Baroque Opera, Cantata and Oratorio

1. Baroque Opera,
Cantata and Oratorio

2. First Operas
• The word opera means "work" in Italian, suggesting that
it combines the arts of solo and choral singing,
declamation, acting and dancing in a staged spectacle.
• “Dafne” by Jacopo Peri was the earliest composition
considered opera. It was written around 1597 and was
lost.
• A later work by Peri, “Euridice”, dating from 1600, is the
first opera score to have survived to the present day.
• The honor of being the first opera still to be regularly
performed goes to Claudio Monteverdi's “L'Orfeo”,
composed for the court of Mantua in 1607.

3. Video Assignment
Please watch segments 2 – 6 of this video.
http://digital.films.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/PortalViewVideo.
aspx?xtid=10878&psid=0&sid=0&State=&title=The%20Birth%20
and%20Life%20of%20Opera&IsSearch=N&parentSeriesID=

4. Operatic Terminology
• Libretto – the words of an opera. Some composers wrote their own
librettos; some collaborated with their librettists.
• Orchestral overture – an instrumental opening to most of the
operas. Some overtures are based on melodies from the arias.
• Gluck Overture to Iphigenie en
Aulidehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctko9P6IaMM
• Aria – a formal song in which characters expresses their emotions.
• Figaro’s Aria from The Barber of Seville by
Rossinihttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qHZkkgowdY
• Recitative - the plot-driving passages sung in a style designed to
imitate and emphasize the inflections of speech.
http://content.thespco.org/music/compositions/scene-and-rondo-
chio-mi-scordi-di-te-wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/
• Ensembles – duets, trios, other ensembles, and choruses.
• Verdi: La Traviata - III.Act - Gypsy and Picadors Chorus Noi siamo
zingarelle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3bHC8B5o-k

5. Early Opera in Italy
• Opera houses were established.
• Opera seria – noble and serious Italian opera.
• Castrato voices.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8ZAraf5wMc

6. Claudio Monteverdi
(1567 – 1643)
Operas:
• Orfeo (1607)
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=nCtACwEnjOo&fe
ature=player_embedded
• Arianna (1608)
• Coronation of Poppea
(1642)

7. Baroque Opera in France
• Italian opera was rejected in France.
Please watch segment 17 in this video:
http://digital.films.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/
PortalViewVideo.aspx?xtid=718&psid=0&sid=0
&State=&title=The%20Golden%20Age&IsSearc
h=Y&parentSeriesID=#
• A separate French tradition was founded by
Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632 – 1687) – tragédie
en musique or tragédie lyrique.
• Was sung in French
• Combined and intermingled recitatives and
arias.
Please look at the fragments of following
example at your consideration:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ3boqMc
duY

8. Opera in England
• Masque – a type of entertainment
contained songs and dances.
• Henry Purcell (1659 – 1695)
• Dido and Aeneas (1689) – composer’s first
opera.
http://www.newtrinitybaroque.org/multime
dia/audio.html
Watch segment 18:
http://digital.films.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:20
48/PortalViewVideo.aspx?xtid=718&psid=0
&sid=0&State=&title=The%20Golden%20Ag
e&IsSearch=Y&parentSeriesID=#

9. Cantata
• A cantata (literally "sung", derived from the Italian word
"cantare") is a vocal composition with an instrumental
accompaniment, typically in several movements, often
involving a choir.
• Cantatas were in great demand for the services of the
Lutheran church.
• J. S. Bach, Cantata No. 140, Wachet auf (Sleepers
Awake):http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/abs-
favoritecantatas/
• Secular cantatas.
• J. S. Bach, Cantata No. 202, Wedding
http://content.thespco.org/music/compositions/arias-from-
cantata-no-202-wedding-johann-sebastian-bach/
• J. S. Bach, Coffee Cantata, BWV 211
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7oWS8VCLYE

10. Oratorio
• Oratorio – a large musical composition for orchestra, choir and
soloists based on a biblical story and designated strictly to the
concert performances.
• The help of a narrator was sometimes used to depict the
action.
• Handel “Messiah”
Watch segments 1, 2, 5, and 12.
http://digital.films.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/PortalViewVideo.
aspx?xtid=2751&psid=0&sid=0&State=&title=Handels%20Messi
ah&IsSearch=Y&parentSeriesID=

11. George Frideric Handel
1685 – 1759
A German-born British
composer, famous for
his operas, oratorios,
anthems and organ
concertos.

12. Early Years (1685 – 1701)
• Was born in Halle, Germany,
in a family of a barber-
surgeon, who intended him
to study law.
• Handel secretly learned
how to play a clavichord
and at an early age became
a skillful harpsichord and
organ performer.
• Later studied performance
and composition with a
church organist.
Handel-Haus –
the birthplace of Handel

13. From Halle to Italy
(1702 – 1710)
• Started studying law at the
University of Halle and worked as
an organist.
• Became a violinist and
harpsichordist in the orchestra of
the Hamburg Opera.
• Composed first operas: Almira,
Nero, Daphne and Florindo.
• Travelled to Italy in 1706.
• Composed sacred music for the
Roman clergy, cantatas and
oratorios, and Italian operas.
The Hamburg Opera in 1726

14. London
• 1710 – Handel became Kapellmeister to German prince
Georg.
• 1712 – moved to England.
• Composed Water Music in 1717.
• The Royal Academy of Music (1719 – 34) – Handel’s
opera company.
• Composed operas.
• 1737 – suffered a stroke, which prevented him from
performing.
• Composed oratorios: Saul, Israel in Egypt, The Messiah,
Samson.

15. Later Years
• Music for the Royal Fireworks – 1749, 12,000 attended
the first performance.
• 1751 – one eye started to fail and operation did not
improve his eyesight.
• The last performance Handel attended was of Messiah.
• Was buried in Westminster Abbey.
• Never married and kept his personal life private.

16. Important Works
• Operas (42): Agrippina (1709); Rinaldo (1711); Rodelinda
(1725); Serse (1738); Deidamia (1740); etc.
• Oratorios (29): Acis and Galatea (1718); Messiah (1741); Judas
Maccabaeus (1746); Solomon, Susanna (1748); Jephtha
(1752); etc.
• Cantatas and Chamber Duets: 120 Cantatas and 20 Chamber
Duets
• Church Music: Utrecht Te Deum and Jubilate (1712 - 13);
Chandos Anthems (1717 – 18)
• Orchestra: Water Music (c.1717); Music for Royal Fireworks
(1749): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q27aV-IiQWo
• Instrumental and Chamber Music: 6 Concerti Grossi
(1734):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGV_NGZc4ZQ16
Organ Concerti; 7 Trio Sonatas (1739); 16 Keyboard Suites, 6
Fugues (1736), etc.

17. Video Assignment
Please watch this video and take notes. You will be asked to
reflect on Handel’s life and legacy.
http://digital.films.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/PortalViewVideo.
aspx?xtid=29997&psid=0&sid=0&State=&title=George%20Frider
ic%20Handel&IsSearch=N&parentSeriesID=

18. Required Readings:
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opera
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantata
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oratorio
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handel
Optional video assignments:
http://digital.films.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/PortalViewVideo.aspx?xtid
=4073&psid=0&sid=0&State=&title=The%20World%20of%20Claudio%20
Monteverdi&IsSearch=Y&parentSeriesID=
http://digital.films.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/PortalViewVideo.aspx?xtid
=42100&psid=0&sid=0&State=&title=Dido%20and%20Aeneas—
From%20the%20Royal%20Opera%20House&IsSearch=Y&parentSeriesID=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnKFUNizi4E&list=PL-
IB5Rpxcuks5vzJCyMKj7Xny-ZiPgibM