17th+Century+Music+and+Art


 * __17th Century Music and Art by Peter Kuo

Introduction__**

In terms of the arts, the 17th Century is better known as the [|Baroque Era], when music, art, literature, and architecture in Europe are all heavily influenced and directed by the Roman Catholic Church. The Baroque movement began in Italy but gradually spread throughout the entire Europe. Baroque style is characterized by a sense of drama and ornate artwork with great focus on details.


 * __History of Baroque__**

The term Baroque is derived from the Italian word barocco, a term used to describe an obstacle in schematic logic. Some others believe the term is derived from the Protuguese word "barroco", meaning rough or imperfect pearl. Now, the term is used to mean something is "elaborate" or "detailed."

In order to [|counter Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation], at the [|Council of Trent] the Roman Catholic Church decided that the arts should communicate religious themes in direct and emotional involvement. The church adopted a conscious artistic program whose art products would make emotional and sensory appeal to the faithful. Dramatic and illusory effects were used to stimulate the churchgoer's piety and devotion and convey the splendor of the divine.

In addition, the absolute monarchies and the rise of the middle class during the 17th century also fueled the Baroque movement. Powerful rulers aim to construct palaces of monumental scale as a means to display the power and grandeur of the state. Rulers cultivated the arts, especially the English King William and Queen Mary II.


 * __Baroque Art__**

The art of Baroque intermingles naturalism and classicism, with its paintings being the most famous. Baroque paintings feature realistic drawings with great emphasis on details. Some of the famous painters include Peter Paul Rubens, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Diego Velaquez, and Johannes Vermeer.

One of the first artist of Baroque art is Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1570-1610), an Italian artist labeled as a "rebel". He was known for an uncompromising representation of people and objects from life, intense and theatrical lighting, and strong foreshortening.

Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) is perhaps the best representation of Baroque art. He is famed for painting full-figured women, which gave rise to the term Rubenesque for plus-sized women. His most famous paintings inclue "the Fall of Man", "the Assumption of the Virgin Mary", However, several of "his" paintings were actually not done by him. His work can be divided into three types: the ones he painted, the ones he painted partially (usually the face, hand,...etc.), and the ones he supervised. Diego Velázquez (1599-1660) was a Spanish painter and head artist of Spain's King Philip IV. Velázquez is most famous for his painting [|Las Meninas] (translation: the maids of honor), a painting drawn from the viewpoint of the King and the Queen looking at their daughter, her servants, and Velázquez himself. This painting had been intensely studied by artists throughout the centuries following its creation.


 * __Baroque Architecture__**

Baroque architecture, as with most other forms of Baroque artwork, focuses on outwards display capable of inspiring emotions and is heavily influenced by the Catholic counter-reformation movement. In addition, the rulers of the age demand architecture that serve as visible display of their wealth and power, the most notable example being the famed Palace of Versailles constructed by King Louis XIV of France, also known as the Sun King.

Some defining features of Baroque architecture include dramatic use of light, large scale ceiling frescoes, illusory effects, and opulent use of ornaments.


 * __Baroque Music__**

The Baroque era of music refers to the period between the [|Renaissance and Classical music eras]. The term baroque was first used to refer to art and architecture but was later extended to music as well. It is associated with composers such as Claudio Monteverdi, Antonio Vivaldi, George Frideric Handel, Arcangelo Corelli, Tomaso Albinoni and Johann Sebastian Bach. As with nearly everything else associated with the Baroque era, Baroque music relied, and is therefore heavily influenced, on the patronage of the Church or the State.

Certain instruments that reached the peak of their development during the Baroque era include the organ, violin, and certain other string instruments. Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) was a music composer as well as a Venetian priest, hence his nickname "//il Prete Rosso//", the Red Priest. His best known work is The Four Seasons, which is also one of the most popular pieces of Baroque music. His style features a flamboyant exuberance. His music sought to appeal to the wide public rather than the intellectual elite.

media type="file" key="19Seasons2.mp3" "Winter" from The Four Seasons by Vivaldi

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was a German composer who worked in both the religious and secular spheres of music. It is said that Bach brought Baroque music to its ultimate maturity. He combined the German style of music with several other, including Italian and French. His works were revered for their intellectual depth, technical command, and artistic beauty. However, while Bach was alive, he was known for being a skilled organist instead of composer.

media type="file" key="901Goldbergs1.mp3" Goldberg Variations by Bach

1. In the terms of art, what is the 17th century also known as? 2. The Counter-Reformation movement was a movement of Roman Catholic Church against what? 3. In which meeting did the Roman Catholic Church decide to begin communicating religious themes through art? 4. For what was Velázquez known for? 5. Which two periods of music is Baroque Music in between?
 * __Scavanger Hunt__**

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