Music is one of the performed arts which use the medium of sound both from the instruments or accompaniments and the musicians. Music also incorporates silence. Music has stood the test of time and has generally gone through various changes and modifications with each passing era. Many genres of music have emerged over the past years which are completely different from the mainstream genres such as opera, symphony or sonata. These new genres have emerged due to cultural interaction of people, mixing of main stream genres with other genres and also advancement in technology.
These changes have occurred both in space and time. The role time plays in shaping any particular music genre cannot be wished away. Such historical eras as Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, among others have greatly shaped this performed art. Each era saw the incorporation of new ideas into music genres. These eras also saw the complete or partial abandonment of some characteristics and components of these and other music genres. Some of these historical periods left indelible marks in the history of music that is still felt up to today. Each and every of these historical periods were accentuated with their own distinct musical styles too.
The Baroque period was marked by distinct styles of performed arts. Its uniqueness is as a result of religious response from the Roman Catholic Church to quell down the Protestant Reformation. The main focus for the response was to produce music and other arts aimed at producing tension, sumptuousness, liveliness and drama. This period saw the springing and thriving of various music genres like sonata and oratorio.
Opera too flourished during this period. To bring out the intended purpose of music during this era, composers such as Henry Purcell introduced the technique of repeated bass line. This period which was between the seventeenth and eighteenth century was graced by great composers and performers such as Claudio Monteverdi, Antonio Vivaldi, Domenico Scarlatti, George Philipp Telemann, and Giovanni Battista Pergolesi among others (Orrey & Milnes 215 – 250).
Even though the Classical and Renaissance periods shaped the different musical styles, the Baroque period left a profound effect not only in music but also in the other performed arts. This period affected opera, a musical style which specifically started in Italy in the sixteenth century but later spread to other parts of Europe and the world at large with passing years. Opera is a musical style which is usually performed in theatres and incorporates both drama and libretto or musical text. To achieve its set out purpose which is to entertain listeners and leave a lasting impression, opera incorporates the use of scenic theatres.
Moreover the opera singers or musicians usually act, wear classy costumes and sometimes dance (Orrey & Milnes 10 –15). To complete the musical ambience of the performance, the opera singers prefer the use of opera houses accompanied by large or smaller musical ensemble. The spread of opera throughout Europe during the sixteenth century can be credited to great composers and musicians such as Lully. He spread opera to France, Purcell to England and Schutz to Germany. However, it was Mozart who contributed in restoring the comic aspect of opera. He revived comic operas with such great works such as “The Marriage Figaro” and “The Magic Flute.”
Opera has gone through changes and experimentations in various continents and countries such as France. Contemporary opera in France was promoted by Puccini, Strauss and bel canto opera in Italy was fronted by various composers and musicians such as Bellini and Rossini among others. Other composers came up with various styles such as grand opera, minimalism and serialism. These new styles emerged not only due to mergence of various cultures and genres of music but also due to technological advancements. This has seen opera finding its way to such media outlets as radio and television. Many composers managed to write and perform opera to suit such scenarios (Orrey & Milnes 180 – 215).
Despite these various styles, opera emerged at different periods between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries which left marks that are still felt today. When opera began, it was confined to a court audience which was relatively small and in most cases comprised of the chosen few. However this changed when the use of tickets as a selection tool was introduced especially in Venice Italy in the 1600s. This period also saw the changing of venues as the performance of opera was made public and carnivals introduced. Such practices in this Baroque period are still emulated today not only in the performance of opera but also in other musical styles.
Today the performance of operas is open to all so long as the individual has a valid ticket to watch the opera. Moreover, seasonality in the performance of operas which was introduced during this period is still being practiced today. This era also saw the emergence of comedy operas which were mostly mixed with tragedy and aimed at entertaining and educating the audience at the same time. This old practice has stuck with opera composers and performers up to today (Buci-Glucksmann 37 – 50).
In addition many opera performers in the world today are mostly graduates of opera academies and schools. These schools and academies teach students opera and other genres of music. This is a tradition that began in the Baroque era when such academies as Arcadian Academy in Venice were built to promote opera. The Baroque era was characterized by the emergence of performed arts such as music. During this period opera aimed at creating a lively environment, magnificence, tension and drama. Such aspects of opera born many years ago are still present and are part and parcel of every opera performance today.
These aspects are created by the modern composers who, like many others before them, produce masterpieces packed with tension, drama and also thrilling story lines. Moreover opera performers today also incorporate dancing to add to the thrill. Many great composers of the Baroque like Verdi composed masterpieces which are still performed even in the current century. These masterpieces have also influenced the works of many composers today. (Buci-Glucksmann 37 – 50).
Many musical styles have evolved over time and this evolution has seen the emergence of new styles while other styles have been changed. However the Baroque era left marks in the musical arena that will continue to herald many more years to come. This era changed the way opera was performed, the target audience and it even saw the emergence of new styles of opera. Many performers and composers in the world today still borrow and inculcate the ideas of the Baroque era artists. Through this revolution of the Baroque era, opera today has even reached our television sets, radios and even hit the cinemas. Many governments especially Italian and United States governments have helped opera houses receive public subsidies from taxpayers’ money. Many people have also made opera their profession either as scholars of operas or opera performers.
Works Cited
Buci-Glucksmann, Christine. Baroque Reason: The Aesthetics of Modernity. New York: Sage, 1994. Web.
Orrey, Leslie and Milnes, Rodney. Opera: A Concise History (World of Art). New York: Thames & Hudson, 1987. Web.