Comparison of the Baroque Era and the Classical EraThere are two distinct eras in music that have had a huge impact over time. They are known as the Baroque era and the Classical era. These eras helped shape and elevate music, building creative paths that still have a strong effect on music today. The differences between the Baroque and Classical eras are quite immense, but both have equal importance to the history of music and are high in their overall influential value. The Baroque era was the beginning of a new style and change in music. The name of this era was given between the Renaissance and the classical period. This era is dated around 1600-1750 and was a new representation of different forms and varieties in music. It predates the classical era but contributed to its evolution. Early Baroque music originates from the late Renaissance use of mannerisms. Composers often used expressive gestures. The Baroque era featured music that experimented with different textures and harmonies. Composers of this era had a way of intertwining old and new styles. Composers were given the opportunity to construct a score for acapella or concert. The concert score could be enriched with independent instrumental parts that would work to complement rather than double the vocal lines of Robinson 2. The differences between vocal and instrumental idioms have increased. Baroque era pieces favored stringed instruments and allowed more room for improvisation. Two styles that were part of the Baroque era were known as the First Prattica arising from the Renaissance era and the more recent Second Prattica. “The advent of second practice and monody marked the beginning of an era......very different in style and structure, but both managed to impact the history of music. The greats we recognize today derive precisely from these eras. The Baroque era inaugurated the opera genre, while the Classical era introduced a new scheme for structuring musical compositions. The Baroque and Robinson 6Classical eras were powerful, influential and musically stimulating to the masses, forever etching themselves into history and time. Works Cited Bonds, Mark Evan. A brief history of music in Western culture. 1st. New Jersey: PearsonEducation, Inc., 2004. Print.Rambles, Baker. "A distinction between classical and baroque musical styles". Education and science. Hubpages, 05 12 2011. Web. 18 November 2013. Music Styles>.