1. The Birth of Opera

2. By the 17th century Italy lost ground in all arts except music Opera –Drama presented musically –Uses art, literature, acting, and dance –Inspired by Greek drama

3. Opera Definitions Libretto –Text of an opera Arias –Solo songs or duets –Develop character’s feelings Recitatives –Spoken or recited text –Narrate the action Pizzicato –Plucking, rather than bowing a stringed instrument

4. Giovanni Gabrieli Polychoral – music for two or more choruses Dynamics – degree of loudness or softness in music (forte to piano) Chromatic Scale – 12 primary notes between octaves

5. Motet: “In Ecclesiis” Gabrieli What to listen for Division of vocal parts Use of loud and soft & high and low tones to create emotion (Baroque) Organ, wind, and brass instruments

6. The Earliest Opera Still Performed Claudio Monteverdi L’Orfeo (Orpheus) (1607) Based on the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus, who tried to rescue Euridice from Hades 40-piece orchestra