Instrumental Music
Baroque (1600-1750)
3 min readLast updated November 2026
Table of contents
- "Cum Sancto Spiritu”
- Fugue in C minor, BWV 847
- St Matthew Passion BWV 244
- Dixit Dominus
- Music for the Royal Fireworks
- And the Glory of the Lord from "Messiah”
- Henry Purcell
- "Rejoice in the Lord always" (Bell Anthem)
- Dido's Lament (Dido and Aeneas)
- Vivaldi
- The Four Seasons, Spring (1st movement)
- Gloria in D (Opening Movement)
J.S. Bach
"Cum Sancto Spiritu”
Detail
- Complex fugal counterpoint featuring a subject in the tenors followed by a tonal answer at the fifth in the altos, establishing a dense polyphonic SATB texture.
- Extended melismatic divisions on the word “Amen” utilizing rapid semiquaver runs to emphasize the celebratory nature of the D major tonality.
- Stretto entries of the fugue subject occurring at half-bar intervals toward the climax to intensify the contrapuntal momentum before the final cadence.
Fugue in C minor, BWV 847
Detail
- A three-voice fugal exposition where the soprano introduces the subject followed by the alto providing a real answer at the fifth.
- Use of invertible counterpoint within the episodes, allowing the subject and countersubject to switch positions between the bass and upper voices.
- Successive 7–6 suspensions in the final bars over a tonic pedal to create harmonic tension before the final cadence.
St Matthew Passion BWV 244
Detail
- Double chorus SATB orchestration providing an antiphonal texture that enhances the dramatic dialogue and liturgical weight of the narrative.
- Word painting via a descending chromatic line in the basso continuo to represent the physical and spiritual suffering of the crucifixion.
- Basso continuo accompaniment featuring a figured bass for organ and cello to provide the harmonic foundation for the recitative sections.
Handel
Dixit Dominus
Detail
- Vigorous homophonic blocks in the choral writing that contrast with intricate polyphonic sections to highlight specific liturgical proclamations.
- Rising melodic sequences by a second in the violins that drive the harmonic motion toward the dominant key of A major.
- A ground basslike repetition in the lower strings that provides a stubborn rhythmic drive underneath shifting vocal harmonies
Music for the Royal Fireworks
Detail
- Grand double-dotted rhythms in the opening overture, characteristic of the French Overture style, to evoke a sense of regal ceremony.
- Terraced dynamics created by the alternation between the full brass-heavy ripieno and smaller woodwind groupings.
- Prominent use of diatonic harmony with strong primary chords (I, IV, V) to suit the outdoor acoustic and the celebratory nature of the D major key.
And the Glory of the Lord from "Messiah”
Detail
- Distinctive hemiola figures at cadence points where the triple metre feels like a duple metre, signaling the approach of a structural close.
- SATB choral texture alternating between monophonic unison statements and four-part homophony to ensure clarity of the sacred text.
- Motivic imitation at the octave between the tenors and sopranos, creating a bright, layered texture that reinforces the joyful mood.
Henry Purcell
"Rejoice in the Lord always" (Bell Anthem)
Detail
- An opening instrumental sinfonia featuring descending scale patterns in the strings, mimicking the pealing of bells through repetitive sequences by a third.
- A verse anthem structure that contrasts a trio of soloists with the full SATB choir to vary the textural density.
- Frequent 4–3 suspensions at internal cadences to provide traditional English harmonic poignancy within a major key framework.
Dido's Lament (Dido and Aeneas)
Detail
- A five-bar chromatic ground bass (lamento bass) that descends by semitones, creating a relentless sense of tragic inevitability.
- Word painting on the word “laid” featuring a low-register vocal setting followed by a silence to signify death and burial.
- The use of appoggiaturas on strong beats to lean into the dissonant harmony, emphasizing the expressive pathos of the aria.
Vivaldi
The Four Seasons, Spring (1st movement)
Detail
- Ritornello form featuring a recurring energetic theme in E major that alternates with soloistic episodes depicting birdsong and storms.
- Virtuosic ornamentation in the solo violin, including rapid trills and mordents, used to imitate natural sounds within a programmatic context.
- Terraced dynamics where phrases are repeated immediately at a lower volume (echo effect) to provide structural articulation.
Gloria in D (Opening Movement)
Detail
- Persistent octave leaps in the basso continuo and strings that provide a driving, rhythmic energy typical of the Italian Baroque style.
- Syllabic choral writing in the SATB parts to ensure the text "Gloria" is delivered with maximum clarity and rhythmic impact.
- A modulatory scheme that moves swiftly from the tonic D major to the dominant A major through a series of circle-of-fifths sequences.