How does one make a "Baroque" composition?

Although I've consulted other forums and composers on how to compose a piece in the style of a traditional Baroque composer, I've never been able to receive a clear reply. I thought I'd try my luck here. :) Does anyone here have any suggestions on how to compose a piece of music in Baroque style? Key elements that are present in Baroque music? Every time I've tried to think of a Baroque melody or even pen down the opening bar(s) of a piece in an attempt to match that style, it comes out rubbish. :huh: No matter how hard I try, I'm never able to imitate my favorite genre of classical music. :P

Key things I'd love to learn:

1) How to compose and implement practical imitation of various voices.

2) How to compose fugal pieces.

3) How to compose an authentic basso continuo.

4) How to modulate quickly when attempting to use fugal entrances.

Anyone able to help me? :) If this were a simple thing, I'd have learned how to do it so far, but after purchasing multiple theory books, I'm still not able to grasp these concepts and many others at all. (My music theory book list includes: Study of Counterpoint by J.J. Fux, Study of Fugue (excerpts of Fux) by Alfred Mann, and Treatise on Harmony by Rameau. These are three great Baroque-style works, but I've struggled with each one in the fact that they give knowledge but not a practical means to use it in the way the Baroque masters once did.)

On a side note, I have a small bone to pick with the Baroque section under the Musical Era heading on the front page. It says, "Of course, baroque music isn't as complex as the music today...." :blink: How so?! Is this to imply that Bach's Die Kunst der Fuge doesn't stand up against "modern" music?! I always interpreted the Baroque Era's fall to be a sign that complexity was slightly left in taste of stronger melody, less voice independence of the lines, and more fundamental modulations. Am I terribly mistaken?

Take a look at this thread, and see if it helps at all :P

Welcome. So many people wanting to compose Baroque music. Almost seems too good to be true! :)

It looks like you have some good books (the Fux is absolutely indispensable, and Alfred Mann versions of it are excellent), and you have the requisite desire as well as a little knowledge of what you need to learn.

But the truth is, aside from being a task far beyond the scope of a forum like this, I don't believe anyone can show you "how" to compose Baroque music, or any other music for that matter. We can examine pieces you've already written and show you how you might improve, but beyond that, the impetus must come from you.

This may be an apocryphal story, but it illustrates a point. Mozart was once approached by a young man who asked him "Herr Mozart, teach me how to write a symphony." Mozart replied, "go home and work on some smaller pieces first. You're not ready to write a symphony." The student, indignant, said, "but you wrote your first symphony when you were only nine years old!" Mozart smiled and said, "yes...but I didn't have to ask how."

My suggestion would be that you try your hand at a few pieces you feel are in a baroque style - little pieces, like a minuet - and post them here. People will critique them and show you how you might improve. Beyond that, educating yourself in the rules of harmony and counterpoint - or taking high school and college courses in these subjects - will be a good start. It takes years for most people to learn to compose. I get the feeling you want to be able to do this expertly right away. Patience! Don't expect too much too soon. As with anything else, only with practice will you improve.

Mike showed you a thread on this subject earlier. Here's another one you may find helpful that illustrates exactly what I'm talking about. http://www.youngcomposers.com/forum/My-1st...ition-t311.html

You have to start somewhere, so just write. Good luck, and get to work!

Thank you for your words of inspiration and encouragement. Of course, I do realize that patience is something needed in composing, so maybe it'll just come with time. I've been a composer for a year and a half now, and I've come to understand a great deal about harmony, though I've let use of counterpoint elude me since I've gone on to compose in other styles, mainly influenced by Enya. Perhaps I'll just wait until college and see if I can develop my s tyle further there. :D Even if I don't manage to get real knowledge on how to compose a piece in Baroque style, at least I have a great respect for the Baroque masters, including my favorites Corelli, J.S. Bach, C.P.E. Bach, J.C. Bach, Vivaldi, and Scarlatti. :) I'll just let my compositional style co-exist with my love for Baroque music for the time being, I suppose.... :)

Composing in the baroque style is something that just seems to be hard to do, even though it's always so simple... why is that?!

Since no one has given any real rules to help in writing baroque style, I'll try to help. First, flood your ears with the music of a style you want. Let me tell you, if you want to write any sort of piece for solo instrument in a baroque style, you have to do three things.

1.) pick instrument

2.) listen, for at least an hour an a half, to works for that instrument, written by Bach.

Heck forget this three step approach. Just listen to similar works of Bach for at least an hour and you'll be hardpressed to sit down at the keyboard or stand up with your violin and play anythign that _doesnt_ sound like him. Granted you may not instantaneously become a master of baroque harmonies and amazing counterpoint, but you can't have it all right away :lol:. Buy a set of his violin partitas and sonatas. Same goes for cello. And what about AotF and the WTC?! Who would forget Brandenburg concerti! French and English suites? Orchestral suites? Ah!

Whatever it is you're trying to compose for, listen to whatever Bach wrote for that instrument, and listen to those songs for at least an hour. He wrote so much music this isn't hard. Anyhow, then sit down and start playing away. You'll find that even dipping your feat in the Bach stream gives soooo much inspiration.

Keep the notes short, use plenty of arpeggios, do that thing where every other note is the same note (all sixteenths: c g d g e g f g e g), use trills, grace notes (especially the double grace notes), mordents (all these ornaments are the best for slow movements).

Well, how's that?

Not a bad approach to start with. It won't teach you the techniques, but it'll get the flavour into it.

I know I'm not completely all there yet with the baroque style, but the way I got to where I am now was through listening to Bach and Handel, and then through improvising at the piano (and the organ at mass: which is awesome, because i'm the point where people can't tell the difference between my improvised preludes and the preludes I play out the books).

Just keep working at it and experimenting, and you'll come up with a Baroque sound of your own. And when you get to that point, I guess thats when it's time to hit the books!