The baroque period or style of music runs from c1600 to c1750 and is associated mainly with western Europe.

The baroque style of music, art and architecture is characterised by ornate detail.

The adjective ‘baroque’ means ‘highly ornate and extravagant in style’. The adjective ‘ornate’ means ‘elaborately or highly decorated’.

Key features of the baroque style

  • Heavy use of polyphony (lots of different melodies at the same time)
  • Music using a lot of decoration
  • Use of the harpsichord in the orchestra (continuo – harpsichord and cello)

Notable composers