Early Baroque Vocal Music

Vocal Music in the Baroque

1600 - 1750

Opera

Opera is born in the Baroque

The word “opera” means “work”

Originally opera drammatica in musica, meaning “dramatic work in music”

Opera is entirely sung in the Baroque

Focus is on the solo singing

Text is called the libretto

Libretto

Literally means “little book”

The libretto is the text or script of the opera

Librettist: the writer of the libretto

Usually a poet working with the composer

Early Baroque Opera

Opera in the early Baroque is different in many ways from late Baroque

It was based on the musical reforms and philosophies of the Florentine Camerata

Florentine Camerata

Late Renaissance group of humanist intellectuals in Florence, Italy

Sought to improve music by returning it to classical (ancient Greek) dramatic ideals

Believed (incorrectly) that Greek drama had been sung in a declamatory style

Developed monody as an approximation of Greek dramatic style

Florentine Camerata

Their efforts led to the first opera, Jacopo Peri’s Dafne

Opera grows in popularity

The first opera that is still performed today is Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo

Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)

Transitional figure from Renn. to Baroque

Mantua, Duke Vincenzo Gonzaga (1590-1612)

Embraces the new style – Baroquesecunda prattica

5th book of madrigals (1605)

His first opera, is the first operatic masterwork – Orfeo (1607)

Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)

Leaves Mantua court for Venice cathedralProminent position for sacred musicAllowed the freedom to accept commissionsComposed operas for other venues

Return of Ulysses (1641)Coronation of Poppea (1642)

One of the most significant composers in music history

Monody

Monteverdi’s Orfeo is primarily monodic

Homophonic textureSolo vocal line with chordal accompaniment

Rhythmically freeNo meter – approximates natural rhythm of speech

Slight differences between aria and recit.

Listening Example

Title: “Tu se’ morta” from L’Orfeo

Composer: Claudio Monteverdi

Genre: Opera

Notes on “Tu se morta”

Continuo accompaniment variesBass lute

Harpsichord, bass viol, and bass lute

Organ and bass lute

Word painting in the arioso

Subtle lyricism – not quite an aria

Listening Example

Title: “Possente Spirto” from L’Orfeo

Composer: Claudio Monteverdi

Genre: Opera

Notes on “Possente Spirto”

Begins with brief sinfonia (instrumental intro)

Extensive ornamentation of vocal line

Much more active melodically

Increased involvement of “orchestra”Trumpets and violins punctuate his phrases

Continuo is still present (organ, bass lute)

Evolution of Opera

As genre matures, the various components of opera become more specialized and elaborate

Much greater difference between recitative and aria

Music becomes more rhythmically structured – regular meter

The Components of Opera

Opera combines many diverse elementsVocal music

Instrumental music

Acting

Scenery and costumes

Dancing

Recitative

Based on the ideals of monodyRhythmically free, no meter

Declamatory, speech-like singing style

Mirrors the natural rhythms of speech

Recitative presents the plot and the actionOften used for dialogue

Helps build emotional tension

Vocal Music of Opera

Soloists

Ensembles (small groups singing together)Duets

Trios

Quartets

Chorus (large group of singers)

Solo Singing

Two kinds of solo singing in operaRecitative

Aria

Recitatives involving multiple singers are like conversations: one sings after another

Ensembles are sung in aria style, though the term “aria” by itself refers to a solo

Two kinds of Recitative

Semplice (simple) or secco (dry)Accompanied only by basso continuo

Very speech-like, many repeated notes

Early opera uses simple recitative almost exclusively

Accompagnato (accompanied)Accompanied by the orchestra

More lyrical than simple recitative

Later opera uses a combination of the two

Aria

Italian word for “air” or “song”More lyrical than recitative

Clear meter and rhythm

Arias express emotion Focuses on emotion of a character in the story

Does not advance the story

Da capo arias became a very popular form

Arioso

Not as widely used as recitative and aria

The midpoint between the two stylesMore lyrical than simple recitative

More declamatory than aria

Da Capo Aria

This aria form became popular later in the Baroque period

“Da capo” is Italian for “from the top”

This is an aria with a specific structure

A-B-A’ formSection A is sung followed by section B

After section B, section A is repeated with embellishments

Instrumental Music of Opera

Orchestra accompanies arias, accompagnato recitatives, and sung ensembles (duets, trios, etc.)

At times the orchestra plays instrumental pieces

Prior to the start of the opera, a piece is playedThis is usually called an overture

This lets the audience know the opera is starting

During scene changes, music is playedNames for these pieces vary: sinfonia, interlude, etc.

Basso ostinato

Any repeated pattern in music is an ostinato

Ostinato means “obstinate,” or “stubborn”

A repeated bass melody is a basso ostinato

Baroque lament arias often sung to a descending basso ostinato

Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

Born in London area (Westminster)

Father was a gentleman of the Chapel Royal

Organist at Westminster Abbey and later at the Chapel Royal

Composed for both the church and court

Died young, most likely of TBhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Purcell

Henry Purcell

Composer of one of the first English operas

Dido and Aeneas

Composed for a Chelsea girls schoolTaken from Virgil’s “Aeneid”

The final aria, “Dido’s Lament,” is very famous

Listening Example

Title: “When I am laid in earth,” from Dido and Aeneas

Composer: Henry Purcell

Genre: Opera

Notes on “When I am laid in earth”

The aria is preceded by an unusually expressive recitative: “Thy hand Belinda”

Listen for the descending line of the ground bass (basso ostinato)

Notice the emotional expression – the purpose of an aria

Summary of Baroque Opera

Opera has many components Vocal music Instrumental music Acting Scenery and costumes Dancing

The vocal music is also varied Solo singing Ensembles Chorus

Summary of Baroque Opera

Solo singing is done in two styles• Recitative

Secco Accompagnato

• Aria Da Capo Aria

Text of an opera is called the libretto

Operas varied regionally across Europe

Oratorio

Began as small scale religious plays

Grew to be essentially an opera without the staging: no costumes, no scenery

Same use of recitative and aria

Accompanied by orchestra

Oratorio

Usually a religious theme

Always deals with weighty subject

Handel is best known composer of oratorio

Great deal of musical similarity between oratorio and cantata, but oratorios are much longer

Cantata

Cantare – Italian for “to sing”

Smaller performing forces

Much shorter than opera or oratorio

Early Baroque Cantata

Earliest cantatas were short, usually secular, and heavily influenced by monodyThe genre originates in Italy out of the same desire for textual expression as operaOne or two singers usually performed a poetic setting with basso continuoThe poem is usually set in several contrasting sections

Later Baroque Cantata

Much more like a small scale oratorio

Consists of all operatic characteristicsRecitatives

Arias

Ensembles

Choruses

Orchestra

Sacred Cantata’s of J.S.Bach

Cantata integral to Lutheran church service

New cantata required every Sunday

Yearly cycle approx. 60 cantatasOne per Sunday plus holidays/special occasions

Usually 5 to 8 movements

Bach composed 4–5 cycles (only 200 extant)

Frequent use of Lutheran Chorale

Lutheran Chorale

Chorale is the hymn tune

Sung by the congregation

Originally sung in unison

Later set in 4-part harmony, melody in soprano (top voice)

These 4-part settings referred to as a chorale

Chorale unifies the cantata