George Frideric Handel (1685-1559)

Baroque Overtures:French vs. Italian

Italian Overture• Placed at beginnings of operas and other large-scale vocal-

instrumental works• Called “Sinfonia” – which could also refer simply to a

freestanding instrumental piece within an opera• Three parts: Fast-Slow-Fast• Influenced evolution of Classical genres (Symphony and

Sonata)

French Overture• Found at the beginnings of operas and oratorios• Also frequently used as first movement of instrumental suites• Two parts: Slow-Fast

– Part I: Austere, characterized by “dotted” (long-short, long-short) rhythms

– Part II: Fugal/Imitative – often featuring a return of material from Part I at the very end

Oratorio: Handel’s Messiah (1742)

Features:

• French Overture• Solos• Recitatives• Duets• Choruses

Bach: Vocal Works• Cantatas (both secular and sacred)

– Integrated, multi-movement work for voices and instruments involving a free alternation of instrumental movements, solos, duets, etc., and choruses

– Usually based on a single, unifying chorale tune• Latin Church Music

– Including the Mass in B minor, and the Magnificat• Passions and Oratorios

– Christmas Oratorio, Easter Oratorio– St. Mathew’s Passion, St. John’s Passion

• Motets– Like Sacred Cantatas, but usually with divided choir

• Chorales– Harmonizations of Lutheran chorale melodies

• Miscellaneous: Sacred songs, isolated arias, etc.

Cantata: “Christ lag in Todesbanden”(Christ lay in the bonds of death)

Sinfonia

Chorus: Verse I – “Christ lay in the bonds of death”

Duet: Verse II – “Nobody could overcome death”

Aria: Verse III – “Jesus Christ, the Son God”

Chorus: Verse IV – “There was a wondrous war”

Aria: Verse V – “Here is the true Passover Lamb”

Duet: Verse VI – “So we celebrate the high feast”

Chorus: Verse VII – “We eat and live well”

Historical OverviewRenaissance

c. 1400-1450•Simplification:

•Homophony•Standardization of Mass

c. 1450-1550•Imitative Polyphony•Gradual emergence of instrumental music

c. 1550-1600•Sacred:

•Reforms of Palestrina•Secular:

•Development of Madrigal•Continued emergence of instrumental music

Baroque

c. 1600-1700•Development of Opera

•Seconda Pratica•Development of Instrumental Suite•Development of new string instruments and more virtuosic playing styles

c. 1700-1750•Vivaldi

•Codification of Baroque Concerto

•Bach•Ultimate culmination of advanced contrapuntal techniques•Exploration of instrumental and vocal genres

•Handel•Opera/Oratorio

Middle Ages

c. 600-1000 AD•Sacred, liturgical Music:

•Monophonic chant

c. 1000-1200•Early Polyphony:

•Experiments with drones and singing in parallel motion

c. 1200-1300•Notre Dame Polyphony:

•Organum – chant is drawn out in long notes in the lower base, and faster moving lines are added above

c. 1300-1400•Ars Nova:

•Faster, more rhythmically complex•More active melodically•Secular Motet