Comparison Of The Uniqueness Of Baroque Era And Modern Era Music

Each era has its own unique and recognizable sounds that was started from countless composers who crafted it. Many sounds are shared by artist from the mid-eighteenth century to the modern music we listen to today. The birth of all music is placed in the hands of all composers during the Baroque era. As it stated in “What is Baroque Music?”, the “Difference between nations are often audible in music from the period, not only in the way music was composed, but also in conventions of performance” (“What is Baroque Music?”). The similarities and differences between a baroque and modern pop concert varies, starting from the conductor of an orchestra to the solo pop artist performing.

The two pieces I’ve decided to compare, and contrast are “Musica Amphion performing Christmas Concerto” by Arcangelo Corelli and the famous pop artist Drake concert performing a variety of his latest hits in London. I chose these two performances, because each one swayed me differently but yet in similar ways. The two pieces will exemplify the ways music in baroque era still exist in our artist creations today.

I enjoyed both performances by the orchestra band and Drake, because each one gave me a different feeling. While listening to the Musica Amphion perform the Christmas Concerto, I pictured myself dressed in formal attire sitting in the audience solemnly being intrigued on how each violinist having their own unique way of expressing their specific role on mastering the Corelli piece. I love the fact that it gave me a clear visual of how the harmony of the concerto will take me through various moods, and how it broadens my listening skills on the texture of a piece. The performance by Drake gave me a similar feeling, because the way he connected with the audience made me feel as if I was there screaming the lyrics with them. Drakes’ lyrics alone give me chills, because he is one of many artists that speak his words into existence.

There are a few differences between the baroque era music and the modern music we listen to today. One of the differences was the old instruments they were limited to play such as the violin, lute, cello, trumpet, and harpsichord. The music in the baroque era had a hollow texture and harmony that is a bit unfamiliar to the modern pieces we listen to today. The similarities of baroque era music and modern music repeats itself over and over again, but what modernize it is the percussions, vocalist, different types of guitars, saxophones, recording booths, and etc.

When attending a modern pop concert, you are looking forward to being entertain by the music, flickering lights, people screaming the lyrics with you, and interacting with other people. Modern era concerts change the whole perspective of how a concert will be in the baroque era. As it stated in “ What is Baroque Music”, “In the modern times, going to a concert is an event.

We hear an ad on the radio or see a listing in the newspaper; we purchase tickets; we go to a concert hall and sit quietly until it is time to applaud. In the baroque era, this kind of public concert was rare. Many of the most famous baroque compositions were performed in churches for a service, or as part of private concert of celebration in the home of a wealthy patron”. The ending result behind a modern era concert is for the audience to feel energetic, and creative rather than the baroque concert was more solemn, and was for people to enjoy the instrumentation, and melodies.

The types of people that attended a baroque era concert varies on where the concert is located. A baroque concert at a church will have an audience full of religious people worshipping in their own unique way. A baroque concert at a palace will have an audience of servants and royal people united as one sharing the enjoyment of the instrumentation and harmony of the music. The type of people who will attend a modern era concert varies on the artist, and genre. The reason people attend concerts can be for multiple reasons, but I believe the main reason is to experience being around people who share the same interest.

Technology plays a major role on how music is experience today. Technology not only altered how music it heard, but it reinforces how it sounds on an instrument. “Many church organs, for example, now use synthesized or sampled sounds rather than actual pipes; instruments are now available that have what look like piano keyboards and make what sound like piano timbres, but which are actually dedicated digital synthesizers” (Kramer). The internet allows us more access to music, videos, and ways to be a music artist yourself. The list on how to experience music now drastically changed, because technology gives us more options other than just hearing it on the radio or going to listen to it at a concert.

Baroque era music is the foundation of the modern music we listen to today. Artist will continue the trend of using other composer pieces, because it still has the same affect for their audience. “Musicians in every style today use music theory as their language and there are countless recycled chord progressions that can be traced back to the Baroque period” (Comanescu). After listening to both concerts, I will be more than honored to witness performances by artists who touched me equally.