FIGURED BASS IN BAROQUE MUSIC

Q02-1 As the Baroque Period of music came into prominence during the time from 1600 to 1750 A.D., composers wanted to move away from the somber, simplistic musical styles of the preceding Medieval Period and instead produce music that was richer in melody and rhythm. (주제문)  Q01 The music of the Medieval Period was almost exclusively composed for religious purposes, primarily church masses.(= Medieval music was generally not composed for the p_______.) Due to the solemn, venerable(숭엄한) mood of the mass in churches, composers had little room for any kind of musical variation or experimentation.(Strict music style with little / much variation) In addition, music during the Medieval Period predominantly consisted of chants and madrigals that used the human voice as its principal musical instrument.( Human v_______ as the principal instrument) Although harpsichords and organs were sometimes used for musical accompaniment, their overall musical presence was generally subdued. (→ the __________ of the Medieval Period in music)

Q04  However, by the 1600s, Baroque composers began to write music not only for religious services, but also wrote s_________ compositions for royalty and the general public, who started to favor more lively and intricate styles of music.   B   Especially chamber music, one of the more complicated(4번 문제 힌트) forms of music developed at that time, was among their most beloved.  Q02-2  As Baroque music began to  break with (=s________ from)  strictly religious music and experiment increasingly with musical creativity, elaborate musical compositions became the dominant style. These compositions were rich in new rhythmic structures, introducing more complex melodies and other forms of musical ornamentation that created a heightened sense of dynamism and energy.  (= C_______, i_________ musical styles and structures)

One of the most popular compositional techniques to emerge in this new brand of musical composition was figured bass, sometimes referred to as thoroughbass, which was essentially a form of musical shorthand written into the bass line of the music score. Composers used figured bass to provide musical accompaniment to their compositions by incorporating instruments such as the harpsichord and a predecessor to the modern guitar.  The orchestra would play the composed music as it was, note-by-note, while the figured bass would be roughly sketched out. The figured bass provided a framework for these instruments to play the bass line of the musical composition by giving them basic chords to follow. However, unlike the uniform musical arrangements characteristic of the Medieval Period, these accompanying instruments were given (= had) greater creative freedom to improvise on these chords. This is of particular importance, since improvisation was a common feature in Baroque music and reflected the musical ideals of the composers at that time.(= Greater i_______________)

Although these accompanists were required to follow and observe the underlying rhythmic and harmonic structure of the compositions, the development of figured bass musical shorthand provided just enough information for / with the accompanist to improvise these melodies and rhythms. Baroque composers generally conceded(=a______) that writing out every note for these accompanists would restrict / promote the freedom of well-trained accompanists, as well as prevent them from fully demonstrating the extent of their ability.  Q03   Q05(E)  Therefore, in order to better showcase these accompanists’ skills, composers used figured bass to write compositions with more complex harmonies, contrasting musical themes, and innovative melodies and sequences of chords, which gave rise to a new form of musical variance unfathomed in the Medieval Period. (= Musicians able to d____________  their talent and skills)

1.  increasingly: 더욱 더, 점점 더, more and more (↑↑↑......)
cf) gradually: 조금씩, 점진적으로 (↑↑↑... or ↓↓↓... 둘 다 가능)

2. = particularly important

3.

somber = gloomy preceding <-> following exclusive = insular solemn = grave venerable = respectable variation 변화, 변이, 변주 variance 변화(량), 분산(통계) variable 변동이 심한, 변수 predominant = prevailing principal = primary	subdued <=> lively secular = worldly intricate = complicated elaborate = sophisticated ornamentation = decoration incorporate = include improvise = extemporize concede = admit extent = degree sequence = order

어휘 |  composer 작곡가    somber 어두운, 검은    Medieval Period 중세 시대    religious 종교적인    solemn 엄숙한, 근엄한 variation 변형, 변화    madrigal 마드리갈(반주 없이 여러 명이 부르는 노래)    harpsichord 하프시코드(현을 뜯어 소리를 내던 피아노 비슷한 중세 악기) secular 세속적인, 일반 대중들 속에 사는    intricate 복잡한    elaborate 정교한    ornamentation 장식    framework 뼈대    chord 화음  unfathomed  깊이를 헤아릴 수 없는