Chapter 8 Prelude: The Late Baroque Period

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Chapter 8Prelude The Late Baroque Period

• Absolutism and the Age of Science

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Key Terms

• Baroque
• Absolutism
• Age of Science
• Theatricality

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Late Baroque Timeline
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Absolutism and the Age of Science

• Age of Absolutism
• Divine right of kingsrise of absolute monarch
• Pomp and splendor of royal courts
• Age of Science
• Development of scientific method, habits of
  scientific experimentation and proof
• New understandings of natural world stimulated
  technology philosophy
• Important dualismpomp extravagance vs. system
  logic

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Age of Absolutism

• Decreasing power of Church contributed to rise of
  absolute monarchs
• King Louis XIV of France the most powerful
  monarch in European history
• Louis celebrated himself in opulent, extravagant
  art, architecture, and music
• Lesser kings and nobles emulated pomp and
  splendor of French court

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Age of Science

• Use of scientific method led to many new
  discoveries
• Theory of gravity (Newton)
• Laws of mechanics (Newton)
• Invention of calculus (Leibniz Newton)
• Telescope and microscope
• Discoveries influenced both technology and
  philosophy
• Advent of empiricismDescartes, Locke, Hume

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Art and Absolutism

• Patronage of arts rose to new heights, especially
  in France
• All aspects of French life revolved around royal
  court
• French artists expected to symbolize majesty of
  the state in their work
• Versailles the largest, most imitated palace in
  history
• Music and art also epic in scale

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The Music of Absolutism

• Music required for all aspects of court life
• Large festive orchestra (with trumpets drums)
  used to pay homage to nobles
• Opera closely associated with royal courts
• The most lavish, spectacular entertainment of the
  Baroque era
• Stories about heroes of mythology history
• Often allegorical tributes to noble patrons
• Grand amalgam of many artsmusic, drama, art,
  architecture, dance, etc.

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Art and Theatricality

• Baroque obsession with emotions emotional
  extremes
• Led to fascination with the theatre
• All arts take on a dramatic quality with
  theatrical gestures, strong contrasts
• Baroque highlights
• TheatreShakespeare, Corneille, Racine
• ArtTiepolo, Guercino, Rembrandt
• Musicinvention of opera

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Science and the Arts

• Impact of science on many arts
• In painting
• Precise, realistic use of detail perspective
  (scientific observation)
• New attention to light (optics)
• In architecture
• Symmetry geometry of palaces (Versailles)
• Human regulation of nature (formal gardens)
• In theater
• Mathematics of set design (Bibiena)

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Science and Music (1)

• Scales tuned (tempered) more precisely
• All 24 major minor scales now usable
• More systematic, logical use of harmony
• Stronger pull toward tonic
• New regularity in rhythm
• Strong beat, steady meter, repeated patterns
• Use of orderly formal schemes
• Musical time divided and filled systematically
• Allowed long pieces to retain logic, coherence

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Science and Music (2)

• Even musical expression was affected by
  scientific thought
• Emotions now analyzed classified (Descartes)
• Systematic use of specific melodic motives,
  rhythms, keys to express each emotion (Doctrine
  of Affections)
• Rational effort to maximize expression