Teaching & resource #01
Messiah: Pifa
Use these buttons, or the arrows keys on your keyboard, to navigate. Full1/37 screen mode Thinking point: What do you already know about Handel and his most ? famous work ‘Messiah’?
2/37 ‘Messiah’ is an oratorio, composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, and reflects on the story of Christ’s birth, life and death.
A complete performance of ‘Messiah’ can last up to three hours!
But we’ll be focusing on just one particular section (or ‘movement’)… An Oratorio is a dramatic work for soloists, chorus and orchestra divided into acts like an opera. However, an George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) was oratorio is a sacred work and a German-born Baroque composer who is not performed on stage moved to London where he found success in with costumes and décor, composing music for the church, for the stage but generally in a concert and for the Royal court. His music for the setting in a hall or church. coronation of King George II in 1729 has been performed at every coronation since, and even inspired the UEFA Champions’ League anthem!
3/37 Can you spot the title of the movement we are going to study? ? clue: look in the top-left corner!
4/37 Well spotted! We are going to listen to the ‘Pifa’ which is sometimes known as the ‘Pastoral Symphony’. This movement appears in ‘Part the First’ of Messiah, which is Jesus’ birth.
Look at this index. What do you notice about how 11. Air (Bass solo): The people that walked in darkness the ‘Pifa’ fits in? 12. Chorus: For unto us a child is born What goes before and 13. Pifa after, and why do you 14a. Secco Recitative (Soprano solo): think Handel inserted the There were shepherds abiding in the fields ‘Pifa’ at this point? 14b. Accompanied Recitative (Soprano solo): Top tip! Use the score And lo, the angel of the Lord extracts on the next page 15. Chorus: Glory to God in the highest to help you!
5/37 extract from No.12 – For unto us a child is born What are your ? observations? (Write them down before continuing)
extract from No.13 – Pifa
extract from No.14 – Recitative
6/37 ANSWER Handel is composing a dramatic work and he knows how to maintain the audience’s attention by varying the moods. He does this by carefully organising the structure of his story-telling in music to include short and long sections, movements for solo and a small group of instruments, full chorus and orchestra or, as in the ‘Pifa’, just spotlighting the strings of the orchestra.
7/37 Look carefully at this painting by Domenichino. Remember that ‘Messiah’ is about the life of Christ.
Which characters ? can you see?
8/37 The painting is called the ‘Adoration of the Shepherds’. The shepherds are surrounding Mary and Jesus, framing the central scene. The shepherd on the left is playing a musical instrument.
Can you identify this instrument? ? Do you know what it’s called, how it works or even what it might sound like? What is characteristic about music for bagpipes?
9/37 The ‘Pifa’ takes its name from the shepherd-bapgipers (called ‘pifferari’). In the 17th century, they would play their instruments in the streets of Rome – and sometimes London – especially at Christmas. ‘Piffero’ can be used to describe various woodwind instruments (from the ‘fife’ of flute, to a double reed instrument similar to the shawm or oboe).
Here in the painting see a set of bagpipes with a reservoir made of sheepskin… bringing us back to the idea of shepherds!
10/37 We mentioned before that the Pastoral? Pifa is sometimes called the ‘Pastoral S y m p h o n y ’. What do these two words mean? Symphony?
11/37 What have we learned so far? • The ‘Pifa’ is an instrumental movement (or ‘symphony’) to be found in the first part of Messiah, where we meet the shepherds around the cradle in a stable. • Handel’s music tries to capture the sound of music played on traditional Italian instruments by shepherds, especially the sound of wind instruments such as the flute, oboe and bagpipes. Remember that bagpipes have a reservoir of air that is squeezed through pipes to create a constant pitch, called a ‘drone’.
12/37 Listen again to the ‘Pifa’. Can you spot these features, imitated by the string orchestra?
Spot the ‘drone’ sound in the held bass note
Click above or visit bit.ly/3fi4nVy
13/37 DID YOU KNOW? In all of Messiah, only two movements are wholly instrumental! They are both in the first part of the oratorio. Apart from Pifa, the other one is the opening overture or ‘Sinfony’, which features both strings and wind instruments to make a grand opening to the work.
Can you remember the What other genres of music need ? definition of ORATORIO? ? an overture or ‘curtain raiser’?
14/37 Messiah, HWV 56 (1741)
Composer’s choice - What would HandelNr. 1: do?Overture George Frideric Händel (1685-1759) Sinfony Grave a 2 ° # j Ÿ™ œ™ œ œ™ œ œ™ ™ œ œ™ œ ™ j j ™ So, Handel wants to 2 Oboi œ œ™ œ# œ# œ œ œ# J œ ™ j œ œ & c œ™ J œ J J J J œ œ œ œ™ œ J [f] imitate the sound of a 2 ™ œ# ™ œ œ™ œ™ œ 2 Fagotti ?#c ˙ Ó ™ œ œ œ œ j ™ j ˙ ™ J the shepherds’ wind ¢ œ J J J J œ œ œ ˙ œ# œ œ [f] instruments, especially [con rip.] ° # j Ÿ™ œ™ œ œ™ œ œ™ ™ œ œ™ œ ™ j j ™ Violino I œ ™ œ# œ# J œ œ# J œ ™ j œ œ woodwind… in his & c œ™ J œ œ œ J J J œ œ œ œ™ œ J [f] orchestra for Messiah, # j ™ j Violino II c ™ j ™ j œ œ œ# ™ œ œ™ ™ j j j ™ j & ™ œ œ œ œ œ J J œ# œ œ# ™ œn ˙ œ ™ œ œ œ he has chosen to include [ ]œ œ œ# œ f ™ ™ j œ œ œ ™ ™ œ# œ œ œ ˙ oboes and bassoons. Viola B# j ™ ™ J œ œ œ J J œ™ œ ˙ œ™ œ c œ™ œ œ œ œ J J J œ J [f] ™ ™ ™ œ™ œ Basso ?# ˙ Ó ™ œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ j ™ j ™ J Continuo ¢ c œ J J J J œ œ œ ˙ œ# œ ˙ œ [f]
Why do you think he chose not What compositional decision did he make when to write for oboes in the ‘Pifa’ choosing to write this movement for strings only?
when he had the opportunity?7 Remember this for your own composition1. choices!2. ? ° ™ ? ™ Ÿ™ œ™ ™ Ÿ # ™ ™ ™ œ œ œ ™ Ob. I œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ j œ œ œ œ™ œ ˙ Ó™ w & J J J œ œ J J œ Ÿœ™ j œ Fag. ?# ˙# œ œ# ™ j œ œn œ œ œ™ œ œ™ œ ™ ™ j ™ œ œ ™ ¢ œ œ œ J œ œ œ œ œ J w J [p] ™ 15/37 ° # ™ ™ ™ ™ ™ œ Ÿœ œ œ™ ™ Ÿ ™ ™ Vln. I œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ J œ j œ œ œ ™ œ ˙ œ ™ w & J J œ œ J œ J ™ œ# [p] œ œ# Ÿ Vln. II # ™ ™ ™ j j ™ & œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ j œ™ œ ™ j Ó ™ J œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ# ˙# w# ™ ™ œ ™ ™ Vla. # ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ j ™ œ ˙ ™ w B œ# œ œ œ J œ œ œ œ œ J Ó ™ B. C. ?# ˙# œ œ ™ j œ œ œ œ œ™ œ ™ ™ j ™ j ™ œ œ œ ™ ¢ œ# œ œn œ œ J œ œ œ œ œ œ œ J w J [p]
Allegro moderato 14 Ÿ < > ° # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ ˙ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ# Ob. I & Œ œ [f] Ÿ Ob. II # œ œ œ# œ# œ œ# œ ˙ œ œ
Ritter von Schleyer Verlag, 2014 Edited by Paul-Gustav Feller Music Analysis Conventions in music
16/37 Listen to the ‘Pifa’ again, and look closely at the score as you do. Now complete the table on your worksheets (as shown below) to identify and understand the musical elements seen and heard.
17/37 4 12 &4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 8 4 12 &4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 8 ™ ™ ™ ™ 12 & 8 œ™ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ™ œ œ 12 & 8 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Did You Know?
This time signature is an example of COMPOUND QUADRUPLE METRE:
• There are 4 beats in every bar (quadruple) • Each beat is a dotted crotchet • Each beat is made up of 3 quavers (compound)
Try exploring compound metres in your own music!
18/37 Handel wrote this movement for three violins, viola and bass. In the baroque period, ‘bass’ generally included bowed strings (cello) and a keyboard instrument (harpsichord or organ). Sometimes there would also be plucked string instruments (theorbo) and even woodwind (bassoon). This bass section is known as the continuo.
MUSICAL ? SHORTHAND: Can you see the shortcut Handel has taken in the manuscript?
19/37 ™ ™ œ ™ ™ ™ œ ™ ™ ™ Handel indicates that the 12 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & 8 œ œ J ‰ ∑ Violin 3 should play “all J ottava” below the Violin 1 ™ ™ ™ ™ ™ ™ and Viola “all ottava” below ™ œ ™ œ ™ 12 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ ∑ the Violin 2. & 8 J
The result looks like this 12 j ™ ™ ™ ™ ™ ™ ™ ™ (see right), but Handel & 8 j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ ∑ was saving himself a lot œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ of time and ink! Of course, ™ ™ ™ ™ ™ ™ ™ ™ ™ someone had to copy out B 12 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ ∑ all the parts for the players 8 J before the first rehearsal! 12 ™ ™ ™ ™ ? 8 w w ˙ œ œ ‰ ∑
™ ™ ™ ™ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ Œ Œ Œ Œ 20/37 &
™ ™ ™ ™ & ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ Œ Œ Œ Œ
& ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
B ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
? ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ Look at how the music is built up simply, using notes from the C major chord:
The notes in red in this extract can all be found in this triad (three note chord) in the tonic (home key) of C major
Can you see the ? technique that Handel is using at the beginning between the first and second violins?
21/37 They start in unison (on the same note). The second violin holds the C for longer then copies the rising scale shape of the first violin in imitation.
The interval between the first violin and the second violin is a third (E above C, F above D, G above E…). Look at how the instruments play in parallel thirds throughout the whole section. This is a really pleasing melodic effect.
REVISION: Do you remember the instrument we saw in the painting of the shepherds? Can you describe how the bass part is imitating the drone of the bagpipes?
22/37 This technique – holding the same bass note while chords change above it – is called a PEDAL harmony.
Here’s another bit of ? musical shorthand. What do you think the abbreviation “tr.” means?
23/37 Which word best describes the texture of this music? ? a) MONOPHONIC – one melodic line b) HOMOPHONIC – two or more parts moving together at the same time c) POLYPHONIC – several parts moving at the same time and interacting with each other
24/37 What other features does ? Handel use to maintain musical interest? Use this example to give you some clues!
Answers are on the next page...
25/37 ANSWERS
1) Tr. means ‘trill’ – an ornament using rapid alternation between two neighbouring notes.
It looks like this: But sounds like this:
2) HOMOPHONIC – two or more parts moving together at the same time
3) Possible answers include: use of silence (rests), large leap in the melody part, violin 2 and cello starting together in answer to violin 1, variety of rhythms between all instruments, the violin 1 part holds the top note over the bar line to create a suspension…
26/37 Some other features of interest
Look at the regular use of this dotted rhythm
How many times can you spot this at different pitches in the following extract ? – can you highlight the appearances of this rhythm? (answer on next page)
27/37 Answer - 10 times
28/37 Now let’s pay a little attention to the bass part
How many different Can you see how the number of pitches per ? pitches can you see? ? bar changes throughout the piece?
This is rather like the heartbeat increasing and Look and listen again to the Pifa, decreasing at times, adding interest and momentum focussing your attention on the bass to the music. The number of chord changes per bar/ part – what role does the bass part phrase is called the HARMONIC RHYTHM. play in this music?
REVISION: Do you remember when we discovered the idea of PEDAL harmony, when the bass part holds the same pitch? Look at the bass part in bars 4-6. What has happened here?
29/37 Now consider the very ending of the piece. It feels satisfying, like we have come to a well prepared end. This is because Handel uses a perfect cadence, moving from chord V (over bass G - the dominant) to chord I (over bass C – the tonic):
Extension work
If you look carefully before these last two chords, you can see that chord I (C major) appears over the note G (shared with the dominant). This is a really nice effect! The C major chord is played in second inversion (Ic) and this makes a Ic V I cadence!
30/37 Over to you… COMPOSITION CHALLENGE #1
31/37 Can you write an 11 bar piece using some or all of the techniques/features we have studied?
Top tips – try using …
• Pedal harmony – hold a note in the bass and move the top parts
• Parallel movement – write a melody in parallel thirds or octaves
• A distinctive rhythm used regularly
• A perfect cadence to end your piece - move from chord V [dominant] to chord I [tonic]
32/37 Over to you… COMPOSITION CHALLENGE #2
33/37 Handel also wrote a longer version of this piece. He extended the ‘Pifa’ from 11 bars into 32 bars.
One way of getting great marks for your composition – and of becoming an excellent composer – is to develop your musical material.
Look at and listen to the full version below and spot as many techniques as you can that Handel used to develop the ideas used in the shorter version to make a longer piece. One clue – look at the words at the end of the score….
34/37 Compisition challenge 2 (continued)
35/37 ANSWERS
• DA CAPO form – immediately gets • repeats dotted rhythm in 13 you further! He has only written (compare to bar 2!) 10 extra bars before repeating the beginning! • use of sequence (copies bar 13 in 14 with pitch change) • modulation to the dominant = G major(spot the F# in the bass) • inverts the bass motif from the cadence 11 at 16 • modulates to the relevant minor = A minor (spot the g# and the 7th d) • interesting cadence at 20-21 in G [ and then back to G major I ii Ib iib Ic V I ]over pleasant rising bass line.
36/37 Teaching & resource #01
Congratulations This marks the end of the lesson.
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