Baroque (1600—1760)

A style of Western art music composed from approximately 1600 to 1750.[1] This era follows the Renaissance, and was followed in turn by the Classical era. The word "baroque" comes from the Portuguese word barroco, meaning misshapen pearl,[2] a negative description of the ornate and heavily ornamented music of this period. Later, the name came to apply also to the architecture of the same period. The Baroque period saw the creation of tonality. During the period, composers and performers used more elaborate musical ornamentation, made changes in musical notation, and developed new instrumental playing techniques. Baroque music expanded the size, range, and complexity of instrumental performance, and also established opera, cantata, oratorio, concerto, and sonata as musical genres.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baroque_music