Download Baroque Vocal Music - King`s Park Secondary School

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
• Write the subtitle
“ways to perform
using the voice”
• Glue this very useful
table into your jotter
Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School
Concept
Definition
Accompanied
One or more instruments support the melody
Unaccompanied
No instruments support the
melody
Unison
Two or more people sing the same line. (also applies
to instruments).
Single Line
One musical part
Harmony
Two or more parts performing different notes
A capella
A cappella is Italian for "in the style of the
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
(word setting)
Where each syllable has a new note
Melismatic
(word setting)
Where each syllable has many notes
chapel".
Vocal music with no accompaniment.
Accompanied or
Unaccompanied
• One or more
instruments support
the melody
Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School
• No instruments
support the melody
Unison or Harmony
• Two or more people
sing the same line
Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School
• Two or more parts
performing different
notes
Syllabic or Melismatic
• Where each syllable
has a new note
Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School
• Where each syllable
has many notes
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
Chorus
Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School
‘He Shall Feed His Flock’ from Handel’s ‘Messiah’
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.
Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School
‘Orpheus and Eurydice’ by Gluck
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.
The Mass Ordinary used a text for any time of the
year compared to the Mass Proper that used
special text for certain special days.
The Ordinary was split into sections that are still
used today.
Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School
Mass
• Originally used in church worship
• Based on the text of the Roman Catholic
Eucharist
• In Latin
• Large-scale work for chorus and soloists,
accompanied by the orchestra
• In the Baroque era, a basso continuo would
be present
Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School
Liturgy
You need to learn the names of these sections
so that you can recognise them when you
hear the Latin words.
Kyrie
Gloria
Benedictus
Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School
Credo
Sanctus
Agnus Dei
The 6 sections
Kyrie
Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy.
Sanctus
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord
God of Hosts; Heaven
and earth are full of
Your glory.
Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School
Gloria
Credo
Celebratory section
praising God and
Christ.
• This is the longest
text of the Mass
Setting of the Nicene
Creed
Benedictus
Agnus Dei
• This is a continuation • This is a setting of the
of the Sanctus
‘Lamb of God’ –
symbolic of Jesus.
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the
Lamb of God, you who
Lord.
take away the sins of
the world.
Next Listening Lesson
• Come up with a mneumonic to help you
remember the 6 sections in a mass:
• Kyrie, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, Gloria,
Agnus Dei
• CONCEPT TEST: on all of Baroque Vocal
Music
Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School
•Badgers
•Sometimes
•Kiss
•And
•Cuddle
•Giraffes
Written by I. Horning King's Park Secondary School