Baroque Instruments (c. 1600–1750) are Musical instruments used in Baroque music. They were partly used already before, partly are still used today, but with no technology. The movement to perform music in a historically informed way (HIP), 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 as brass, woodwinds, strings, keyboard, and basso continuo. 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 by Johann Sebastian Bach.
Table of instruments Common name Baroque era name Type Example of use by Bach Notes trumpet(s) (pl) it brass, trumpet Cantata No. 172 tromba da tirarsi trombe da tirarsi (pl) it brass, trumpet high trumpet clarini (pl) it brass, trumpet trombone(s) tromboni (pl) it brass, trombone sackbutsackbutitbrass, trombone horn(s) corni (pl) it brass, horn corno da caccia corni da caccia (pl) it brass, horn corno da tirarsi corni da tirarsi (pl) it brass, horn lituus(es) litui (pl) it brass, lituus serpent(s)serpent serpentii (pl)itbrass timpani it percussion Christmas Oratorio used with trumpets recorder(s) pl it Cantata No. 39 descant recorder (pl) it woodwind, recorder flute(s) (pl) it woodwind, Wooden, Single Keyclarinet(s)clarinette clarinetti (pl)itwoodwind, clarinetchalumeauchalumeau chalumeax (pl)itwoodwind, clarinet oboe(s) (pl) it woodwind, oboe oboe(s) d'amore oboi d'amore (pl) it woodwind, oboe tenor oboe (s) fr woodwind, oboe oboe(s) da caccia oboi da caccia (pl) it woodwind, oboe bassoon(s) (pl) it woodwind, bassoon contrabassoon(s)contre-fagotto contre-fagotti (pl)itwoodwind, bassoon violin(s) violini (pl) it violin piccolo violini piccoli (pl) it string, violin Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 main violin viola(s) (pl) it string, viola cello (celli) violoncelli (pl) it string, cello (pl) it string, cello viola d'amore (pl) it string, viola viola da gamba (pl) it string, viol St John Passion Aria "Es ist vollbracht!" Basso continuo, but sometimes solo violetta (pl) it string, viola violone violono (pl) it string, viol organ(s) (pl) it keyboard, organ carillon(s) it key, pitched percussion harpsichord(s) cembali (pl) it keyboard, harpsichord lute(s) liuti (pl) it plucked string, lute theorbo(es)chitarone chitaroni (pl)itplucked string, lute continuo it bass group clavichordManicordoitKeyboard, clavichord
Baroque instrumentation
The typical orchestra of the Baroque period was based on string instruments violin, viola, cello, and continuo. 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 as oboe, flauto traverso, recorder, natural trumpet, natural horn, trombone, bassoon, and timpani.
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 the Trinity. In arias, Bach often used obbligato instruments, which correspond with the singer as an equal partner. In his early compositions he used instruments that had become old-fashioned, such as viola da gamba and violone.
Continuo
The basso 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. The continuous bass is played by a group of instruments that accompany the soloists or melodic voices while playing the bassline and the implied harmonies. A group may consist of cello, double bass (an octave lower) and organ. A bassoon is typically playing when other wind instruments are called for. While an organ will be played in church, a harpsichord will be used in secular surroundings.
Brass
The trumpet is the royal instrument of the Baroque, representing secular and divine majesty. Three trumpets symbolize the Trinity in an aria of Bach's BWV 172, addressing the "Heiligste Dreifaltigkeit" (Most holy Trinity), where the bass voice is accompanied only by three trumpets and timpani. Natural horn was also a prominent instrument during the baroque era. Both natural trumpet and natural horn were not originally built with valves (explains the term "natural"). These natural instruments were limited to certain notes, keys, and octaves they could play.
Woodwinds
Recorders (flauti dolci) are sometimes used to express humility or poverty, such as in Bach's cantata .
Flauto piccolo Bach used a flauto piccolo (what flauto?), a high recorder in F ("descant recorder" or "sopranino recorder"), to express for example the sparkling of the morning star in Herr Christ, der einge Gottessohn, BWV 96.
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