Baroque Period?

Question

Isn't Baroque a style of music, as well at the period in history? Couldn't someone on modern days write a baroque composition?

Answer 1

Well, sort of.

The Baroque "period" encompasses the period from 1600 to 1750, the death of J S Bach. During that time, there are, in the opinion of some 3, according to others 4 or 5 distinct periods or styles of writing. So you could write like Monteverdi, Corelli, Tellemann OR Bach, Handel, Vivaldi -- what kind of Baroque piece do you wish to emmulate?

There is no all-encompassing Baroque "style".

Answer 2

The term baroque, as it applies to music, describes a piece that was written during the baroque period in history. There is also tons of visual art and architecture that is considered baroque. Someone can write a piece today in the baroque style that sounds like it is from the baroque period, but it isn't actually baroque.

Answer 3

You could certainly write a piece in the baroque style outside of the period - Grieg actually did, specifically the "Holberg Suite", however it would never be classified as a baroque piece.
Basically for a piece to be baroque it needs to come from that period. If you were to compose such a piece it would be 'modern in the baroque style.'

Answer 4

You're correct on both counts. As for modern compositions, someone can possibly compose music that has Baroque influences, or even compose music that IS baroque in style.

Answer 5

Yes, it is a style associated with Bach, Handel and Vivaldi (roughly 1650-1750). And, yes, a modern composer could write a baroque style composition. In fact music students have to write music in various styles.

Answer 6

No one yet has mentioned the whole "neo-"school. Later in the twentieth century, composers started writing pieces that were neo-Baroque, neo-Classical, or neo-Romantic. It was a way of using classic techniques (such as tonality!) to write new compositions. A famous piece of this type would be Stravinsky's Pulcinella.