MHST 338 Music of the High Baroque
Music of the High Baroque is an in depth exploration of repertory produced by composers such as J. S. Bach, G. F. Handel, and G. P. Telemann. During this course, we will study technical aspects of the era including genre characteristics (keyboard suites, passions, cantatas, civic music, opera, etc.) and compositional approaches (ritornello structure, fugue, da capo aria, and so on). We will also consider extra musical elements that affected artistic production: local performing conditions, politics, commerce, and the contours of individual biography. Baroque music is a repertory that has long been associated with privilege and prestige; we will interrogate the reasons this characterization persists.