Baroque and Classical eras, at least when it comes to music can be seen as stuffy and old-fashioned. What may surprise you is this was a period where improvisation was not only taught but expected. Even during performances.
Move Over Powdered Wigs and Hoop Skirts
At some point in history, we moved away from improvisation and valued reading notes from a page. While this is a great skill, we lost something along the way.
In the last 5 to 10 years, many piano teachers have realized that the ‘old ways’ don’t necessarily need to be ignored. Composers have known this the whole time. They understood that inspiration can come from unlikely places or musical eras.
We are exploring 4 patterns from the Baroque through Classical eras that can be made fresh and exciting for today. These versions are specifically tailored for beginners. However, if you are a little further in your piano journey, have fun with these and see what you can create!
Improvising In the Baroque Era
There were several foundational or popular accompaniment patterns in the Baroque era. We are focusing on just two since basso continuo and figured bass are beyond the scope of this article. And, in the case of figured bass, it’s a mixture of playing and notation.
Baroque Era #1: Bass Line Accompaniment
If you have read previous articles or watched previous videos, you have done a variation of this already!
The ground bass line version (or basso ostinato) has a pattern in the bass line that creates a foundation for everything else. You would then improvise a melody above the pattern.
One of the most commonly played examples is Pachabel’s “Canon in D”. The right-hand melody begins with a simple scale while the left-hand plays a simple repeating pattern for the entire progression.
A beginner version could be playing a pentascale (5-finger scale) going up or down. You could add the notes from the chord to round out the pattern.
For a more modern take on this, “Aurora’s Lullaby” was inspired by this pattern and uses a single note rather than the full chord.
Baroque Era #2: Counterpoint
Counterpoint was very common in earlier Baroque music. With independent melodies, this added a level of complexity and harmony. When I first learnt pieces from the Baroque era, it was given such focus I had no clue there were other patterns!
A basic version would be to take the pattern you created for your basso ostinato above and play it as a round. One hand begins to play and the other joins in with the same pattern shortly after. It can take some experimentation to find that perfect moment, but you will instantly have a more complex-sounding piece.
Keep in that counterpoint from the Baroque era typically had more notes added to further build out the harmonic structure of the piece. But, for a starting point the above exercise is pretty cool.
Check out the video below or here to see this in action.
P.S. You can hear great examples of these patterns and ‘meet’ some famous Baroque music composers in the “Travel Through Time” music history-themed digital escape rooms.
Improvising In the Classical Era
The Classical era is not to mixed up with classical music. All Classical era music is considered classical music. But, not all classical music is from the Classical era. What?
It’s true! There is classical music still being composed today by incredible composers. And that means we have both a musical era and a genre of music.
Classical Music #1: Alberti Bass
Alberti bass is possibly the most well-known pattern from this era. While it can be a little challenging at first, it’s a great way to add texture and movement to your improvisations.
The chord progression is played as broken chords in a specific pattern. You play the notes in this order: bottom, top, middle, top. I highly recommend saying this to yourself as you first learn and practice. Try this out with any chord progression to instantly hear the style of the music change.
Check out the video above or here to see this in action.
Classical Music #2: Third Interval Apart
Another fun option is to play the same pattern for both hands but with the notes in each hand a third interval apart. Oftentimes, it’s easier to play a third interval plus an octave apart so your hands don’t get tangled in each other.
Create a short, simple melody in one hand. Once you create the melody, try playing it with both hands. Experiment with having your original melody a third + octave interval higher or lower than your other hand. This will change the overall sound so it’s a great experiment!
Check out the video above or here to see this in action.
To hear a more modern take on this, listen to “Alberti’s Garden”. The song was inspired and created to help my students practice Alberti Bass. However, partway through you play the Alberti Bass pattern with a similar strategy of having the hands start more than an octave apart.
And, yes, you can hear great examples of these patterns and ‘meet’ some Classical music era composers in the “Travel Through Time” music history-themed digital escape rooms I mentioned before. While these were designed for my studio students, they also would be fantastic for homeschooling families or self-learners!
Improvising With Patterns From Baroque Through Classical Eras
I hope these patterns have inspired you to listen to the Baroque and Classical eras differently! While Baroque still isn’t my favourite era of music, learning more about the patterns, composers, instruments, and genres gave me a better appreciation for music that originally felt stuffy.
Remember that you can use improvisation to pay homage to different musical eras, including the Baroque and Classical music eras!
Two of the most popular patterns from the Baroque era are:
- Counterpoint
- Bass line accompaniments
Two of the most popular patterns from the Classical era are:
- Alberti bass
- Playing a third interval apart
If you want to know the pattern that has spanned every musical era, check out the video above or here.
What was your favourite pattern from the Baroque through Classical Eras?
Imagine learning how to play piano through fun activities, improvising (creating music in the moment) plus writing your own music!
As a parent, imagine your child’s smile as they have fun learning piano and creating music … plus, family and friends as they hear the music your child has created.
As a teen or adult student, imagine jamming with musician friends .. or wowing them with the latest song you wrote.
If you want to dive deeper and experience a creative and engaging piano learning journey, join us for our upcoming intro sessions. Spots are filling up fast, so don’t miss out! Click the link below to sign up or click here for upcoming dates and information.
