In Baroque music, the continuo part provides the harmonic structure and chord progressions for the music. It is usually played by a group containing a bass instrument (cello or bassoon) and a keyboard instrument (harpsichord or chamber organ). The keyboard player will often improvise around a figured bass – chords indicated by numbers over the bass note.

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‘Chorale’ is the name given to the stately hymns and hymn tunes of the Lutheran church. Typically, chorales consist of a simple tune suitable for congregational singing, with four-part harmony. JS Bach’s cantatas make extensive use of chorales and are notable for the richness and sophistication of the harmonisations he created.

In music, Parody is a compositional technique whereby existing music or musical ideas are re-used, often with different words, and usually for a different effect. The intent may be serious, or humorous, even mocking.

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aleatoric music (derived from the Latin word ‘alea’ meaning ‘dice’) is music where some element of either the composition or the performance is left to the performer to determine exactly how it is realized and how it sounds. The composer determines the general course of the music but leaves the detail to chance.

Polyphony is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords. It usually refers to music from the Mediaeval or Renaissance periods. The more developed forms of the Baroque period, such as the Fugue, are usually referred to as Counterpoint.

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Counterpoint is a musical composition technique that weaves together different melodies in a way that is both harmonically satisfying and melodically interesting, creating a rich and layered musical texture. The musical interest may lie more in the movement of the individual melodic lines, but the harmonic progressions may be especially pleasing as a result.

Contrapuntal means the music has the characteristics of Counterpoint.

Fugues are a specialised form of Counterpoint where the same melody is used by each voice as it enters, and the other parts weave their lines around it.

A fugato is a musical passage written in the style of a Fugue but not a complete Fugue itself.

Canon is a contrapuntal compositional technique where a melody is played and then imitated by one or more voices or instruments, entering at different times

JS Bach was a noted master of Counterpoint, with an unmatched ability to compose complex fugues both for keyboard and for orchestral and choral ensembles.

A sequence of musical movements which are predominantly vocal and usually intended for use in Church, or for special occasions such as a Royal Birthday or welcome .

JS Bach was the foremost exponent, and his cantatas usually consisted of an opening concerted chorus for chorus and orchestra, to be followed by recitative sections and arias expressing religious sentiments, and concluding with a well-known Chorale or hymn which the congregation would probably join in with.

The texts were usually in German, consisting of Scripture or semi-poetic and reflective texts written by some of Bach’s most trusted collaborators.

A holy poem or song, especially one of the 150 collected together in the Bible. These have been sung or recited in Jewish worship since before the time of Christ, and were incorporated into Christian worship from the earliest days. They are a staple of monastic worship forms and of those services such as Mattins and Evensong which were derived from them. They reflect a wide range of human emotion and spirituality.

a style of music performed without instruments, using only the human voice