Performance Practice in Baroque Music

Baroque music (c. ۱۶۰۰–۱۷۵۰) represents one of the most influential periods in Western music history, characterized by profound developments in form, harmony, and performance practices. However, the performance of this repertoire in contemporary times has been fraught with significant challenges and controversies. This article provides a comprehensive review of performance practices in Baroque music, examining six main themes: the Early Music movement and the evolution of performance approaches; national differences in performance styles (Italian, French, and German); the role of rhetoric in Baroque performance; ornamentation and improvisation as cornerstones of authentic performance; the influence of acoustic spaces and period instruments on performance; and the changing reputation of Baroque composers in musicological historiography. Drawing on over twenty authoritative sources from the ۱۹۷۰s to ۲۰۲۰, this study demonstrates that Baroque performance practice has evolved from a positivist, purist approach toward a constructivist, polyphonic approach grounded in dialogue between past and present. The research highlights how contemporary performers navigate the tension between historical authenticity and modern interpretative freedom. The role of performance as a research instrument and the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to understanding Baroque music are also examined, offering new perspectives on the relationship between musicology and performance practice.

کلیدواژه ها:

Baroque music ، performance practice ، historically informed performance ، musical rhetoric ، ornamentation