What Is Baroque?

It may sound incorrect to say so, but Baroque was actually a bit of a renaissance in the world of music.  That statement however should not be confused with the actual Renaissance period of music, which actually predated the Baroque period.  But, it would be fair to say that the changes, and adaptations to conventional music at the time forever changed the kind of music that we listen to today.  Innovations were aplenty, with functional tonality being just one such example.  Composers such as Couperin and Henri Dumont were among the many who pioneered changes in the area of instrumentation, notation, range and technique.  As a matter of fact opera would not be what it is today, with the influence of Baroque music.