Helps for students and teachers

Style and Form

Baroque music is performed in a different style from Classical and Romantic-era music.

Ornamentation such as trills are played differently than music of later eras. A good way to learn the Baroque style is to listen to outstanding performances by artists using original instruments and techniques. Ornamentation may be applied freely, even if not written out by the composer. For examples of appropriate Baroque ornamentation, see the web links and book titles below. Many other articles can be found by searching the web.

Polyphony is found in many Baroque compositions. Each voice of a fugue, for instance is equally important, not just the upper voice. Inventions are another form of polyphony. The delight of well-performed polyphonic music is in hearing the theme introduced and developed in each part.

Dance suites are common in the Baroque Era. These consist of multi-movement works, each with the title of a popular dance of the era. Gavottes, Allemandes, Courantes, Sarabandes, and Gigues are all examples of dance movements. Each has a tempo and style characteristic of the dances of the 17th and 18th centuries. The repeats indicated in dances are always observed, because they preserve the form of the dance.

Concertos are compositions for a solo instrument and accompaniment. The accompanist is a partner with the soloist, and should play in the same style. Listen to an original version of the concerto played with orchestra in order to determine dynamics for the accompaniment.

There are many more Baroque forms. If you do a little research you can learn much about how to perform your piece in the correct style. The following are just a few of many websites and books available.

Baroque performance links

General Overview:

Ornamentation:

A simple primer on Baroque dance suites:

The Baroque Concerto:

Helpful Book Titles

Baroque Music, Style and Performance: A Handbook by Robert Donington

The Interpretation of the Music of the XVIIth and XVIIIth Centuries by Arnold Dolmetsch

Is this composer from the Baroque Era?

The Baroque era dates from approximately 1600 to 1750. However, composers did not suddenly stop writing baroque music in 1751. The roots of the following Classical Era (such as Mozart and Haydn) were evident long before 1750. Some composers were writing in the classical style well before 1750.

To find a classification for a composer:
Go to Wikipedia.org. Type in the name of the composer. Scroll to the bottom of the page for links to categories. “Baroque Composer” should be listed. A few may be listed as both Baroque and Classical.

For “transition composers” who may have written in either style go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Classical_era_composers#Early_Galante_era_composers_.E2.80.93_Transition_from_Baroque_to_Classical_.28born_before_1710.29

If you find that a composer is transitional, please ask further advice from your teacher to classify your piece properly. Do not choose pieces by composers who are classified as “Classical” composers, even if they lived or wrote before 1750.

There are many other web resources to help you classify composers. Simply type the composer's name into your browser and search the various entries for more information. Compositions not of the Baroque era will be disqualified!

Watch your “Bachs.”
J.S. Bach, a Baroque composer, was the father of composers J.C. Bach, and C.P.E. Bach, among others. His sons are CLASSICAL era composers. Please research the composer of your piece, even if you are sure he is a Baroque-era composer. Many composers have similar names and are easily confused.

Accompanists
An otherwise outstanding performance can be diminished by a poor accompanist. It is difficult for a jury to judge your audition if the accompaniment is inferior to your performance. You should seek an experienced accompanist to complement your performance. Please ask your teacher to listen to your performance with your accompanist. The accompanist should not overpower the soloist, and should play in the Baroque style. If your chosen piece is written with accompaniment, you should perform it at the audition with an accompanist.