Her Portrait, Their Palace

The Baroque era is known for its “emotional richness and technical complexity.”  This was largely manifest in the ostentatious architecture of this period as opposed to a simple structure.  It was dramatic, theatrical, and elaborate effects and decorations.  For example, look at the architecture of the Blenheim palace in England.

Blenheim Palace

The size is intimidating, and the stone work adds to the intensity of the architecture.  Vaulted ceilings, impressive murals, and intricate detail, and grand staircases are a few of the features that typified the baroque architecture in the Blenheim palace.

sor Juana Inés de la Cruz

In my Spanish literature class we studied a poem by sor Juana Inés de la Cruz that she wrote during the Baroque era.  She was born out of wedlock in Mexico and later became a nun.  Much of her efforts were geared toward prejudice against women and minorities.  Her poem, “A Su Retrato” (or “To Her Portrait”) is about how a beautiful and impressive portrait of a woman is a disillusionment of the what’s really underneath the what appears on the surface.  Flattery has sought to hide the wrinkles that come with old age and the passing of time, but when it comes down to it “this coloured counterfeit” of a painting is really “corpse and dust, shadow and nothingness" (source).

This poem, written in the baroque era, made me think back to the grandiose architecture.  Was there harm in this specific characteristic of the baroque era?  Was it a disillusionment of something that would disappoint as each layer was peeled back until nothingness remained?  Should they have returned to simplicity, too?  Or was there a separate, more valuable purpose to this art?

Image sources: Blenheim Palace (via Literary Festivals), sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (via biography.com)

Bach's Got Sprezz?

Our nonchalantly clever friend, sprezzatura, made his mark not only in conversation and dress but also in music.  As a pianist, this was exciting to discover.  But I wasn’t surprised to find out what its theme-song is: jazz.  You can hear it in the music as much as you can see it in the pianist--one hand on the keyboard, eyes wandering around the room, reflecting an ambiance of easiness.  The music itself is laid back, seemingly casual, but paradoxically striking and captivating.

But that’s not what they played in the 1600s.

Johann Sebastian Bach was the star of the 1600s and is still a highly-praised musician today.  His music is admirable for its technicalities—it’s very vertical, systematic, and almost dry.  Yet this somehow expressed the culture of the scientific revolution.  The music has purpose; it moves progressively forward towards a predetermined destination.  (For image of Bach's sheet music, click here).

Playing Bach requires concentration and drilling--there's little room for improvisment because the interpretation is straightforward.  It's dull but comfortable.  Jazz, on the other hand, is a whole different ball game.  A few chords are thrown at you but the music that stares back at you from the piano is more white than black.  It's daunting, sometimes petrifying, but also thrilling.  It could take you nowhere and it'd still be a great adventure (try it out here).

Jazz Piano Sheet Music

So was sprezzatura re-personified in the 1600s?  Or did Bach's music, coupled with other Baroque arts and scientific discoveries take center stage?  

Image Sources: "Piano clip art" (via pxhere)

"Jazz Piano" (public domain images via Wikimedia Commons)