Baroque Music Part 3 1600-1750

George Friderick Handel

George Frideric Handel Born in Halle, Germany (one month before Bach) not from a musical family father wanted him to be a lawyer. Started off composing opera wrote music for the Queen of England Went blind from cataracts at the end of his life. Buried in Westminster Abbey

Handel - Westminster

The Oratorio Oratorio: Usually lasts approximately 2 hours is a large-scale composition for chorus, vocal soloists, and orchestra. Uses aria and recitatives just like opera Usually lasts approximately 2 hours

The Oratorio -Tells a story through singing. -Not opera because there is no acting, scenery, props, or costumes.

Handel’s Oratorios Stories in the oratorios are generally from the Old Testament of the Bible These were performed for a paying public, not performed for free in church on Sunday. Chorus is the most important part!

Handel’s Messiah The whole work lasts 2 ½ hours. It was composed in just a short 24 days! Premiered in Dublin, Ireland in 1742 as a benefit for people in debtor's prison. Only one of Handel’s oratorios to use New Testament verses. Tells the story of Jesus’ life from birth to death.

Handel Continued… Wrote Joy to the World, Water Music, Music for the Royal Fireworks, and many operas. Opera in England was very Italian. Italian opera often used castrati to achieve inhuman sound and power. This practice wasn’t banned until the mid-19th century.

Handel Opera The most famous castrato that Handel wrote for was Farinelli. Seen here: Handel mostly wrote normal opera’s, at least 40. Primarily opera seria. Listen here:

Review Baroque Era 1600-1750

Baroque Forms Opera Aria Fugue Suite Recitative Solo Concerto Chorale Concerto Grosso Ritornello Form Fugue Suite Chorale Cantata Oratorio

Baroque Terms Unity of Mood Terraced Dynamics Basso Continuo Baroque Orchestra Movement Patron Music Director Libretto Librettist Overture/Prelude Ritornello Tutti Theme