jan 9, 1710 - Term: Oratorio
Description:
(Handel)
An unstaged dramatic (or quasi-dramatic) musical setting of a religious or biblical subject that combines aria, recitative, chorus, ensembles and instrumental music.
[unstaged = performed without costumes, scenery, staging or action]
At first, performed in churches, then spread to concert halls once it gained some popularity.
- performing in a church means he can perform 40 more days a year than his competition (things shut down for Lent)
- The oratorio genre was first developed in Rome in the early 1600s.
- From there it spread to other parts of Italy.
Thanks to Handel, it became popular in England in the mid-1700s and remains popular to this day.
- While operas sometimes include chorus numbers, the chorus plays a much more significant role in an oratorio than in an opera.
* The role of the chorus, and the fact that an oratorio is unstaged, are the two major differences distinguishing this genre from opera. Also, was performed in English, and was sacred. *
How is the story told? Through:
- Recitative (dialogue):
- Sung by soloists representing Biblical characters or narrators
- Aria (reflective musical numbers):
- Sung by soloists representing Biblical characters or narrators
- Chorus numbers
- Portraying the role of a crowd
- Assuming the role of narrator or commentator (as in Greek drama)
- Instrumental ensembles
Added to timeline:
MTTA December Exam Timeline
Date:
