The Baroque period is known for greatly influencing European history and culture. In the following essay, the influence of the era on music will be reviewed. Two musical pieces will be used for that specific goal: Vivaldi’s Spring Concerto and Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto. After listening to the two works, I will review the characteristics which I think may have affected these two creations.
There is one concerning feature which is not to be ignored when discussing the music of that time. During this era, musicians had to accentuate the needs of the political or religious institution they worked for if they were fortunate enough to be employed by one. This means that while the works may seem rather creative, the musicians were most likely driven by the requests of their employers rather than their personal inspiration.
I find Bach’s and Vivaldi’s Concertos to be quite different in nature. First, I will review the latter work, as it is more unusual from my perspective. The melody is quite alluring and instantly catches the listener’s attention. It starts with a constantly changing tune and sounds quite vibrant and lively. Usually, this could have been interpreted as a flaw, but as time has shown, this feature worked in its favor. Thus, I think that Vivaldi’s concerto was heavily influenced by the theatricality of the Baroque era.
On the other hand, Bach’s Concerto has a more conservative mood. While it does have a certain degree of experimentation in the melody, it is less grotesque. On the one hand, this may be a positive quality, as classical music is usually praised for its calmer sound. On the other, when comparing it with Vivaldi’s work, especially closer to the end of the melody, the more relaxed sound is the former’s disadvantage, as it makes the creation seem more mundane. The length of the concerto emphasizes the restrictive nature of the piece. In conclusion, I find that the work was most likely influenced by absolutism, as it does not challenge the listener with unusual qualities and focuses on previously approved features.