Italy was without a doubt Europe's cultural fulcrum during the Renaissance. Literature, philosophy, and painting flourished in the warm light of humanism, infused with the newly rediscovered ideas and ideals of ancient Greece and Rome. The musical world was a little... [more]

Italy was without a doubt Europe's cultural fulcrum during the Renaissance. Literature, philosophy, and painting flourished in the warm light of humanism, infused with the newly rediscovered ideas and ideals of ancient Greece and Rome. The musical world was a little slower to catch on. In the late sixteenth century, however, a group of Florentine intellectuals called the Camerata -- the Italian equivalent of "salon" -- began to discuss the state of vocal music: were the words more important than the music? The Camerata spokesman, Vincenzo Galilei (father of the revolutionary astronomer), soon published a manifesto; it stated that vocal music was too cluttered, and that it should be revamped on the model of classical Greek music (as they imagined it to have been). The new style that emerged was called monody; it involved a clear, distinct, usually vocal melody with a non-invasive instrumental harmony. The greatest Italian composer of the day, Claudio Monteverdi, soon produced a work called "Orfeo," which followed the Camerata's suggestions. Opera was born, and Italy fell in love. Baroque music was founded on these same principles. Was is characterized by basso continuo, an unceasing line of harmony played by one or two bass-range instruments. The treble was allowed plenty of room to breathe, and was placed squarely in the spotlight. The soloists who sang or played these melodies thus had opportunities to show off, and composers complied, encrusting the treble lines with all kinds of ornamentation. Rhythm in baroque music was far more regular than in previous styles. Bars and metrical designations were introduced; music theory in general was refined and perfected. As the Italian style infiltrated Europe, new forms came into being: the concerto and the sonata were invented and popularized; the toccata (a free-form virtuosic showpiece) and the fugue (a piece in strict counterpoint) became staples of the organist's repertoire. Among those who inherited Monteverdi's legacy were: Jean-Baptiste Lully, who brought opera to France; Henry Purcell, who tried to do the same in England; the eternally popular Antonio Vivaldi; and the two German giants, Johann Sebastian Bach, and George Frideric Handel. [show less]