Sarah+Sam's+Baroque+Woodwind,+Brass+and+stringed+instrument+Notes

Brief History:
The Baroque music period took place from approximately 1600-1750 AD. The most famous composers that are associated with this period were Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, Jean-Baptiste Lully, George Frederic Handel, Arcangelo Corelli, Claudio Monteverdi, Jean-Phillipe Rameau and Henry Purcell. In the Baroque music period we hear more musical orientation, changes in musical notation and different playing techniques.

[[image:vivialdi.jpg width="204" height="227"]] (Antonio Vivaldi) [[image:bachat35.jpg width="186" height="207"]](Johann Sebastian Bach)
Baroque Music is a beautiful mix of old instruments and new ones. As the old models of instruments were being used by composers like Bach, new models and designs were being create by many music makers across the world. The actual word Baroque means misshapen pearl in Latin, which to mean completely suits the music that this period provides. To me, composers like Vivaldi did make beautiful music but because most of the instruments weren't the best, the music wasn't completely perfect; but I wouldn't have the music any other way. Because the stringed, woodwind and brass instruments were the way they were, composers like Back and Vivaldi were able to create beautiful pieces of music like the //Four Seasons.// To understand the changes and developments of each section of a typical symphonic band, much research was required, but I was able to find out the differences and similarities of the brass, woodwind and stringed instruments of the baroque music time period.

Wood wind:
During the Baroque music period there was a complete re-haul and redesign of most of the wood wind instruments. The redesign was necessary to make the instruments more portable for the musicians and so that instruments could be more expressive in there dynamics. Part of the reason for the redesign is that composers were frustrated with the inexpressiveness of the woodwind instruments and the fact that these instruments could not play a full chromatic scale. There was a very famous family who created these instruments for the composers and their bands. This group of people were named the Hotteterre family. The Hotteterre family lived in France. The most famous member of this family was named Jaques Hotteterre. He was the most famous member of the family because not only were the instruments he made deemed incredibly well made, but he could also play them extremely well. In 1743, Jaques Hotteterre was also seincluded on a list that recorded the names of the best and most famous musicians in France. During the redesign by the Hotteterre family made a major change in there instruments by changing the tonality in woodwind instruments so that the dynamics of a piece could be played and expressed better. By changing the tonality of the instruments the Hotteterre family was able to make their woodwind instruments achieve that chromatic scale and be more expressive and play better dynamics as the baroque period required. media type="youtube" key="jEQ0N9D1NQs" width="253" height="210" (VIvaldi's oboe concerto in D minor) (Jaques Hotteterre)

Brass:
Just like the woodwinds, the brass section of symphonic bands went through a redesign as well, for many of the same reasons, but there are some differences in the remake of the brass section. For example, when some of the brass instruments were being redesigned, some of the instruments were being redesigned in France, but the majority of the redesign took place in Nuremberg, Germany. There was not a set time or person who was responsible for the rebuild because there was a few different versions of these brass instruments; no one is sure of who actually came up with the design we still use today. During the redesign of the brass section, the trumpets and the trombones went through the greatest metamorphosis. It was so strange at the time that these two instruments were being redesigned together because they were almost never played together. The trumpet was considered a more elite instrument and was considered harder and took supposedly more talent whereas the trombone was just used to double up and support the choir parts when necessary. The redesign was put into place for these instruments because they needed to be more expressive and assertive in their dynamics and well as have full chromatic scales. By the end of the remake, a design was put in place, the bells of the brass instruments were much larger and thinner, with greater flare. This design caused the brass instruments have a much bigger, brighter and 'brassier' tone quality. This redesign of the brass instruments was considered one of the biggest accomplishments in this time period and because these newer and better instruments were being introduced back into symphonic orchestra's. More concerti's and sonata's were written for them. There are still very few solo's written during this time though. It is also said that we haven't changed the design of a trumpet or trombone since said time.

media type="youtube" key="GyFv4L7M0fs" width="253" height="210" ("Echo" Glory Of Gabrieli) (Baroque Brass Instruments)

Strings:
During the baroque music period, there were very versatile stringed instruments but there was one particular instrument that was not part of a typical orchestral band. This instrument is called a lute. The lute was introduced to Europe from Arabic lands during the middle ages. The lute is very similar to our modern guitar, but to play a song the strings of a lute would have to be plucked. By the time the baroque period started in 1600 AD. The lute underwent it's last change. The lute gained bass strings to make a full chromatic scale. After this last change there was no other modifications to the lute. Even though the lute was very common, other instruments that were common as well, like the violin or the harp, underwent major changes as well. During the baroque period, The necks, fingerboards, tailpieces, bridges bass boards and sound post were all redesigned. The stringed instruments were all redesigned towards the end of the baroque period and their designs have remained relatively the same since then. An example of a common stringed instrument would be the violin. Coming out of Italy in 1500 AD., the viol is said to be an ancestor of the violin, but because the viol is fretted, it is not completely the same. Up until it's redesign at the end of the baroque period, the violin was short and fat with strings made solely of gut. The original designed was changed so that the violin could have a bigger and more brilliant tone. The violin became very popular after the redesign because composers loved the sound. A second example of a orchestral instrument is a harp. A harp is a large stringed instrument that is similar to a lute but is different because it's strings run perpendicularly to the sound box. The first appearance of the harp was in Egypt between 2000-3000 BC. Archeologists found was said to be an arched harp, a very primitive form of the harp. From this original instrument many other kinds formed but not one kind was used for a specific time of music or band. Sometime during the baroque time period the harp was also altered. A second row of strings was added so that the harp could create a full chromatic scale. Harps have not been altered much since that time.

media type="youtube" key="KFrwDNzdTnE" width="296" height="245" (Bach- Brandenburg Concertos No.6 - i: Allegro) (Lute)

Conclusion:
In conclusion, the baroque musical period was a beautiful time for music. The advances that the composers, musicians and instrument makers is truly beautiful and our world of music might be completely different without them. The ornamentation, stylistic features and changes in these instruments are interesting because, personally, I never even thought how my instrument came to be. It was just there and I played it. To learn where my instrument came from and how it came to be was engrossing because things like that never occur to us. Next time I think about my instrument I will look back on the beautifully long history of making exquisite music it has had.

media type="youtube" key="iSw7CcAXPWk" width="339" height="280" (Vivaldi's Four Seasons- Spring)

Sources:
ASW Guide to historical woodwind instruments. //Baroque woodwind instruments.// Web, Thursday April 8, 2010. Powell, Adal. Flute History.com. //Jaques Martin Hotteterre.// Web, Sunday April 25, 2010. HARMONICO101. //Vivaldi-obe concerto in D minor RV454.// Web, Sunday April 25, 2009. ASW Guide to historical Brass instruments. //Baroque and Classical Brass instruments.// Web, Thursday April 29, 2010. The Horn Corner. //“Echo” Glory of Gabrielli.// Web, Thursday April 29, 2010 ASW Guide to historical stringed instruments. //Baroque Lutes.// Web, Thursday April 29, 2010. ASW Guide to historical Stringed Instruments. //Baroque and classic String Instruments.// Web, Thursday April 29, 2010. Baroque Music. //Strings.// Web, Friday April 30, 2010. [|Bacholoji]. //Bach - Brandenburg Concertos No.6 - i: Allegro. //Web, May 1, 2010. Wintermood. //Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Spring.// Web, Saturday May 1st, 2010.