In what ways do the musical developments of the baroque North reflect a new direction in Western musical tradition? Cite specific examples.

1. It made changes in musical notation.

2. It develop new instrumental playing techniques.

3. Baroque music expanded the size, range, and complexity of instrumental performance, and also established opera, cantata, oratorio, concerto, and sonata as musical genres.

4.

The music of the period reflects the decorative art in the use of ornamentation to embroider melodies. Thick and complex polyphonic texture prevails in many composers works ... The two best known Baroque composers are Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frederick Handel, both Germans.

Explanation:

The Baroque style used contrast, movement, exuberant detail, deep colour, grandeur and surprise to achieve a sense of awe. The style began at the start of the 17th century in Rome, then spread rapidly to France, northern Italy, Spain and Portugal, then to Austria, southern Germany and Russia. By the 1730s, it had evolved into an even more flamboyant style, called rocaille or Rococo, which appeared in France and Central Europe until the mid to late 18th century.

The gradual development of functional, hierarchical tonality. The significant increase in the amount and sophistication of instrumental music, apart from the dance and vocal accompaniment. Suites, sonatas, and concertos become the most important types. Increased standardization of instruments in Western Europe.

Example:

The Medieval Era (500 CE - 1450 CE)

Sieges, famine, and internal disputes caused the ancient world to crumble, giving way to the Middle Ages. Almost all technological advances vanished when Rome fell. Without effective leaders to organize such complex societies, many people grew poor and lived in relatively isolated villages. Life was difficult, and the primary focus was survival. Few people had the time or desire to make music. However, one bright spot in the dark world of the Medieval Era was the stability provided by the Church.

Church leaders recognized the power of music and began using it in as a tool for meditation and prayer. This religious music was called plainchant, and it consisted of a single melody sung in Latin, the language of the church. Because musical instruments were associated with the pagan culture of the Greeks and Romans, Church leaders did not approve of their use. Therefore, all plainchant was unaccompanied vocal music, which became known as a cappella, a term that basically means 'in the style of the chapel.'

The most famous type of plainchant in this era was Gregorian chant, developed under Pope Gregory the Great and sung by Gregorian monks. Gregorian monks also created one of the first standards for musical notation known as neumes, or symbols and shapes meant to represent specific pitches. These notes are the forebearers of today's musical notation systems. It wasn't until late in the Medieval Era that music began to get more complex than this, with the rise of polyphony, or when two or more melodies are played at the same time to create a unified sound.

The Renaissance Era (1450 CE - 1600 CE)

Renaissance means 'rebirth,' and in the Renaissance Era, people rediscovered the ideas and technologies of the ancient world. Society developed into more distinct social classes, and educated citizens were expected to be proficient in music. The advent of printing allowed music to become increasingly accessible, and a wide variety of styles and genres of music emerged as composers started sharing ideas. Renaissance composers developed the single-melody plainchant by combining several complex melodies at once, and some upper-class citizens hired musicians and composers as resident members of their courts. Secular music thrived during this era and was often played by small groups of musicians known as consorts.

Polyphonic sound thrived during this time period as well, which can be seen in the multi-melodic work of Du Fay. However, music meant for the church continued to be popular, and composers like Monteverdi wrote religiously inspired yet polyphonically conservative pieces such as the famous Vespers for the Blessed Virgin.