Musical instruments used inBaroque music were partly used already before, partly are still in use today, but with no technology.[1] The movement to perform music in ahistorically informed way, trying to recreate the sound of the period, led to the use of historic instruments of the period and to the reconstruction of instruments.
The following table lists instruments, classified asbrass instruments,woodwinds,strings, andbasso continuo. The continuous bass is played by a group of instruments, depending on the given situation. Many instruments have an Italian or French name which is used as a common name also in English. The use of instruments by composers is shown in examples mostly byJohann Sebastian Bach.
| Common name | Baroque era name | Type | Plural | Baroque era plural | Example of use by Bach | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| trumpet | tromba | it | brass,trumpet | trumpets | trombe | Cantata No. 172 | see alsoBaroque trumpet |
| tromba da tirarsi | tromba da tirarsi | it | brass,trumpet | trombe da tirarsi | |||
| high trumpet | clarion | it | brass,trumpet | clarini | |||
| trombone | trombone | it | brass,trombone | trombones | tromboni | ||
| sackbut | sackbut | it | brass, trombone | ||||
| horn | corno | it | brass,horn | horns | corni | ||
| corno da caccia | corno da caccia | it | brass, horn | corni da caccia | |||
| corno da tirarsi | corno da tirarsi | it | brass, horn | corni da tirarsi | |||
| lituus | lituo | it | brass,lituus | lituuses | litui | ||
| serpent | serpent | it | brass | serpents | serpentii | ||
| timpani | timpani | it | percussion | Christmas Oratorio | used with trumpets | ||
| recorder | flauto (dolce) | it | woodwind,recorder | recorders | flauti (dolci) | Cantata No. 39 | |
| descant recorder | flauto piccolo | it | woodwind,recorder | flauti piccoli | Cantatas No. 96 andNo. 103 | ||
| flute | flauto traverso | it | woodwind,Wooden, Single Key | transverse flutes | flauti traversi | ||
| clarinet | clarinette | it | woodwind, clarinet | clarinets | clarinetti | ||
| chalumeau | chalumeau | it | woodwind, clarinet | chalumeau | chalumeax | ||
| oboe | oboe | it | woodwind,oboe | oboes | oboi | ||
| oboe d'amore | oboe d'amore | it | woodwind,oboe | oboes d'amore | oboi d'amore | ||
| tenor oboe | taille | fr | woodwind,oboe | tailles | |||
| oboe da caccia | oboe da caccia | it | woodwind,oboe | oboes da caccia | oboi da caccia | ||
| bassoon | fagotto | it | woodwind,bassoon | bassoons | fagotti | ||
| contrabassoon | contre-fagotto | it | woodwind, bassoon | contrabassoons | contre-fagotti | ||
| violin | violino | it | string,Baroque violin | violins | violini | ||
| violin piccolo | violino piccolo | it | string,violin | violini piccoli | Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 | main violin | |
| viola | viola | it | string,viola | violas | viole | ||
| cello | violoncello | it | string,cello | celli | violoncelli | ||
| violoncello piccolo | violoncello piccolo | it | string,cello | violoncelli piccoli | |||
| viola d'amore | viola d'amore | it | string,viola | viole d'amore | |||
| viola da gamba | viola da gamba | it | string,viol | viole da gamba | St John Passion Aria "Es ist vollbracht!" | Basso continuo, but sometimes solo | |
| violetta | violetta | it | string,viola | violette | |||
| violone | violone | it | string,viol | violono | |||
| organ | organo | it | key,organ | organs | organi | ||
| carillon | carillon | it | key,pitched percussion | carillons | carillon | ||
| harpsichord | cembalo | it | key,harpsichord | harpsichords | cembali | ||
| lute | liuto | it | plucked string,lute | lutes | liuti | ||
| theorbo | chitarone | it | plucked string, lute | theorboes | chitaroni | ||
| continuo | basso continuo | it | bass group |
The typical orchestra of the Baroque period was based on string instruments (violin,viola) andcontinuo.[2] A continuous bass was the rule in Baroque music; its absence is worth mentioning and has a reason, such as describing fragility.
The specific character of a movement is often defined by wind instruments, such asoboe,oboe da caccia,oboe d'amore,flauto traverso,recorder,trumpet,horn,trombone, andtimpani.
For Bach, some instruments carried symbolic meaning such as a trumpet, the royal instrument of the Baroque, for secular and divine majesty: three trumpets for theTrinity. In arias, Bach often usedobbligato instruments, which correspond with the singer as an equal partner. In his early compositions he used instruments that had become old-fashioned, such asviola da gamba andviolone.
Thebasso continuo, or short: continuo, the typical bass group of the period, consisted of a group of instruments, depending upon the other instruments playing and the performance location. A group may consist ofcello,double bass (an octave lower) andorgan. A bassoon is typically playing when other wind instruments are called for. While anorgan will be played in church, a harpsichord will be used in secular surroundings.
The trumpet is the royal instrument of the Baroque, representing secular and divine majesty. Three trumpets symbolize theTrinity in an aria of Bach'sBWV 172, addressing the "Heiligste Dreifaltigkeit" (Most holy Trinity), where the bass voice is accompanied only by three trumpets and timpani.
Recorders (flauti dolci) are sometimes used to express humility or poverty, such as in Bach's cantataBrich dem Hungrigen dein Brot, BWV 39.
Bach used a flauto piccolo (what flauto?), a highrecorder in F ("descant recorder" or "sopranino recorder"), to express for example the sparkling of the morning star inHerr Christ, der einge Gottessohn, BWV 96.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
