Web viewI. General Observations on Late Baroque ... How did Handel use word painting to illustrate the words ... Identify the incorrect statement regarding Bach’s work

CHAPTER 7

LATE BAROQUE MUSIC:BACH AND HANDEL

CHAPTER OUTLINE

I. General Observations on Late Baroque MusicA. Refinement and Culmination of StyleB. Theatrical Quality of Baroque ArtC. Aspects of Late Baroque Musical Style

1. Treatment of Musical Elements2. The Late Baroque Orchestra

II. Johann Sebastian BachA. FugueB. Orchestral MusicC. The Cantata

III. George Frideric HandelA. Orchestral Dance SuiteB. The Oratorio

CHAPTER SUMMARY

The last decades of the Baroque era (1710-1750) were characterized, not by the vigorous spirit of innovation that so energized the previous century, but by a refinement that sought to perfect earlier ideas, forms, and techniques. Two composers whose music exemplified this attitude were Bach and Handel. They epitomized the Baroque ideal of the composer as craftsman: an individual whose vocation furnished a product necessary to a well-ordered and

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2 LISTENING TO MUSIC

civilized society. Just as Bernini, the sculptor of a magnificent statue of David (Fig. 6-7) and the architect of St. Peter’s Square in Rome (Fig. 6-2), could turn the functional salt cellar into a stunning work of art, so Bach’s occasional music, composed for performance in the Leipzig equivalent of a Starbucks coffee house, and Handel’s party music are some of the greatest treasures of western musical tradition.

One important principle in Baroque art and music is the dramatic juxtaposition of conflict and unity within a single artistic expression. This ideal is exemplified in music by using a movement’s formal structure to balance and limit opposing timbres and textures. Within a multi-movement composition, dramatic contrasts in melodic and rhythmic styles occurred between successive movements. Late Baroque musicians refined rather than repudiated the musical characteristics of the seventeenth century. Melodies continue to be extended through sequential development, but phrases are longer and composed in a more instrumentally idiomatic style. The driving pulse and rhythmic energy of Baroque music make its rhythmic structure the most consistent and easily perceptible style in western art music. Part of this vigorous regularity results from the constant pattern of chord changes that give order and purpose to the harmony. The music of this period also returns to the contrapuntal complexity that characterized Renaissance compositions. Finally, the modern symphony orchestra traces its beginnings to this period. While the core of the ensemble consisted of strings and basso continuo, a couple of woodwind or brass instruments could be included to add color. The Baroque orchestra was rarely larger, and frequently smaller, than twenty-five instruments.

When it comes to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), musicians speak only in superlatives. His music combines technical virtuosity, structural purity, and emotional expression in a manner that challenges and delights performers and listeners alike. It rewards careful study and never becomes cloying. Yet during his lifetime, Bach’s neighbors and contemporaries regarded him as a famous organist, but not as a composer, much less as one of the greatest musicians who ever walked on the face of the earth. Today, his compositions stand among the finest achievements of western civilization. His nearly one hundred fugues, imitative compositions in which a single theme alternates with passages of free counterpoint, demonstrate every known contrapuntal technique and demonstrate not only his creativity, but also his musical and intellectual discipline. The set of six Brandenburg Concertos represent an anthology of Baroque instrumental groups; the varying concertino groupings in the concertos provided an opportunity for Bach to write challenging music that was idiomatically appropriate to each instrument. The ritornello forms in these works are more intricate and musically unified than those by Vivaldi. The fifth Brandenburg Concerto lifts the harpsichord from its role as a member of the basso continuo, treating it, for the first time, as a solo instrument; some consider it the progenitor of the nineteenth-century piano concerto. Bach’s church cantatas are the pinnacle of the genre. Composed for performance during church services, these sermons in music consist of several movements that alternate between recitatives, arias, and choruses. In Awake, A Voice Is Calling, the polyphony is not only complex, but also expresses the text’s illustrative and theological implications.

LATE BAROQUE MUSIC: BACH AND HANDEL 3

The musical contributions of that other pillar of Baroque music, George Frideric Handel (1685-1759), are no less impressive, although distinctly different. Audiences find Handel’s music stirring and exciting, not because of its contrapuntal complexity, but because it is so dramatic, a style he assimilated from his operatic works. This direct, emotive spirit infuses even his instrumental works. Water Music, composed for a royal entertainment, combines engaging rhythms and themes with simple, clearly stated textures and forms. Handel’s oratorios also exhibit theatrical roots, being in effect “sacred operas.” The oratorios have all the musical components of opera: an orchestral overture and soloists singing recitatives and arias. However, its unique quality stems from the chorus, which plays a prominent role, commenting and moralizing on the story as well as providing a dramatic and musical climax. His oratorio, Messiah, has become one of the great musical icons of western art. LikeRodin’s “The Thinker” or Michelangelo’s ubiquitous “David,” it still stirs the human spirit in spite of its familiarity.

KEY WORDS

a. Art of Fugue i. figured bassb. cadenza j. fuguec. cantata k. opera seriad. chorale l. oratorioe. da capo aria m. pedal pointf. dance suite n. preludeg. episode o. subjecth. exposition p. The Well-Tempered Clavier ____ 1. Each movement in this multi-movement genre is normally composed in binary

form.____ 2. The composition by Bach containing two sets of twenty-four preludes and

fugues.____ 3. A vocal composition that originated in Italy, it could serve either sacred or

secular purposes, depending upon the text.____ 4. It was a numerical system by which Baroque composers indicated the sequence

of chords that musicians were to play on either the harpsichord or organ.____ 5. What is the term for the primary melody of a fugue?____ 6. Italian term for a serious rather than comic opera.____ 7. It is a spiritual melody or religious folksong of the German Lutheran church.____ 8. This composition provides an encyclopedic treatment of all known contrapuntal

procedures.____ 9. When this genre of composition first emerged in Italy, it was a setting of a sacred

text, intended for spiritual edification, and performed in a special chapel or church hall.


____ 10. Although composers only wrote out two sections of music (A and B) for this vocal form, the repetition of A results in a ternary structure (ABA).

____ 11. It is the central musical event in the German Protestant church service.____ 12. Term for the section of a fugue during which each voice introduces the melody

in turn.____ 13. A showy passage for soloist alone toward the end of a movement in a concerto

is called:____ 14. It is equivalent to a hymn.____ 15. This term describes the freer sections of a fugue where the theme is not present

in its entirety.____ 16. An instrumental composition that consists of movements associated by key, but

differentiated by distinctive rhythmic patterns.____ 17. The final fugue in this collection of nineteen canons and fugues was unfinished

when Bach died.____ 18. The vocal form frequently heard in Baroque operas, oratorios, and cantatas.____ 19. A note, usually in the bass, that is sustained or continually repeated for a period

of time while the harmonies change around it.____ 20. This brief movement often precedes a fugue.____ 21. This genre is essentially an opera based on a religious subject, although

performed without staging or scenery.____ 22. A composition with three to five contrapuntal lines (vocal or instrumental)

based on one melody.

COMPOSER OUTLINE

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750)

1. Family and education Ancestors had been musicians in small towns throughout central Germany for nearly two

hundred years He was the most talented of the Bach clan Had four sons who achieved international fame

Provided with an excellent education in the humanities Largely a self-taught musician

Studied, copied, and arranged compositions by Corelli, Vivaldi, Pachelbel, and Palestrina

Became the most renowned organ virtuoso in Germany Part of his skill derived from emulating the technique of others Walked four hundred miles to hear a great performer Legendary skill in the art of organ improvisation

A devoted husband, loving father to twenty children, and respected citizen

2. Career


a. Weimar (1708-1717) First position of importance Organist to the ducal court Composed many of his finest works for organ during this period, including the Organ

Fugue in G Minor (ca. 1710) The duke of Weimar, displeased that Bach had found another position, jailed his organist

for a month before allowing him to depart

b. Cöthen (1717-1723) Served as court composer and conductor for the prince of Cöthen

Led a small “all-star” orchestra Wrote more than a dozen concertos and other orchestral works Completed the Brandenburg Concertos Began work on the Well-Tempered Clavier

Maria Barbara, Bach’s first wife, died suddenly in 1720 Married Anna Magdalena in 1722

c. Leipzig (1723-1750) Cantor of St. Thomas’s Church and choir school

An employee of the town council, not the church Responsible for the liturgical music of the four principal churches in the city Played organ for all funerals Provided new music for the church each Sunday and religious holiday Composed almost three hundred cantatas (enough for five years), but only two-thirds

survive Cantatas were sung every Sunday and were considered as sermons in music, not

concert works His family members and students had to copy out by hand the music for each

singer and instrumentalist Conducted the choir and orchestra, beating time with a roll of paper Taught Latin grammar to the boys at the choir school

Composed music for university ceremonies In 1729 he became the director of the Collegium Musicum

A voluntary organization of university students and town musicians Gave weekly concerts in a local coffeehouse Ensemble primarily performed secular instrumental music

Finished The Well-Tempered Clavier in 1742 Composed the Art of Fugue between 1742-1750

A virtual encyclopedia of all contrapuntal procedures The final fugue in the collection of nineteen works (divided between canons and

fugues) was unfinished at the time of his death His valedictory statement of his mastery of the fugue and a testament to his stylistic

integrity, grand design, and superhuman craftsmanship


Compositions express his religious faith and sincere belief in the reformation traditions of the German Lutheran Church

3. Reputation Brought the cantata to the highest point of its development Musicians consider him the greatest composer of contrapuntal music in the history

of western music During his lifetime he was known more as a performer and improviser on the

organ than as a composer

4. Worksa. Awake, A Voice is Calling (1731) Composed for the Sunday prior to Advent in 1731, the 27th Sunday after Trinity Based on the liturgically proscribed Gospel reading, a parable of Christ recorded in the

Gospel of St. Matthew (25:1-13) A chorale cantata

The chorale tune and text, composed in 1597, were well-known in the Lutheran church Tune and text serve as the basis for the first, fourth, and seventh movements

Fourth movement was one of Bach’s favorite compositions and the only cantata movement that he published

b. The Brandenburg Concertos (1715-1721) Gathered together six of his best concertos and sent them to the Margrave of Brandenburg Hoped to impress a potential employer in the politically more important city of Berlin Each concerto features a different concertino group Demonstrated his ability to write challenging music for any and instruments The fifth concerto can be considered the first keyboard concerto

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685-1759)1. Family and education Born in Halle, Germany It was his father’s intention that he not become a musician, but study law The boy cultivated his intense musical interest, sometimes secretly in the attic

2. Careera. Early years Traveled throughout Europe during the course of his life Primary interest was in composing operas for the public theater First experienced opera at 18 when moved to the city of Hamburg and worked as a

violinist in the public opera theater Traveled to Italy to improve his compositional style and broaden his horizons

Spent four years in Italy Composed operas in Florence and Venice


In Rome he primarily wrote secular cantatas Returned to Germany in 1710

Appointed chapel master to the elector of Hanover Given an immediate leave of absence to visit London

b. London Although employed by the elector of Hanover, he was rarely in Germany His musical activity was centered in London, where he won fame and fortune Primary goal was to compose opera for English audiences

Planned to import Italian style opera Guaranteed a healthy share of the financial profits Handel played a significant role in the production process

Rented the theater and engaged the highly-paid soloists from Italy Composed the music and led the rehearsals Conducted the performance from the harpsichord

Between 1710 and 1728 his operas were financially and artistically successful His opera company went bankrupt in 1728 Although he continued to compose operas into the 1730s, he increasingly turned

his attention to oratorio Employed in the homes of the aristocracy The elector became King George I of England in 1714

Frequently commissioned to provide music for royal entertainment and ceremonies Water Music (1717) and Music for the Royal Fireworks (1749) prepared

for gala entertainment Coronation Anthems (1727) has been used at every subsequent English

coronation since that of George II Became the music tutor to the royal family

Oratorios offered Handel a financially viable alternative to opera Eliminated the expensive soloists, sets, and costumes Exploited the English love of choral music Appealed to the religious attitudes of Puritan and Methodist citizens Composed around 20 oratorios after 1732

Financially successful during his life Lived in a substantial house in London Bought paintings, including an excellent Rembrandt His estate was worth twenty thousand pounds at his death

Died in London Three thousand people attended his funeral Buried in Westminster Abbey and his grave marker is still there today

3. Reputation Became the most famous composer in Europe and a treasured national institution in

England Reputation continued to increase after his death


Perhaps the finest composer for chorus who ever lived

4. Worksa. Water Music (1717) A public entertainment (July 17, 1717) for members of Parliament and other members of

London society Commissioned as part of a public relations move to counter the country’s growing

disaffection for the royal family The King, his court, and a small navy of boats sailed up the River Thames

Handel’s orchestra consisted of about 50 musicians An immediate success

The King requested a total of three performances of the work that night The hour-long suite was played twice prior to dinner and once after the meal

One of Handel’s most beloved compositions Example of a dance suite

A collection of three suites for orchestra Handel performed the suites as a unit, not separately Individual movements were not intended to accompany dancing, but as concert

music

b. Messiah (1741) Handel’s most famous oratorio Composed during three and a half weeks during the summer of 1741 First performed in April of 1742

Premiered in Dublin, Ireland as part of a charity benefit Used a small ensemble of 23 voices and a small orchestra Local press was enthusiastic about the composition In order to increase the number attending the concert and earn more money for the

charity, women were requested not to wear hoop skirts and men asked to leave their swords at home

London performances Covent Garden

First London performance Made some minor alterations to the score Increased the size of the orchestra to thirty-five players

Foundling Hospital (a London orphanage) 1750 performance in the orphanage’s chapel was the first time one of

Handel’s oratorios was performed in a church rather than a theater or concert hall

Earned much popular acclaim and profits for the orphanage The hospital’s annual repetition of Messiah during Handel’s lifetime and

long afterward helped convince the public that his oratorios were religious works that should be performed in church


Tells the story of the life of Christ in a general way Divided into three parts

The prophecy of His coming and His Incarnation His Passion and Resurrection, and the triumph of the Gospel Reflections of the Christian victory over death

Dramatic confrontation and narrative replaced by mood of lyrical meditation and exaltation

The nineteen choruses are the glory of the composition “Hallelujah” Chorus

Concludes the second part of the oratorio A variety of musical styles are displayed in quick succession Believed that King George II was so moved by the opening of the chorus that he

rose to his feet in admiration Subsequent performances in the next century swelled to a chorus of four thousand

singers and a massive orchestra of five hundred players

RECOMMENDED COMPOSER WEB SITES

BACH

http://www.jsbach.orgThis is one of the most outstanding sites available for any composer and an excellent source for high quality information. Of special interest is the “Tourist Guide” in the biography section. Photographs and accompanying commentary provide an interesting glimpse of where Bach lived and worked. The “Recommended Recordings” is another helpful section. While the reviews tend to be positive and only offer occasionally mild criticism, the reader soon gets a sense of the important performance characteristics and distinctions of each recording. The site also offers a varying selection of recommended recordings and the links section can send an interested seeker into extensive labyrinths of material. This one is really worth checking out!

HANDEL

http://www.gfhandel.org

Two Handelians, Brad Leissa and David Vickers, created the G. F. Handel Home Page. Highlights include numerous record reviews that are intelligent and informative; they do not hesitate to pan a recording when necessary. The Anecdotes section is quite entertaining and the section devoted to Messiah offers a good history as well as a list of recommended recordings and an annotated bibliography.

http://handelhouse.org

http://handelhouse.org/

http://www.gfhandel.org/

http://www.jsbach.org/


This site is the home page for the new Handel House Museum in London. Handel resided in this house for a number of years, and it is now in the process of restoration. While the information provided on the page is interesting, if not extensive, the excellent photographs of various rooms and furnishings make it a worthwhile effort to look at every page.

MUSIC REVIEW

MUSICAL ELEMENTS

1. Melody: What effect did the use of sequential repetition have on melodic style in general and phrase structure in particular?

Listen to the first movement of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 (6CD 0/00) and observe the sequential passage (beginning at 3:21) noted in the Listening Guide (page 000).

Find passages of sequential melody in the aria "Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion" from Handel's Messiah (6CD 0/0). Do these patterns tend to occur during rapid melismas or slower, lyrical passages? What emotional quality do you think the aria is intending to evoke? How did Handel use word painting to illustrate the words "rejoice," "shout," and "peace"?

2. What technique gives Baroque rhythm its "optimism and vitality"? What effect did this have on metrical structure? Observe this characteristic rhythmic style in Brandenburg Concerto Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 (6CD 0/0) or the aria "Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion" (6CD 0/0).

3. What subtle change occurred in the harmonic style between the early and late Baroque period? Listen to the seventh movement of Bach's Cantata 140, Awake, a Voice is Calling (6CD 0/00). Do the chords change every beat, two beats, once per measure, or in an irregular pattern?

4. Examine the definition of "counterpoint" in the Glossary of the text. What is meant by the term "imitative counterpoint"? How was late Baroque contrapuntal technique different from the texture favored by early Baroque composers? Listen to the first movement of Cantata 140 (6CD 0/00; 2CD 0/0) or the "Hallelujah" chorus from Messiah (Intro CD 00) and note the contrapuntal equality of the inner voices.

5. Which family of instruments formed the core of the Baroque orchestra? Identify the two principal brass instruments and the three woodwinds. What was the average size of an orchestra during this period?

CANTATA


1. Note the three kinds of vocal solos used in the cantata. What addition did German musicians make to church cantatas?

2. At what point in the church service was the cantata performed, what was the text based upon, and what purpose did it serve?

3. Note the textual and musical organization of the seven movements of Awake, a Voice is Calling. Which movements are based on the chorale's tune and text and which upon the gospel reading?

4. Listen to the seventh movement of Cantata 140 and observe the chorale’s phrase structure as it is described on pages 000-000 of the text and in the Listening Guide on page 000.

5. Listen to the first movement of Cantata 140 and answer the questions in Listening Exercise 00. Next, consider how the alto, tenor, and bass lines illustrate the following textual passages: "Der Wächter sehr hoch auf der Zinne" (1:02-1:20), the repetition of this phrase "Sie rufen uns mit hellen Munde" (2:52-3:10), and "Alleluja" (5:18-5:32). Do you detect any other examples where the music amplifies elements of the text?

CONCERTO GROSSO

1. Compare the first movement of Bach's Fifth Brandenburg Concerto with the first movement of Vivaldi's concerto "The Spring." Consider the following questions.

Compare the orchestration of these two compositions. Both movements are in ritornello form. How many ritornello sections occur in each

one? Characterize the melodic structure of the ritornello themes in the two movements. Do

the motives and phrases suggest a melodic style that is clear or complex? Which composition has the most active bass line? Does the texture of the tutti passages tend toward contrapuntal density or a

homophonic style? Do the concertino sections of these concertos emphasize melodic unity through

repetition and development of motives or melodic contrast with the continual presentation of new musical ideas?

How do these compositions reflect the Baroque preference for a unified musical style throughout a movement? If they do not, can you determine the rationale for this diversion?

In what way is Bach's predilection for complex counterpoint and Vivaldi's virtuosity on the violin apparent in their respective compositions?

FUGUE


1. What is the difference between a fugue and a canon (see Glossary in text)? Be aware of the three major elements of a fugue (exposition, subject, and episodes) and their purpose. What four steps will assist one to listen intelligently to a fugue?

2. Listen to the alternation between episode sections and presentations of the subject in the Organ Fugue in G minor (6CD 0/00; 2CD 0/0). Notice the important motive in the first episode (it occurs four times in the upper two voices). In which other episode does it appear? What standard melodic technique from the Baroque period does Bach employ to extend the phrases of the episode sections?

DANCE SUITE

1. What is the definition of the French word suite and how does it reflect the term’s musical usage? Note the style, number, and organizational principles for the Baroque dance suite. What is the formal structure for each movement regardless of the dance style?

2. Read the general description of a Minuet and Hornpipe on page 000-000 of the text and listen to the two movements from Handel's Water Music (Intro CD 00 and 00) How do these movements conform to the style traits described in the text? What effect does the change in timbre have on the musical character of each repetition?

ORATORIO

1. What purpose did the seventeenth-century Italian oratorio originally serve? What type of composition did it resemble by the time Handel began writing his oratorios? In what ways are these two genres similar and different?

2. How many oratorios did Handel compose and during what period of his career were they written? When did he compose Messiah, what served as the impetus for its creation, and for what social purpose did performances take place?

3. Note the tripartite structure of the Messiah and the mood each section attempts to evoke.

INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEW

1. Examine Fig. 7-0. In what way does the painting demonstrate contrast and energy while maintaining a unified theme? (The subject is the personification of Nobility and Virtue abandoning Ignorance.) Compare this with the "Hallelujah" chorus. In what ways do the alternation of themes and contrasts of texture match the technique in the painting? In what way is the gradual ascent to the climax (1:53-2:32) similar to the manner in which the painting draws the eye to the main figures?


2. Identify the different levels of visual activity and interest in Fig. 7-00. How does it compare with the layered musical style of the first and fourth movements of Bach's Cantata 140?

COMPOSER SELF TEST

____ 1. Bach was largely a self-taught musician. An important part of his musical education consisted of studying, copying, and arranging compositions by other composers. Which composer’s music did not contribute to Bach’s development?a. Palestrinab. Corelli

c. Josquind. Vivaldi

____ 2. Which statement does not apply to Bach’s education and family background?a. Ancestors had been musicians in Germany for nearly two hundred yearsb. He studied theology with the intention of becoming a priest, but his

asthma prevented him from saying Massc. Received an excellent education in the humanitiesd. He was a devoted husband, loving father to twenty children, and a

respected citizen____ 3. In which three German cities did Bach spend a significant portion of his career?

a. Weimar, Cöthen, Leipzigb. Munich, Salzburg, Dresden

c. Cöthen, Berlin, Potsdamd. Leipzig, Hamburg, Bonn

____ 4. Which statement does not apply to Bach’s activities in Weimar?a. Served as organist to the ducal courtb. When the duke heard that Bach wanted to take a different job, he had this

ungrateful employee thrown in jailc. Wrote music for university ceremonies and directed the Collegium

Musicumd. Composed many of his finest works for organ while during this period

____ 5. Identify the incorrect statement regarding Bach’s work in Cöthen.a. Wrote operas for the prince’s private theaterb. Completed work on the Brandenburg Concertosc. Conducted a small “all-star” orchestra d. Composed more than a dozen solo concertos as well as other works for

orchestra ____ 6. Which activity was not a part of Bach’s duties as Cantor of St. Thomas Church?

a. To provide new music for each Sunday and religious holidayb. To teach Latin grammar to the choir boysc. To play the organ for all funeralsd. To write concertos for weekly concerts by the school’s orchestra,

highlighting the skills of his most talented pupils____ 7. Which endeavor did not occupy Bach during his career in Leipzig?

a. Composing the Art of Fugue


b. Teaching music lessons to members of the royal familyc. Responsibility for the liturgical music of the city’s four principal churchesd. Directing the Collegium Musicum and composing music for university

ceremonies____ 8. Which statement regarding Bach’s reputation is erroneous?

a. Having composed more than 450 concertos, he was the most prolific andinfluential composer in the creation of the Baroque concerto

b. Considered the greatest composer of contrapuntal music in the history of western music

c. During his lifetime he was known more an a performer and improviser onthe organ than as a composer

d. Brought the cantata to the highest point of its development____ 9. Which statement does not apply to Handel’s education and early years as a

musician?a. His father intended that his son should study law and not musicb. He moved to Hamburg at the age of 18 and worked as a violinist in the

public theaterc. As a self-taught musician, he learned his craft by copying out the scores

of other composers, such as Corelli, Palestrina, and Vivaldid. As a boy, he cultivated his intense musical interest, sometimes secretly in

the attic____ 10. Which event did not occur during the early years of Handel’s career?

a. Spent four years in Italy teaching at the Ospedale della Pietàb. Composed operas in Florence and Venicec. Was appointed chapel master to the elector of Hanoverd. His work in Rome primarily consisted of writing secular cantatas

____ 11. Identify the incorrect statement regarding Handel’s efforts in opera while he was residing in London.a. His operas continued the English style that had been established by Henry

Purcellb. For a time, the operas were financially successfulc. He hired the singers, composed the music, led the rehearsals, and

conducted the performances from the harpsichordd. After repeated box office failures, he gradually turned from composing

operas to writing oratorios____ 12. Which activity did not occupy Handel’s time while working in London?

a. Provided music for the aristocracyb. Wrote music for royal entertainments and ceremoniesc. Was a music tutor to the royal familyd. Played the organ for important funerals

____ 13. Why did Handel find the oratorio a financially viable alternative to composing operas?a. Eliminated expensive soloists, sets, and costumes


b. Exploited the English love of choral musicc. Appealed to the religious attitudes of Puritan and Methodist citizensd. All of the above

____ 14. Identify the incorrect statement regarding Handel’s posthumous reputationa. Became the most famous composer in Europeb. Perhaps the finest composer of choral music who ever livedc. He was the first composer to write in a “modern” harmonic styled. His reputation continued to increase after his death

____ 15. Which composition was not composed by Johann Sebastian Bach?a. Violin Concerto in E Major, The “Spring”b. Cantata, Awake, A Voice is Callingc. Organ Fugue in G Minord. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5

SELF TEST

____ 1. Listen to the first concertino section of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 (6 CD 0/00; 0:29-0:49). Which term best describes the melodic style?a. terracedb. sequential

c. non-imitative counterpointd. ostinato

____ 2. Which idea best characterizes the musical style of the late Baroque period?a. innovationb. experimentation

c. perfectiond. reformation

____ 3. Which term describes the fugal section where the theme is replaced by motivic development and modulation?a. expositionb. counterpoint

c. subjectd. episode

____ 4. The size of a Baroque orchestra was rarely more than:a. 15b. 25

c. 35d. 50

____ 5. Identify the incorrect statement regarding the bass line during the opening section of “Rejoice greatly” from the Messiah (6CD 0/0; 0:00-1:32).a. walking bass styleb. basso continuo consists of harpsichord and low stringsc. maintains a steady tempod. whenever the soprano sings the basso continuo is omitted

____ 6. What element did German composers add to the church cantata?a. an introductory fugueb. orchestral accompaniment

c. text in the vernaculard. choral movements


____ 7. Which statement is not true concerning the treatment of musical elements during the late Baroque period?a. short, regular phrasesb. driving rhythmsc. harmony based on major and minor keysd. contrapuntal texture predominant

____ 8. Which woodwind was occasionally added to the basso continuo group?a. fluteb. oboe

c. clarinetd. bassoon

____ 9. Identify the true statement about the Messiah.a. Handel composed the work in the space of three and a half weeksb. first performed in London, England as part of a charity benefitc. initial performance was for a chorus of 500 voicesd. the composition did not become popular until fifty years after Handel’s

death____ 10. Which statement does not apply to Bach’s cantatas

a. Composed almost three hundred cantatas, but only two-thirds surviveb. The cantata, with its emphasis on theological accuracy, was intended to

replace the sermonc. His family members and private students had to copy out by hand the

music for each singer and instrumentalistd. They express his religious faith and sincere belief in the reformation

traditions of the German Lutheran Church____ 11. Identify the woodwind instrument heard during the opening ritornello section of

Bach’s Cantata Awake, a Voice is Calling, movement I (6CD 1/15; 2CD 1/6; 0:00-0:33).a. clarinetb. French horn

c. oboed. flute

____ 12. Which statement about the German church cantata is not true?a. consists of a succession of independent movementsb. composition is strictly for soloist and orchestral accompanimentc. text based on Gospel reading for a specific Sunday or holidayd. utilized the operatic forms of recitative and aria

____ 13. Identify the incorrect statement regarding the oratorio.a. uses the operatic forms of recitative and ariab. chorus serves a dual function as narrator and commentatorc. performances are staged with costumes and sceneryd. an opera with a religious subject

____ 14. Listen to the Organ Fugue in G minor (6CD 1/19; 2CD 1/7). Identify the term that best describes what you hear between 2:13-2:25.a. episodeb. exposition

c. subjectd. terraced dynamics


FOR FURTHER LISTENING

BACH

Although any selection on Bach's music will omit far more masterpieces than it will contain, it is hoped that this list will inspire readers to explore the rich heritage this composer bequeathed to humanity. Well-known sacred works include Cantata 4, Christ lag in Todesbanden (for Easter Sunday and believed to be Bach's first cantata); Cantata 80, Ein feste Burg (cantata for Reformation Sunday and based on Luther's chorale A mighty fortress is our God); Cantata 147, Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (composed for the feast of the Visitation of Mary, it contains the famous setting later known as Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring); and the Christmas Oratorio which is a collection of six cantatas narrating the Christmas story. Bach's Mass in B Minor and St. Matthew Passion are two of the greatest artistic achievements of western civilization.

While a list of compositions for organ should begin by stating the obvious, the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (in which the fugue is inserted into the middle of the toccata), other compositions are also greatly beloved, including the Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor (one of the few works which has the same theme for both movements), Prelude and Fugue in E-flat Major "St. Anne" (the three fugue subjects are believed to reflect the divine nature of the Trinity and the initial subject bears an uncanny resemblance to the hymn tune of the same name), and "Wachet auf" from the Schubler Chorales (an arrangement for organ of the fourth movement of Cantata 140). Two important collections of fugal writing are The Art of Fugue (in which Bach demonstrated every possible fugal technique) and the two volumes of The Well-Tempered Clavier. Recordings of the latter are available featuring harpsichord or piano as a solo instrument. Some listeners find it easier to perceive the contrapuntal texture of the fugues in piano recordings. Bach also composed dance suites for the keyboard (Six Partitas, English Suites, and French Suites) and a collection called the Goldberg Variations. A Russian ambassador who suffered from insomnia commissioned the latter work, making it one of the only works in which a composer desired his audience to go to sleep. For something completely different try finding an old recording of Switched-On Bach by Walter (now Wendy) Carlos. It features numerous keyboard works played on the Moog Synthesizer.

Beside the Brandenburg Concertos, Bach's best-known compositions for orchestra are the four Orchestral Suites. He also composed other concertos for a variety of instrumental combinations. Any composition by this composer is certain to offer a stimulating and aesthetically pleasing listening experience.

HANDEL

Handel was one of the greatest composers of choral music in the history of Western music; his mastery of musical drama and effect are superbly illustrated in the four Coronation Anthems for George II. These anthems have been performed at every English coronation


since 1727. There are recordings of Messiah to suit every taste, from a large chorus and orchestra (Toronto Symphony and Mendelssohn Choir, Angel CDCB 49027) to an attempt to replicate the "content, sound, and style" of Handel's performance on April 5, 1754 (Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood, L'Oiseau-Lyre 411858-4). Boston Baroque, conducted by Martin Pearlman, observes the style of the period but uses female voices in the chorus (Telarc CD-80322). One of the best methods to develop an appreciation for this beloved composition is to join a chorus preparing it for performance. It is not easy, but the exhilaration that comes from singing the "Hallelujah" chorus for the first time is an enriching experience you will never regret. Other oratorios by Handel include Israel in Egypt (the plagues of frogs and flies are wonderfully graphic) and Judas Maccabaeus (which contains several well-known choruses).

Later oratorios that followed the Handelian tradition include Joseph Haydn's The Creation (the passages relating the creation of light and the rising of the sun are particularly stirring) and Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah (the dramatic conflict between the priests of Baal and Elijah is a highlight). The latter two compositions are available in both German and English versions. Both composers expected these works to be performed in English in England, so there is no need to listen to them in German except for reasons of personal preference.

Three orchestral compositions serve as the backbone of Handel's instrumental style: Concerti grossi, Op. 6, Water Music, and Royal Fireworks Music. The compositions of Georg Philipp Telemann are another source of excellent late Baroque instrumental music.


LISTENING EXERCISE 00 Name ____________________

Johann Sebastian Bach 6CD 0/00; 2CD 0/0Organ Fugue in G minor (ca. 1710)

The following diagram is essentially the same as that found on page 000. It charts the flow of the music as Bach's Organ Fugue in G minor unfolds from the straightforward exposition, through the increasingly lengthy episodes, to the final statement of the subject in the bass. Your task is to differentiate statements of the subject from the episodes—can you hear when the subject is being played or not? The first statement of the subject appears at 0:00, so your first question is easy. For the other eight statements of the subject, however, you may find yourself more challenged. Indicate the correct time that all nine statements of the subject of the fugue occur by choosing “a” or “b” below. You are not asked to indicate the times at which the episodes begin, but see if you can sense that the subject is no longer present and that modulations are occurring.

EXPOSITION EPISODE EPISODES 1._____ ____

A 2.______ † 6._____

T 3. ______ 5. __

B 4._____ 7.______

† This entry starts in the tenor and continues in the soprano.

EPISODE EPISODES 8._______

A

T

B 9._____


1. a. 0:00 or b. 0:05 6. a. 1:56 or b. 2:042. a. 0:15 or b. 0:19 7. a. 2:25 or b. 2:333. a. 0:37 or b. 0:42 8. a. 3:00 or b. 3:094. a. 0:59 or b. 1:06 9. a. 3:39 or b. 3:485. a. 1:20 or b. 1:2810. Finally, which of the four parts is played by the pedals of the organ?

a. soprano b. alto c. tenor d. bass



Johann Sebastian Bach 6CD 0/00; 2CD 0/0Cantata, Awake, a Voice Is Calling (1731)Fourth movement

The most famous portion of Cantata Awake, a Voice Is Calling, is the middle (fourth) movement in which Bach assigns the violins a lovely counter melody to sound against the chorale tune. The following exercise asks you to concentrate mainly on the relationship between the three musical lines that are clearly audible throughout this beautiful work: bass, chorale tune, and violin counter melody.

1. (0:00-0:42) How many musical lines or parts do you hear at the beginning of the movement?a. one b. two c. three

2. (0:00-0:34) A bass that plods along in equal note values moving in predominantly conjunct* motion (step-wise motion) is called?a. an ostinato bass b. a pedal point c. a walking bass

(0:00-0:42) The meter of the movement is duple, indeed 4/4. There are four quarter notes in each measure. You can hear the beat by focusing on the bass. At the beginning (0:00-0:34) the double basses play nothing but quarter notes; that is to say, here they are playing the beat.

3. (0:00-0:01) Does the melody begin with a pickup* before the double basses enter with the first downbeat? (Do you hear a bit of violin sound before the basses enter?)a. The melody begins with a pickup in the violins.b. The melody does not begin with a pickup in the violins.

4. (0:00-0:40) Count and conduct the music. Your beat should be marching in sync with the bass. How many full measures of music do your hear before the voices enter?a. four b. eight c. twelve

5. (0:43) When the chorale tune enters it is sunga. in four-part harmony.b. in unison by the sopranos.c. in unison by the tenors.

6. (0:43-1:13) Bach sets the chorale tune in notes that area. longer (hence sound slower) than those of the strings.b. shorter (hence sound faster than those of the strings.

7. (0:43-1:13) Throughout this section which is true?


a. The chorale tune is at the top of the texture, strings in the middle, double basses at the bottom

b. The chorale tune is in the middle of the texture, strings at the top, double basses at the bottom.

c. The chorale tune is at the bottom of the texture, strings at the top, double basses in the middle.

8. (1:10-1:18) Which is true of the conclusion of section A of the movement?a. The strings begin to repeat their flowing melody before the voices conclude their phrase of the chorale tune.b. The voices conclude their phrase of the chorale tune and then the strings begin to repeat their flowing melody.

(1:12-2:50) Repeat section A of the movement. Check your answers to questions 1-8.

9. (3:17-3:32) Which is true about this section?a. It is in a major key and the chorale tune is present in the sopranos.b. It is in a minor key and the chorale tune is not sung during this passage.

10. At any time throughout this movement is the three-line texture (bass, chorale tune, violin counter melody) increased by the addition of woodwinds and brasses?a. Yes, woodwinds and brasses are added at the end for extra weight. Bach likes the

big, dramatic event.b. No, Bach never uses more than a three-line texture in this movement. Once he

decides on a texture, he prosecutes it rigorously to the end.



George Frideric Handel Intro CD (10)"Hallelujah" chorus from Messiah

As a man of the theater, Handel was the master of the dramatic gesture. Sometimes, as we shall see, he would even insert a “thundering silence” for special effect. This exercise asks you to hear the frequent changes of texture in the “Hallelujah” chorus. It is by means of striking textural changes that Handel creates the grand effects of this classical favorite.

1. How many musical lines are prominent during the instrumental introduction?a. one: basses (cellos and double basses)b. two: violins and basses (cellos and double basses)c. three: oboes, violins, and basses (cellos and double basses)

2. In what kind of musical texture do the voices sing when they enter with "Hallelujah"?a. monophony b. polyphony c. homophony

3. (0:25-0:31; "For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth") When the chorus sings in unison, do the violins double (play the same line as) the voices?a. yes b. no

4. Unison singing and playing creates what kind of texture?a. monophonic b. polyphonic c. homophonic

5. (0:47-1:12; "For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth") Now we have a passage of imitative, contrapuntal writing in which a subject is presented in succession in the voices. In what order do the voices enter with this subject?a. soprano, alto, male voicesb. soprano, male voices, altoc. alto, male voices, soprano

6. (1:32-1:53; "And he shall reign for ever and ever") Again, Handel offers another passage of imitative writing, with a new subject. In what order do the voices enter?a. bass, alto, tenor, sopranob. bass, tenor, soprano, altoc. bass, soprano, alto, tenord. bass, tenor, alto, soprano

7. Polyphonic passages such as this (1:32-1:52) most closely approximate the style and musical texture found ina. a fugue b. a chorale tune c. a Gregorian chant


8. (2:06-2:30) What are the sopranos doing here on “King of Kings and Lord of Lords”?a. rising in an arpeggiob. rising by leapc. rising by step

9. (3:22-3:24) In a brilliant stroke Handel sets off and highlights the final statement of “Hallelujah” (and the final cadence) by inserting a new kind of texture. Which is correct?a. He inserts a homophonic brass fanfare.b. He inserts the texture of silence.

10. What is it that creates the drama and grandeur in this choral movement?a. a skillful use of a variety of textures and stylesb. a very clear setting of the English text (music reflecting the natural stresses in the

words)c. the concentration of all voices and instruments on a few, simple musical gesturesd. all of the above


Documents

Web viewI. General Observations on Late Baroque ... How did Handel use word painting to illustrate the words ... Identify the incorrect statement regarding Bach’s work