Baroque Music

Originating around 1600 as a departure from Renaissance polyphony, Baroque music embraced drama, ornamentation, and affective expression. Its sonic architecture is defined by the basso continuo, a foundational bass line and harmonic filling that supports intricate counterpoint and florid melodic invention. Composers like *Johann Sebastian Bach* and *Antonio Vivaldi* codified new forms such as the concerto and sonata, emphasizing both grand spectacle and instrumental virtuosity. The period established the system of major-minor tonality that would dominate Western music for centuries, shaping the language of the concert hall and laying the groundwork for the modern orchestra.