most Famous Work: "Dido and Aeneas" (opera) Listening Links: Dido and Aeneas : Act III, Scene 2 Baroque English composer Henry Purcell the acknowledged greatest English composer, until the rise of Sir Edward Elgar at the end of the 19th century. He is best-known for his opera Dido and Aeneas , "The Golden Sonata," and his 1692 Ode for St Cecilia's Day, "Hail, Bright Cecilia." Purcell lived during the English Restoration period, which encompassed the return of the monarchy in 1660 and Oliver Cromwell's Puritan rule. Before the arrival of Purcell, the English didn't possess a storied musical tradition like that of other European countries such as Germany and Italy. Purcell set about putting England on the "musical map". Purcell's music is recognized for its bright spirit and sunny disposition, but his work is sometimes tempered with passages of sadness and intense emotional f...