Characteristics of Baroque

Music
Melody
-

Repetitions of melody
Sequences: real or slightly altered
Repeated phrases, echoes
Elaborate passages of melodic decoration and figuration

Functional Harmony
Strong Progression
i)
Progression of 5ths: strongest and most natural, I-IV-viiii-vi-ii-V-I, enhanced by suspensions, addition of the 7th
to the dominant or supertonic or both
ii)

Scale movements in the bass: sense of direction towards

dominant or tonic, upper part often in contrary motion,
ascending scales usually move between tonic and
dominant chords, descending scales move from the
tonic and include chords associated with the
progressions of 5ths

iii)

Ground Bass: Descending scale often used as a ground

(repeating bass on which variations were built)

iv)

Chromatic movement: affection was grief or anguish

Neutral Progressions
i)
Roots rising a 3rd are not common
ii)
vi-I should be avoided
iii)
Progressions of first inversions: 6/3
Weak Progressions
i)
No consecutives: applies only to moving parts and to
perfect 5ths

Harmony at the Cadence

Cadential 6/4
i)
Decorated dominant: Ic-V
ii)
Decorated tonic: I-IVc-I
Harmonic Rhythm: Hemiola

i)

Harmonic rhythm quickens towards the cadence:

hemiola

Colored Chords
i)
Diminished 7th Chord: build on minor 3rds on the
semitone below the root of the chord
ii)
Neapolitan 6th: major chord built on flattened supertonic,
usually found in minor keys in first inversion, functions,
moves towards V via ic or a diminished 7th
iii)
Plagal cadence (IV-I): phrase ending rather than as a
final cadence such as a pedal passage where cadential
extensions hovering around IVc may be resolved