Question 1: Describe three common features of Baroque music that distinguish it from earlier musical periods.

Answer: Baroque music often features basso continuo, use of ornamentation, and contrasting dynamics. It also frequently employs complex polyphony and expressive melodic lines.

Question 2: Identify the typical formal structures used in Baroque compositions. Provide two examples and briefly explain them.

Answer: Common structures include the fugue and the binary form. A fugue involves interweaving melodic lines based on a main theme, while binary form has two sections, A and B, often repeated.

Question 3: Explain what is meant by 'basso continuo' and describe its role in Baroque music.

Answer: Basso continuo is a continuous bass line usually played by a keyboard instrument and a bass instrument. It provides harmonic support and structure for the music.

Question 4: Listen to a piece of Baroque music and identify two features that demonstrate its use of ornamentation.

Answer: Features may include trills and mordents, which decorate the melodic line and add expressive embellishment.

Question 5: Describe the typical instrumentation of a Baroque orchestra or ensemble.

Answer: A Baroque ensemble often includes strings (violins, viola, cello), a continuo group (harpsichord or organ and a bass instrument), and sometimes woodwinds or brass for additional color.

Question 6: Sketch a simple diagram showing how a fugue's main theme (subject) might be introduced and developed in different voices.

Answer: A correct sketch would show the subject introduced in one voice, then imitated in other voices, with overlapping entries and development, illustrating counterpoint and imitation typical of a fugue.

Question 7: Compare the use of dynamics in Baroque music to that in the Classical period.

Answer: Baroque music generally features terraced dynamics with sudden shifts between loud and soft, whereas Classical music uses more gradual crescendo and decrescendo for expressive contrast.

Question 8: Identify and name a famous composer from the Baroque era and one of their well-known works.

Answer: Johann Sebastian Bach; well-known work: The Well-Tempered Clavier.

Question 9: Explain why the harpsichord was a prominent instrument during the Baroque period.

Answer: The harpsichord was widely used because of its bright, plucked string sound, and it served as the primary keyboard instrument for accompaniment and basso continuo.

Question 10: Describe the difference between a concerto grosso and a solo concerto in Baroque music.

Answer: A concerto grosso features a small group of soloists (concertino) contrasted with the full orchestra (ripieno), while a solo concerto centers around a single soloist with orchestral accompaniment.

Question 11: In your own words, explain the importance of the 'affect' or emotional expression in Baroque music.

Answer: The 'affect' refers to the emotional mood conveyed by the music, which composers aimed to express vividly through melody, harmony, and rhythm to evoke specific feelings in listeners.