HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

The Baroque Sonata

a composition in several movements for one to eight instruments

Composers often wrote trio sonatas, so called because they had three melodic lines: two high lines and a basso continuo. Yet the word trio is misleading, because the "trio" sonata actually involves fouor instrumentalists. There are two high instruments (commonly violins, flutes, or oboes) and two instruments for the basso continuo - a keyboard instrument (organ or harpsichord) and a low instrument (cello or bassoon).
The sonata originated in Italy, but spread to Germany, England, and France during the seventeenth century. Sonatas were played in palaces, in homes, and even in churches - before, during, or after the service. Sometimes composers differentiated between the sonata da chiesa (church sonata), which had a dignified character and was suitable for sacred performance; and the sonata da camera (chamber sonata), which was more dancelike and was intended for performance at court.

Basso continuo
(1) chords: harpsichord/orga/lute
(2) low-sounding instrument: cello/double bass/bassoon

1. sonata da chiesa: church sonata
2. sonata da camera: chamber sonata

e.g. Corelli, Vivaldi, Telemann

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