Music reached its greatest success between the 17th and 18th centuries. This period is known as the Baroque period. Countless composers achieved immense success at this time in history, two of the most famous being Johann Bach and George Frideric Handel. The first opera, oratorio and cantata occurred during the Baroque period. Surprisingly, most of the tools used during the period are still in use today. The Baroque period in music obviously played a huge role in the growth of music through its many successful composers and various types of instruments. The Baroque period in music began in the 1600s and ended around 1750. The unique instruments and styles defined the Baroque period as composers set out to extract new and unknown sounds by modifying different instruments. The name Baroque comes from the Portuguese barroco, which means strangely shaped pearl. The first work appeared during the Baroque period. A host of young, upcoming composers also became famous at this time in history. Among these we remember: Bach, Caccini, Corelli, Froberger, Geminiami, Handel, Lully, Metastasio, Monteverdi, Pachelbel, Peri, Scarlatti, Telemann, Vivaldi and Zachau. When the Baroque period ended around 1750, it was evident that many composers had prospered greatly during that era. Johann Bach lived from 1685 to 1750 throughout Europe, but originally resided in Germany. Although his father was an accomplished organist, Bach was orphaned at the age of ten and found himself in the care of his older brother, who despised music. Having a secret passion for music, Bach strove to learn and master the art of music. As he grew older, Bach primarily played the organ, developing a strong love for the instrument. Although it is also......middle of paper......musical through the myriad of instruments they included in their orchestras. Obviously, the Baroque period pushed music to unprecedented success and popularity. Works Cited • "Baroque-Music.com". Barocco-Music.com. Np, nd Web. January 27, 2014.• Encyclopedia Britannica online. Encyclopedia Britannica, nd Web. January 26, 2014.• Encyclopedia.com. HighBeam and Web Search. January 27, 2014.• The encyclopedia of kingfisher history. Boston: Kingfisher, 2004. Print.• “Music of the Baroque.” Baroque music. Np, nd Web. January 27, 2014.• Pogue, David, and Scott Speck. Classical music for dummies. Foster City, CA: IDG Worldwide, 1997. Print.• Smith, Jane Stuart. and Betty Carlson. The gift of music: great composers and their influence. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1995. Print.• “ThinkQuest: Library.” ThinkQuest: Library. Np, nd Web. January 25. 2014.