Music of the Baroque Era (1600 - 1750) was characterized by vastness of proportion, rich counterpoint, great splendor and a highly ornamented melodic line. There is a breaking away from the severity of Medieval and early Renaissance music with emphasis on the use of great vocal and instrumental color. Secular music is now as much in evidence as liturgical music.

The harpsichord music of Johann Sebastian Bach, François Couperin, and Jean-Philippe Rameau, as well as the instrumental music of George Frideric Handel, Antonio Vivaldi, Arcangelo Corelli and Johann Sebastian Bach epitomize the precepts of the Baroque.