Baroque music is the western music art style that was composed in the era of Renaissance, that is, between 1600 and 1750. Music at any given period reflects tendencies, impulses and influences that are found in art of other kinds of the same period. Therefore the name baroque also applied to the architecture, literature and art in the same period. Baroque has in the past and to some degree in the present had the implications of abnormality, grotesqueness and absurdity. But in its applications to music in the Renaissance period the term baroque does not have connotations that are pejorative because much of the music composed in this period is of high and fine quality (Swain, 7).
The instruments that are used for baroque music even now should therefore not compromise the quality of this music. It is for this reason that the instruments that are used for baroque should be able to hold that and make sure that the music stays unchanged. Even when a combination of instruments is needed, a performer should be able to use all the instruments as stated in their performances.
There are various instruments that are used the strings, keyboards and woodwinds. The main string instruments that are used in baroque are the harp, violin and the lute family. These are the ones that gained popularity in baroque music (Cyr, 10). The keyboard in baroque music was composed of two instruments, the organ and the harpsichord. The harpsichord is the instrument that is ideal when performing baroque with the keyboard. The woodwinds had four primary instruments used in baroque music, the recorder, oboe, bassoon and the flute. There is also the brass which is composed of three instruments including the trumpet, trombone or the sackbut and the horn (Wright, 17). The trombone or the sackbut was mostly used for the chamber and the church music. It later evolved and became part of the military instrument. Both the trumpet and the horn were derived from the horn that is usually found in animals.
Performers have the sole responsibility of choosing an instrument or a combination of instruments that they want use in order to perform baroque music. The performer however should be guided by some factors that help them know what instrument to use where and what sound to get from what instrument (Donington, 131).
One, the performer should be able to distinguish indications that are scanty for the instruments that the notations may be showing. In that all the instruments that the performer is using fit in the kind of that they are playing. They should also look out for the effects of the musician that may need working on for the actual performance (Donington, 131).
Two, as much as it is the responsibility of the performer to choose the instruments, looking up for alternative instruments that are listed is important. That way, if there is an instrument that is missing, the performer should always be able to get an alternative. This also suitable when the there are many instruments needed,...