Oratorio

Born in the lands of Salzburg, Austria in 1756 came a prodigy man with intelligence to music. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is a serious musical composer in the classical period (1750-1800). Although he had a short life, he produced symphonies, Concertos (Piano, Violin, and Horn), Piano Solos, Violin Music, Sonatas, Trios, Quartet, Sacred music, and operas throughout his life (Gilbert). He had forty-one symphonies, operas such as The Marriage of Figaro, concertos, chamber works, and a Requiem Mass.…

known more for his symphonies and string quartets, so much so that “he was referred to as the “Father of the Symphony” due to his establishment of the four-movement format that became formally accepted.” (Chiego 216). Haydn also did more work on the oratorio genre of classical music than Mozart did. The popularity of Haydn’s operas is nothing compared to that of Mozart’s operas. Haydn relied mainly on comic operas while Mozart used the combination of serious and comic opera making his operas…

April 18, 1605 – January 12, 1674) was an Italian composer and music teacher. He is one of the most celebrated masters of the early Baroque or, more accurately, the Roman School of music. Carissimi established the characteristic features of the Latin oratorio and was a prolific composer of motets and cantatas. He was highly influential in musical developments in north European countries through his pupils and the wide dissemination of his music. “Vittoria, mio core” is a Baroque Italian song…

career in Mantua, Rome and Vienna, serving in the last of these from 1716 as vice-Kapellmeister at the imperial court. As a composer he was versatile and prolific, with some 90 stage works to his credit. Caldara wrote a steady series of over 40 oratorios, liturgical music, motets, and cantatas sacred and secular. His 1712 Christmas cantata Vaticini di pace (‘Prophecies of Peace’), with its personification of abstract qualities, had political relevance as the War of the Spanish Succession came to…

He is a music director as well as a teacher, overseeing musical ensembles at the University of Manitoba, as well as helping to train and teach singers. Mel Braun is a multitalented performer, with experience and comfort zone ranging from operas, oratorios, and recitals. His willingness for new collaborations was showcased in this Noon Hour Concert with Laura Loewen. Laura Loewen is a collaborative pianist, sharing her talent throughout the world in concerts in places such as Europe, South…

Today, we consider the violin to be an elegant, sophisticated instrument. However, in 1878, George Dubourg published an account entitled, “The Violin”, in which he makes the bold statement, “instead of a bow-arm, must ladies be allowed only the arm of a beau? Why should not a lady play on the violin?” . Even once playing the instrument was considered acceptable, being a professional musician as a woman was rare until the late nineteenth/early twentieth centuries . Even in today’s modern society,…

The Classical period in music spanned from approximately 1750-1830. It was called classical period due to the time period being full of art and literature. The music in the Classical period reflected the changes in society, such as the ideas of human reasoning and overcoming problems in the world.Thus, causing a conflict with new and old ideas within the world 's society. People began to realize that music was meant to be enjoyed not for just the wealthy and during a religious mass. New styles…

Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 31, 1685 in Eisenach, Thuringia, Germany and died on July 28, 1750 in Leipzig, Germany. Although he only lived 65 years, he has left a legacy as one of the most impactful and greatest composers of all time. Biography Bach is from the Baroque era of music.(1600-1760) During the Baroque era, people had a lot of children. Bach had lots of siblings, 8 to be exact. When he became an orphan at the age of 10, his brother, Johann Christoph, took him in for…

Bach’s stay in Weimar was characterized by his keyboard and orchestral works. He learned to write dramatic openings and employ the dynamic motor rhythms and harmonic schemes found in the music of the Italians. This is a direct influence to the progressive type of music that Beethoven is so well known for. Though his stay in Weimar was influential, it was also short lived. In 1717 he moved to secure a job at Cothen. After the move, it didn’t take long for Bach’s life to be changed forever. In…

The recitative is a surviving technique that musicians continue to practice, even in the twenty-first century. Its pairing with arias has also made it a popular technique in vocal and instrumental compositions. The recitative is found in various genres of music, bringing to light the text of a piece. There are several different forms of recitative such as recitativo accompognato, recitativo secco, recitativo and recitative semplice. These forms of recitative follow the same suit, but vary from…