Going Through the Music....History

Chapter Five: The Baroque Period

The old house Keelin is currently in, with its wildly overgrown garden outside, was silent, secretive. 

She finds the front door and exits through there. When she steps outside, she comprehends how bright it is. She walks around the beautiful city and sees a church at the center of the city. She walks inside and takes mental notes about how the church looks inside and out. Keelin then quickly walks outside and notices an edifice with posters outside of it. She paces over there and looks at the posters. She sees one with 'Rinaldo' as the title. Rinaldo is a Handel piece; it's an opera seria. Keelin then realizes that she is standing in front of an opera house. She walks inside and admires the interior design. "Miss!" She hears a male voice in front of her. He looks like he's in his early twenties with short and messy dark brunette hair and dark chocolate eyes. He's about an inch or two taller than Keelin and his body is perfectly built. "Yes, sir?" Keelin starts. "The show does not start until seven this evening." He informs her. "Oh. I'm sorry. I did not know." She apologizes to the handsome Foreign man in front of her. "You're not from around here, are you?" He asks her. "I am." Keelin nods, knowing her American dialect gave her away. "Well, my name is Pascoe Silvester. And what might your name be?" He sticks out his hand. Keelin takes it and begins to shake it, "Catherine." Instead of shaking her hand, he brings it to his mouth and kisses it. Keelin couldn't help but blush to this. "What brings you here, Catherine?" Pascoe asks her. "I was just curious about the music that plays around here. I believe in humanism, so..." She tries to explain. "Oh! You are a humanist too? Amazing!" He claps his hands. "Yes." Keelin nods. Pascoe offers his arm, "Shall I show you around?" He requests. Keelin smiles at the man and takes it, "Thank you." 

Both Pascoe and Keelin walk around the theatre. "I hear that there are two types of opera?" Keelin starts off. "Yes. There is Opera Seria, or serious opera, and Opera Buffa, or funny opera." Pascoe explains. "Interesting. How can you tell which opera is serious and which is funny?" Keelin questions. "Well, Opera Seria mostly expresses the stories of Mythology, Biblical stories, and nationalism. They are mostly played for the social classes above us; the nobles, aristocracy, and even royalties. Whereas the Opera Buffa is more comedic than Seria. The peasants and servants take this kind of opera and make fun of the king." Pascoe explains. "Oh, I understand. And the orchestra? Why is the orchestra pit so small?" Keelin questions, looking down at the orchestra pit in front of the stage. "Ah. That's because there are few of us that can play an instrument. An orchestra can contain ten people, or thirty people." Pascoe enlightens. "Oh, do you play an instrument?" Keelin ponders. "Yes, I do in fact. I play the harpsichord." Pascoe proudly admits. "Really? That's amazing!" Keelin smiles. "There is a harpsichord right here if you want to hear a piece." Pascoe proposes, pointing at a beautiful harpsichord in the orchestra pit. "I... would like that." Keelin accepts, forgetting the time she is wasting. 

They both go into the pit and Pascoe sits and begins to play. He follows the musical notes on a small piece of paper. After he's done performing, Keelin applauds at his performance and Pascoe stands up and bows at her. "That was incredible! What were you playing?" Keelin compliments. "I just followed this Basso Continuo." He points to the small paper. "Basso Continuo?" Keelin asks. "Oh. A Basso Continuo is just an accomplishment played by either an organ or harpsichord or a low melodic instrument such as cello or bassoon." Pascoe tells her. "Oh. What else is there?" Keelin questions. "Well, there's fugue, which is a practice with two or more voices that builds on a melodious leitmotif that is announced at the beginning in repetition at unlike pitches and which reappears recurrently in the sequence of the configuration." He educates Keelin. "Fascinating." Keelin mutters, trying not to interrupt Pascoe. "Then, there is Concerto Grosso, which is just another way of saying 'agree to disagree'. There are mainly two groups: A large orchestra and a smaller one. There are three movements throughout the entire performance: fast, slow, fast. Does that make sense?" Pascoe looks at her. Keelin nods her head, "Of course. I heard somewhere about... cantata?" Keelin enquiries. "Ah, yes. That's for the church. It's like opera, just unstaged. It's Latin for 'to sing'." Pascoe answers. "Are they all polyphony?" Keelin inquiries. "Um... I must confess on not knowing." Pascoe admits. "Don't worry about it." Keelin shakes off. "Thank you so much for this." Keelin hugs him. "You're welcome." He hugs her back. She gets up and walks over to the exit before she hears him again. "Will I see you again?" He asks. "I hope so!" She responds back, exiting the building. She walks back to the house she arrived in before and the necklace starts up again.