THE NOVA BAROQUE ENSEMBLE
Baroque Repertoire
MUSIC THAT MATTERS
Like all great art forms, classical music is more than the sum of its parts. It has endured as a visceral projection of our self awareness. Classical music represents the mission of all great art and artists; the ability to open new collective possibilities by influencing that which follows. Today, Composers from the Baroque period are celebrated for providing us with some of the most beautiful and influential musical contributions known to western society. Whether you are a music student, love of music, music industry person or want to be any of these…music history matters. Our mission is simply to bring the wonderful music and style of the Baroque era closer to a 21st century audience. Rich in traditional style, our Signature Baroque concerts offer more than just beautiful music. The Musicians perform in full Baroque costume and powdered wigs. This live musical experience is visually enhanced to evoke the aristocratic splendor of 17th and 18th century Europe. What's more, a Master of Ceremonies introduces the musical works with a poetic historical monologue. These narratives not only complement, but serve to both inform and dramatize the overall musical experience.
THE BAROQUE PERIOD : 1650 - 1750
The music of the Baroque Period is even more popular today than it was four hundred years ago. Thanks to the instant access to a nearly infinite catalog of music from all over the world, this timeless musical style enchants and delights millions of listeners each year.
JOHANN PACHELBEL
Pachelbel’s music is considered by many to be stylistically related to J.S. Bach’s. Popular Works: Pachelbel Canon, Chaconne in F minor, and Toccata in C minor for organ
ANTONIO VIVALDI
Vivaldi wrote over 500 concertos and is believed to have invented ritornello form (a theme returning throughout the piece). However, much of Vivaldi’s music lay “undiscovered” until the early 1930’s; this newly discovered music earned Vivaldi the title “The Venetian Counterpart to Bach and Handel.”
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
Bach was a genius keyboardist (mastering the organ and harpsichord) and brilliant composer. Bach brought baroque music to its culmination, writing music for nearly every type of musical form.
GEORGE PHILIPP TELEMANN
A good friend of both Bach and Handel, George Philipp Telemann was also a distinguished musician and composer of his time. Telemann’s incorporation of unusual instrumentation in his concertos is one of the things that that made him unique.
Popular Works: Viola Concerto in G, Trio Sonata in C minor, and the Paris Quartets
ARCANGELO CORELLI
Arcangelo Corelli was an Italian teacher, violinist, and composer. Corelli’s mastery of the tone of the newly invented violin earned him great reviews throughout Europe. He is coined to have been the first person to create basic violin technique. Popular Works: Concerto Grossi, Christmas Concerto, and Sonata de camera in D min
DOMENICO SCARLATT
Domenico Scarlatti, son of Alessandro Scarlatti (another well-known baroque composer), wrote 555 known harpsichord sonatas, of which, over half was written in the last six years of his life. Scarlatti made use of Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish dance rhythms throughout many of his works. Popular Works: Essercizi per Gravicembalo (sonatas for harpsichord)
HENRY PURCELL
Within a lifetime of only thirty-five years, Purcell achieved musical greatness by being considered one of England’s greatest composers and the most original composer of his time. Purcell was extremely talented in word-setting and composed very successful works for stage. Popular Works: Dido & Aeneas, The Fairy Queen, and Sound the Trumpet
JEAN-PHILIPPE RAMEAU
A French composer, Jean-Philippe Rameau’s music was known for its bold melodic lines and harmonies. Aside from harpsichord, Rameau’s greatest contribution to music was in tragédie lyrique opera. His wide use of moods and musical colors were beyond those of his counterparts. Popular Works: Hippolyte et Aricie and Castor et Pollux, Trait, and Les Indes galantes
THE CLASSICAL PERIOD : 1730 - 1820
The Classical period falls between the Baroque and the Romantic periods. During the Classical period, music had moved dramatically away from the dense, intricate compositional style of the Baroque toward clearer melodic lines and accompaniment.
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART : 1756–1791
A prolific artist, Austrian composer Wolfgang Mozart created a string of operas, concertos, symphonies and sonatas that profoundly shaped classical music.