This site introduces unknown Emanuel Bach (C. P. E. Bach). This English version was translated from Japanese one by ChatGPT.
Asked ChatGPT4o: "I think Baroque music tried to enhance emotional expression through melody by using basso continuo to limit the use of counterpoint. However, during the early Classical period, while the
Empfindsamkeit [sensitive style] was popular, why was such Baroque music considered old-fashioned?"
The reason Baroque music was considered old-fashioned during the early Classical period is due to significant changes in musical aesthetics and styles. Several factors can be considered.
In Baroque music, rich textures created by counterpoint and basso continuo were emphasized, resulting in complex musical structures. However, in the early Classical period (especially with the rise of the sensitive style and later the Viennese Classical style), music began to demand more concise and clear forms. Classical composers focused on clear main melodies and simple, harmonious flow of harmony. This is particularly related to the emphasis on sonata form and symmetry. The complex counterpoint and basso continuo of the Baroque were seen as “outdated” as music transitioned to a more balanced and emotionally rich form.
While Baroque music also pursued emotional expression, it often involved grand and dramatic styles (e.g., Bach and Handel). In contrast, the sensitive style emphasized more delicate and introspective emotional expression, with composers using simple melodies and harmonies to express more personal and intimate emotions. The simplicity in emotional expression promoted by C. P. E. Bach and other early Classical composers offered a new appeal against the complexity of Baroque music.
Basso continuo was a characteristic element of Baroque music, serving as the foundation in ensembles. However, early Classical composers abolished basso continuo in pursuit of freer and more flexible harmony and ensemble. This allowed for more diverse accompaniment and independent development of melodies. The disappearance of basso continuo contributed to the perception of Baroque music as a thing of the past.
Baroque music developed under the patronage of nobility and the church, but by the late 18th century, society and culture were changing. The rise of the bourgeoisie led to music being directed towards a broader audience. Music became part of everyday life and entertainment, leading to a preference for lighter and more accessible forms and content. The heavy style of Baroque music gradually came to be seen as incompatible with the new social environment.
Due to these reasons, the counterpoint and basso continuo that characterized Baroque music were seen as “old” in the face of the new sensibilities of the early Classical period. However, elements of Baroque music were not completely discarded, and some composers adapted its techniques to new styles.
Asked ChatGPT4o: "Although
Vivaldi">Vivaldi was a Baroque composer, it seems he realized the new style of music mentioned above. How was Vivaldiʼs music perceived during the early Classical period?"
Vivaldiʼs music, particularly melodic and with clear structures even within the Baroque era, is thought to have influenced early Classical music. However, how his music was perceived during the early Classical period is significantly marked by the fluctuation of his reputation over time.
During his lifetime, Vivaldi was widely known, especially in the fields of concertos and operas, enjoying international fame. His works, particularly concertos, were noted for their melodic and rhythmic elements, technical brilliance, and emotional expression. These elements influenced later Classical composers, and it is known that Johann Sebastian Bach arranged Vivaldiʼs works and studied his forms.
However, shortly after Vivaldiʼs death, his works were forgotten, and Baroque music itself came to be seen as outdated. Particularly in the late 18th century, during the early Classical and Viennese Classical periods, the complex counterpoint and ornate style of Baroque music were felt to be old-fashioned, and simpler, more transparent music was sought. In this trend, Vivaldiʼs music temporarily saw a decline in reputation.
Vivaldiʼs music was rarely performed and largely forgotten after his death. During the sensitive style and Classical periods, works like his concertos might have been seen as lacking in refined emotional expression, considered relics of the past.
Nevertheless, Vivaldiʼs formal innovations were not entirely ignored. Particularly his concerto form (contrast between solo instruments and orchestra) was inherited by Classical concertos. Vivaldiʼs clear ritornello form and thematic repetition are thought to have influenced later composers like Mozart and Haydn. His music had a structured clarity that shared some commonalities with the simple and clear expression of the early Classical period.
Vivaldiʼs music was reevaluated from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. Musicologists and performers began to pay attention to Baroque music again, and many of his works, including “The Four Seasons,” were revived in the 20th century. This led to his music being performed again, becoming widely known, and establishing his status as an important composer of the Baroque era.
Vivaldiʼs music was temporarily seen as outdated during the early Classical period, but his forms and techniques influenced later composers. The structure and melodic elements of his concertos resonated with early Classical music, and his contributions to music history were later reevaluated.
Asked ChatGPT4o: "I think the transition from Renaissance to Baroque music was about simplifying counterpoint to make emotional expression through melody easier. If the transition from Baroque to Classical music was about replacing counterpoint with harmony to further enhance emotional expression through melody, can these two transitions be seen as aiming in one direction?"
The view that the transitions from Renaissance to Baroque music, and from Baroque to Classical music, aimed in one direction is indeed a valid perspective in the history of music. It suggests that music gradually moved towards emphasizing emotional expression, with a shift from complex counterpoint to clearer melody and harmony, indicating a shared goal in these transitions. Below, I explain these transitions from that perspective.
In Renaissance music, counterpoint played a very important role. Polyphony (music with multiple independent voices) dominated, with each voice moving almost independently in a contrapuntal manner. The music of composers like Josquin des Prez and Palestrina was characterized by highly sophisticated contrapuntal weaving.
However, in Baroque music, the concept of “melody and accompaniment” began to be emphasized, reducing the complexity of counterpoint and focusing on emotional expression through melody. Especially with the use of monody (a single melody with accompaniment) and basso continuo, it became easier for melodies to convey emotions directly. This change aligned with the cultural demands of the time for clearer expression of emotions and passions, prominently seen in Baroque opera and cantata forms.
In the latter half of the Baroque period, emotional expression became more refined, and the relationship between melody and accompaniment developed in a more harmonious and unified manner. Particularly in the late 18th century, Classical composers began to emphasize clear musical forms based on simple harmony rather than complex counterpoint. This further highlighted melodies and allowed for more sophisticated emotional expression.
In the Classical period, harmonic progression formed the foundation of music, creating the flow of emotions. New forms like sonata form enabled dramatic development through clear harmonic progression, achieving richer emotional expression. While counterpoint did not completely disappear, composers like Haydn and Mozart used it in a more harmonically integrated manner, further advancing emotional expression.
These two transitions can be seen as aiming in a unified direction because there was a consistent goal of seeking clearer, melodic, and emotional expression in music. As music progressed from Renaissance to Baroque and then to Classical, the focus gradually shifted from complex counterpoint to simplified harmony and melody for emotional expression.
Particularly, while Renaissance music emphasized complex polyphony, Baroque music introduced monody and basso continuo to highlight melodies, and Classical music used clearer harmonic progression to construct the flow of emotions. In this sense, both transitions indeed had a unified direction, aiming to express emotions more directly and clearly through music.
In this view, it is important to note that counterpoint did not completely disappear during the Baroque period; rather, it was integrated and developed within new forms and techniques. Composers like Bach took counterpoint to its limits in the late Baroque, and later, in the time of Haydn and Mozart, counterpoint and harmony were integrated, enriching emotional expression.
The transitions from Renaissance to Baroque and from Baroque to Classical music can be seen as having a consistent goal of advancing emotional expression. Musicians of each era pursued methods to express emotions more clearly and richly, using different techniques and approaches.