Baroque Opera “Opera is the delight of princes.”

Opera Large-scale musical drama, that combines poetry, acting, scenery, and costumes with singing and instrumental music.  Orchestra plays the overture  Arias are sung (songs)  Recitatives are speechlike declamations of the text which often move the story line along  Ensembles (“group” singing)  Choruses

More definitions The writer of the “text” of an opera is called ________________, and the “text” is called the _________________.

Claudio Monteverdi ( ) Madrigal composer (composed 8 books between ) Composed operas which came out of the tradition of the Florentine Camerata Orfeo (considered the “first” opera)  Used “effects” like the tremolo, pizzicato (“stile concitato”) “The text should be the master of the music, not the servant.” (So music had to express the emotions of the text.)

Monteverdi’s The Coronation of Poppea Establishes the “love duet” Historical subjects (unusual in that earliest operas story lines came from Greek mythology). Description on p. 409 about the characters Musical example, p. 410

Opera in other countries England – Got a slow start, because Puritans thought that theatre was an invention of the devil. The spoken word took precedence over the sung. John Blow’s Venus and Adonis, which was sung throughout; this work paved the way for...

Henry Purcell’s ( ) Dido and Aneas, p First performed at a girls’ school. Heard over a “repeating” ground bass. Much chromaticism— emotional aria

Johann Sebastian Bach ( ) “The aim and final reason of all music should be nothing else but the Glory of God and the refreshment of the spirit.”

Bach’s music Sacred vocal works, including over 200 church cantatas, 7 motets, Magnificat, St. John Passion, St. Matthew Passion, Christmas Oratorio, Mass in B Minor Secular works Orchestral works (Brandenburg concertos) Chamber music Keyboard and Organ music (MUCH OF THIS!)

Bach and the Sacred Cantata Devout Lutheran and Church Master Cantatas based on Lutheran Chorale Chorale – Hymn tune (came from Martin Luther) (origins of the hymn, p. 422) Like Mozart, in that he raised existing forms to the highest level.

Bach’s Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (A Mighty Fortress is Our God) Cantata No. 80, pp Eight Movements – Martin Luther’s hymn of the same name (Luther wrote both the music/text) is found in movements 1, 2, 5 and 8. The others are by the librettist, Salomo Franck.

George Frideric Handel ( ) Composer of the famous “Messiah”

The Oratorio Word is derived from the Italian word for “a place of prayer.” Large-scale, dramatic work with a religious or Biblical text performed by solo voices, chorus, and orchestra; it is not staged or costumed. Originally known for opera, but turned to oratorio. Handel makes the chorus—the people—the center of the drama. As in Greek tragedy, it serves as both protagonist and spectator.

The Messiah Written in 24 days Libretto from both Old and New Testaments Written in three parts:  Christmas  Easter  Redemption of the World through faith p. 434