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Baroque Vocal Music

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Baroque Vocal Music Baroque Vocal Music Higher Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Baroque 1600-1750 • The fashion was for ornamentation everywhere. • Musicians adapted the word to describe the musical styles of this time. • Sacred music was particularly popular at the time Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School A useful table Concept Definition • Write the subtitle Accompanied One or more instruments support the melody Unaccompanied No instruments support the “ways to perform melody Unison Two or more people sing the same line. (also applies using the voice” to instruments). Single Line One musical part • Glue this very useful Harmony Two or more parts performing different notes A capella A cappella is Italian for "in the style of the table into your jotter chapel". Vocal music with no accompaniment. Vibrato The singer makes the note they are singing waver in pitch very slightly bringing warmth to the tone of their voice. Register How high or low a voice is Syllabic Where each syllable has a new note (word setting) Melismatic Where each syllable has many notes (word setting) Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Accompanied or Unaccompanied • One or more • No instruments instruments support support the melody the melody Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Unison or Harmony • Two or more people • Two or more parts sing the same line performing different notes Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Syllabic or Melismatic • Where each syllable • Where each syllable has a new note has many notes Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Vibrato • The singer makes the note they are singing waver in pitch very slightly bringing warmth to the tone of their voice. Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School A cappella • A cappella is Italian for "in the style of the chapel". • Vocal music with no accompaniment. Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Recitative • In Venice a group of secular composers named ‘The Florentine Camereta’ began composing short vocal pieces called monodies. These were a vocal melodic line with a keyboard simple accompaniment over a bass line. Because of the small number of performers involved it meant that the singer was at liberty to sing the rhythms with an amount of freedom in accordance with the nature of the text – as if reciting a poem. This style of singing became known as Recitativo. With some development this then was introduced into the pastoral plays that were popular in Italy at the end of the 16th Century. Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Recitative • Recitative Secco (dry recitative) accompanied only by the continuo instruments. Because of the sparseness of texture long sections of dialogue could proceed quickly and the singer could take more liberties with the rhythm. • Recitative Accompagnato – More instruments were involved and this meant the singer had less freedom with the rhythm but gave the composer more dramatic opportunities. Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Recitative • Sung speech • Often before an aria • Chordal accompaniment • Basso Continuo • Used to move the story along ‘There Were Shepherds’ from Handel’s ‘Messiah’ Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Aria • The Aria was a new type of vocal operatic form. Similar to Recitative Accompagnato in that it was scored for singer, continuo and orchestral instruments. • An Aria is often a reflective moment in an opera, where a single character is alone to share their thoughts and feelings with the audience (just like the soliloquy in a play) Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Aria • A song for solo voice • Accompanied by orchestra • Basso Continuo • Beautiful melody ‘Ave Maria’ arranged by Gounod Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Da Capo Aria • It had a clear form – known as the Da Capo Aria. Sometimes the accompaniment for this had a solo instrument line that acted as a foil to the voice. This line became known as the Obbligato – one is obliged to have the instrumental line playing with the singer. Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Da Capo Aria • Depending upon the style and mood of the aria, the singer, when repeating the first section, would add their own vocal decoration to the printed melody. It became customary to improvise a Cadenza – a florid passage displaying the brilliance of the singers technique – just before the final cadence of • either B or A2. Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Da Capo Aria • An aria in ternary form (ABA). • Sometimes A is repeated with ornaments. • Handel: ‘Lascia ch’io pianga’ Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Chorus • A group of singers • Each part has several singers • SATB Choir • Often accompanied by orchestra • Basso Continuo Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Oratorio • Born at the same time as the Opera, Oratorio took it’s name from St, Philip Neri’s Oratory in Rome where the first oratorios were performed. At first they were similar to opera – made up of recitative, aria, chorus and acted out. The main difference was that the text was based on a sacred story usually from the Bible. In time Oratorios ceased to be acted out, and were performed in Churches and concert halls rather than in the theatre. Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Oratorio • Story from the Bible set to music • No costumes or scenery • In English • Accompanied by an orchestra • Can include – Recitative – Aria – Duet ‘He Shall Feed His Flock’ from Handel’s ‘Messiah’ – Chorus Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Cantata • Cantata – is similar to oratorio on a smaller scale. It may be based on a secular topic. Cantata is for soloists, chorus and orchestra. Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Cantata • A small scale Oratorio • Story from the Bible set to music • No costumes or scenery • In German • Accompanied by an orchestra • Can include – Recitative – Aria – Duet – Chorus Bach: ‘Gloria sei dir gesungen’ Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School PASSION • A Passion is a vocal sacred work telling the Bible story of the Crucifixion, sung in German churches the week before Easter. Text is in German and features chorales as well as recitatives, arias and choruses. Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Passion • A type of Oratorio which is based on the Crucifixion of Christ • Story from the Bible set to music • No costumes or scenery • In German • Accompanied by an orchestra • Can include – Recitative – Aria – Duet – Chorus Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Chorale • The Chorale is a German hymn tune. It is written in four parts for soprano, contralto (alto), tenor and bass. Some of these chorales were used by Bach in his oratorios and cantatas and are usually homophonic in texture. • Music which is sung by the congregation at a church service • In German Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Opera • Opera emerged in the Baroque period and is a dramatic form of choral writing. • It involves costumes, drama and scenery. • Within an opera (as in oratorio) you will find examples of recitative, aria and chorus. Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Opera • A secular drama set to music which is performed on a stage in a theatre • No spoken dialogue • Singers have trained voices. • Costumes and Scenery • Music includes – Recitative – Aria – Duet – Chorus Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Opera Synopsis Act 1 • A chorus of nymphs and shepherds join Orfeo around the tomb of his wife Euridice in a solemn chorus of mourning; Orfeo is only able to utter Euridice's name. Amore appears, telling Orfeo that he may go to the Underworld and return with his wife on the condition that he not look at her until they are back on earth As encouragement, Amore informs Orfeo that his present suffering shall be short-lived. Orfeo resolves to take on the quest. Act 2 • In a rocky landscape, the Furies refuse to admit Orfeo to the Underworld, and When Orfeobegs for pity he is at first interrupted by cries of "No!" from the Furies, but they are eventually let him in. • The second scene opens in Elysium. Orfeo arrives and marvels at the purity of the air . But he finds no solace in the beauty of the surroundings, for Euridice is not yet with him. He implores the spirits to bring her to him, which they do. Act 3 • On the way out of Hades, Euridice is delighted to be returning to earth, but Orfeo, remembering the condition related by Amore in Act I, lets go of her hand and refuses to look at her, does not explain anything to her. She does not understand his action and reproaches him, but he must suffer in silence Euridice takes this to be a sign that he no longer loves her, and refuses to continue, concluding that death would be preferable. Unable to take any more, Orfeo turns and looks at Euridice; again, she dies. • Orfeo decides he will kill himself to join Euridice in Hades, but Amore returns to stop him. In reward for Orfeo's continued love, Amore returns Euridice to life, and she and Orfeo are reunited. ‘Orpheus and Eurydice’ by Gluck Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Mass Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School Mass • The Mass was the main form of Church music. It was mainly a church service which used a musical setting of the words from the Bible.
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