Oratorio

popularity nearly 300 years after its creation demonstrates its music power. Despite the entirety of Handel’s Messiah lasting approximately two hours- consisting of three acts, solo and choral works, and instrumental pieces- Handel composed this oratorio in approximately three weeks after taking a leave from music. After illness left him…

and its music. Vivaldi's piece has the ability to stand on its own, but can also be used to represent all of the season's cycles when paired with his concertos "Fall," "Winter," and "Summer." Handel's oratorio Messiah, most commonly known for its chorus "Hallelujah" is one of the most popular oratorios because it is still frequently used, especially during Christmas time. Handel's piece Water Music is not as popular as "Hallelujah," but it still serves as a valid indictor of music during the…

There were many different style characteristics that contributed to music in the Baroque era. In the Early Baroque period, rhythm became a more defined beat as compared to how subtle and “floaty” Renaissance music was. Composers emphasized meter and used bar lines for the first time. These strong rhythmic beats were clearly emphasized. The textures in Early Baroque music were both homophonic and polyphonic, but they were enriched by something called “basso continuo”. In “basso continuo”, the…

Handel’s “Messiah” is a beautiful piece of music set to biblical literature. Today most people recognize the “Messiah” due to its presence during the holiday season. It is currently used to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. However, in the 18th century, it was not performed during the holiday season like it is today in the twenty-first century. The “Messiah,” written in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, is full of scriptural text. Specifically, “Pifa(13), Recitative(14a), Accompagnato(14b),…

There Will Come Soft Rains by Pamela Madsen is a six-movement oratorio that reflects upon “the 20th-century fascination for utopian salvation in California, the need for water and the meaning of rain” (Madsen, There Will Come Soft Rains). Inspired by the Mojave Desert, Madsen’s work involves intimate chamber music and sounds that collaborate with visual media and literary texts. The concert is performed by the Los Angeles Percussion Quartet, the Eclipse String Quartet, and pianist Vicki Ray, who…

The songs I choose are Drupad Indian music; Georgian chanting; troubadour music; Handel: Messiah, Hallejuah Chorus; Bob Dylan, Like The Rolling Stone; Glass: koyaanisqatsi section and John Luther Adams: The Light that fills the world The Dhrupad music is chanting Vedic hymns and mantras. In the background there is string instrument playing in lower sound than the chanting completing it. It can be used as prayer, meditation and yoga. The Georgian Chant is liturgical music chanted in the church…

Vocal music in the Baroque era Introduction to the baroque era Taken from the Portuguese word “barroco (oddly shaped pearl)”, the term “Baroque” is associated with Western art music between the periods of 1600 to 1750 (Nicholas Kraemer accessed: 1 September 2016). In congruence to the word it derived from, Baroque music focussed on musical ornamentation, technique and contrast. Additionally, the concept of “melody” and “harmony” began to be articulated and implemented, in contrast to the…

Handel was a German composer and one of the most famous during the Baroque period, known for his operas and oratorios. His musical talent was acknowledged at a very early age and was able to compose and give lessons by 11. His first opera was successfully produced by age 20. One of Handel’s most famous pieces that is still widely known today is Messiah. Messiah is an three part English Oratorio composed in 1741, each part telling a difference part of the story of the Messiah. Part one tells of…

started to form in the Baroque period while others were developed based on past forms. Exploring Baroque music begins with the understanding of the types of music available. Baroque music includes material written from 1600 to 1750. Opera and Oratorio An oratorio is a religious vocal work that contains arias, chorus sections and recitatives. It's similar to opera, except that operas were generally multi-movement dramatic works that didn't necessarily have religious connotations. These two…

Frideric Handel was born February 23, 1685, in Halle, Brandenburg [Germany], and died April 14, 1759, London, England. He was a German-born English composer of the late Baroque era, know particularly for his operas, oratorios, and instrumental compositions. He wrote the most famous of all oratorios, Messiah (1741), and is also known for such occasional pieces as Water Music (1717) and Music for the Royal Fireworks (1749). First of all, George Frideric Handel was son of Georg and Dorothea…