Chapter 10: Baroque Vocal Music

Oratorio

Key Terms
oratorio chorus secco recitative accompanied recitative

Baroque Sacred Music

placed special emphasis on choir borrowed from secular music (opera)
recitative and aria virtuoso solo singing

oratorio the most operatic genre

Oratorio
basically an opera on a religious subject
often an Old Testament story narrative plot in several acts real characters and implied action recitatives and arias

presented in concert form

no scenery, costumes, staging, or gestures

incorporated many more choruses than opera

Baroque Chorus
similar to Renaissance choral music
alternating polyphony and homophony some text painting

incorporates theatrical features

narrates story, comments on action, participates in action dramatic contrasts and rests voices and orchestra for maximum fullness

Handel, Messiah
Handels most famous work composed in only 23 days unlike other oratorios
not a real story anonymous narrators and commentators

text entirely from Bible

episodes from Jesuss life (recitative) comments on episodes (recitative, aria, and chorus)

Recitative, There were shepherds

angels announce Christs birth recitative in four parts
alternating secco and accompanied

accompanied recitative reserved for dramatic moments parts 3 and 4 accelerate the pace

Chorus, Glory to God

recitative and chorus choir participates in the action vivid contrasts in musical settings of the three phrases

Chorus, Glory to God

Glory to God in the highest
high voices, high pitches, rhythmic unison, energetic, marchlike

and peace on earth

low voices, low pitches, nearly monophonic slow, soft, calm, simple, unadorned

good will toward men

fugal style, imitative entrances motive intensified in ascending sequence

Recitative and Chorus

Recitative:
There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And lo! The angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them: Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Recitative and Chorus

And suddenly there was with the angle a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying:

Chorus:
Glory to God in the highest! And peace on earth. Glory to God in the highest! And peace on earth. Good will toward men. Glory to God in the highest. And peace on earth. Good will toward men.

Handel, Hallelujah Chorus

famous chorus ends Part II contrasting textures for each phrase
homophony:

monophony: For the Lord God polyphony:

Hallelujah Chorus
many dramatic moments The Kingdom of this world is become
piano, low descending scale swells suddenly to forte in higher register

King of Kings
intensifying sequence near the end

Hallelujah Chorus
Hallelujah, Hallelujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Hallelujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. The Kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. And He shall reign for ever and ever, and he shall reign for ever and ever. KING OF KINGS for ever and ever, Hallelujah! AND LORD OF LORDS for ever and ever, Hallelujah!