Lecture Four
Baroque Sacred Music Part One: The Oratorio
This lecture and the next focus on the adaptation of Baroque operatic elements to the world of Baroque sacred music. This lecture introduces the two most important new genres of Baroque sacred music—the oratorio and Lutheran Church cantata—and briefly discusses and defines the Baroque Mass, Magnificat, Passion, and sacred Motet as well. The oratorio is then examined in detail, from its modest beginnings as a musical setting of some Biblical text through its growing popularity as an opera-like entertainment, particularly during Lent, becoming ultimately an opera on a religious subject. The lecture concludes with a discussion of the career of George Frederick Handel and a brief examination of his English language oratorio Messiah of 1742.
Outline
Catholic church music came to represent a mix of old and new styles. By 1650 the counter reformation rules had been relaxed.
A. Old-style Renaissance Masses continued to appear. (Pre-CR)
B. Added to them were new-style Baroque/operatic resources:
1. Basso continuo (Keep the beat and establish harmony)
2. Solo singing (Basso C. Came into existence to accompany singers)
3. Choirs and orchestras with soloists & increased emotional content
C. Oratorio was the most important new-style Catholic church music of the Baroque era.
II. Lutheran church music differed in important stylistic and formal respects from traditional Catholic music.
A. The century between 1650 and 1750 was a golden age of Lutheran church music.
B. The Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) had firmly established Lutheranism in much of northern Germany. Following this conflict, “orthodox” Lutherans emphasized the creation of a uniquely Lutheran liturgy.
C. During these postwar years, the most important new style of Baroque-era Lutheran church music emerged: the Lutheran church cantata.
III. The main new-style Catholic liturgical form (apart from the Mass) was the oratorio.
A. An oratorio is essentially an opera on a religious subject.
B. Oratorios incorporated various operatic elements, including recitatives and arias, use of basso continuo, narrative plot, multiple acts, real characters, and implied action. (Without acting or staging and NOT part of a service) look at handout and do learn other definitions)
C. Oratorio grew out of Roman religious productions called “sacred dialogues” that combined narrative, dialogue, and exhortation.
D. Oratorio was so-named because its original performance venue was an oratory: a small chapel within a larger church, or a small house of prayer.
E. By 1650, oratorios had absorbed certain elements of Baroque opera:
recitative, aria, and the orchestra. Their non-operatic features included the narrator (“testo”) and chorus. Very different than the Mass.
F. By the late seventeenth century, oratorios had become a hugely popular
form of entertainment. (Opera choruses declined because of the cost)
1. They appealed to the Italian love of dramatic singing.
2. They served as a substitute for opera during Lent, when the theaters were closed.
3. Oratorios were presented in concert form, without action, sets, or costumes.
G. Oratorios achieved particular popularity in England due to the efforts of George Frederic Handel, who began writing English-language oratorios as the popularity of Italian opera waned, c. 1740.
1. Handel was born and raised in Germany, but he was trained in Italy and became an international composer. (Look at Bio on Website)
2. He took to composing and producing Italian operas in England.
3. As the public gradually tired of operas, Handel tried a new genre: oratorio.
H. Handel’s “Messiah” is perhaps the only Baroque work performed
continuously and frequently since its composition. The Chorus is very important!
1. The main elements are chorus, narrators, and commentators.
2. “Messiah” is in three parts.
a. The first contains the prophecy of the Messiah’s coming, Christ’ s birth, and the announcement of redemption of all people. (Narrative)
b. The second describes human redemption through Christ’s sacrifice, humankind’s rejection of that redemption, and God’s defeat of human opposition to His power. (Dramatic)
C. The third celebrates eternal life through Christ the Redeemer.
3. The “Hallelujah Chorus” features three different sorts of writing:
homophony, fugue-like polyphony, and responsorial (Celebration)
Featured Music:
Handel, Messiah, Recitative and “Glory To God” and Hallelujah
Chorus (1742). See handout and orchestral mood painting of drama by the orchestra.
Continuation: Baroque sacred music, focusing now on the Lutheran church cantata. Unlike oratorio, the Lutheran church cantata was part of a regular religious service (specifically, the Sunday service). The Lutheran church cantata evolved as a musical commentary on a given week’s particular Bible reading, becoming known as the musical “sermon before the sermon.” This lecture examines the evolution of the Lutheran church cantata, the operatic ideals of the Lutheran librettist Erdman Neumeister, and Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cantata No. 140, Wachet auf ruft uns die Stimme.
Outline
The Lutheran church cantata was the leading Lutheran genre of Baroque sacred music.
A. The Lutheran church cantata was a one-act religious opera to be performed as part of the Sunday service.
B. Lutheranism stressed congregational singing in the vernacular.
1. The Lutheran church chorale was a simple, song-like melody set to Biblical texts in German.
2. It became the musical core of the Lutheran liturgy.
C. The sermon, based on the prescribed Bible reading of the day, became
the high point of the Lutheran Sunday service.
1. The cantata preceded the sermon.
2. The cantata was based on the particular hymn that itself was a setting of that day’s Bible reading.
D. Two conflicting parties in mid-seventeenth century Lutheranism fought over the role of music in church services.
1. The “orthodox” party favored the use of all available musical resources—soloists, orchestra, and chorus—in church music.
2. The “pietists” distrusted high art and opulence in worship.
3. The emergence of the Lutheran cantata by the early 1700s signalled the victory of the orthodox party.
E. Erdmann Neumeister (1671—1756), influential Lutheran theologian and poet, helped to shape the nature and content of the Lutheran church cantata.
F. The Lutheran church cantata was a one-act religious opera based on the particular Bible reading for that week.
1. Like oratorios, Lutheran church cantatas were staged without costumes or action
2. Unlike oratorios, Lutheran church cantatas were part of a religious service.
II. The greatest composer of Lutheran church cantatas was Johann Sebastian Bach.
A. Although Bach strove continually for employment in princely courts, he spent most of his career working for the church and municipality of Leipzig, where his job description included many non-compositional and even non-musical functions.
B. Bach wrote approximately 350 cantatas. About 210 survive, and some 140 (40%) are lost. These amazing works are rarely if ever performed today.
C. Bach’s cantatas combine Italian melodic flair and operatic technique with north German craft and spirituality. Bach spent most of his time harmonizing chorales. This was his main job. He was a MASTER!!! Try to harmonize anything as well.
III. Bach, Cantata no. 140, “Wachet auf~ ruft uns die Stimme” (1731)
A. This cantata was based on Matthew 25:1—13.
B. The chorale melody was written by Philip Nicolai, c. 1550, and it was originally entitled “Sacred Bridal Song.”
Featured Music:
Bach, Cantata no. 140, parts I, IV, and VII See handout! The melodies were used differently each time. Only the last movement gives the whole melody. Ritornello starts with 12 beats 12 AM! No accident! Maybe it is a wedding march!? The allelujah is finally when Bach can do melismas because of the nature of the language. The chorale theme is only a departure to show Bach’s Joyful countenance. Movement 4 new ritornello and tenors sing melody as not imitative polyphony.
Handout:
Cantata No. 140, “Wachet auf, Ruft Uns die Stimme” (1731)
—Johann Sebastian Bach
There were ten girls, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish, and five prudent; when the foolish
ones took their lamps, they took no oil with them....As the bridegroom was late in coming they all dozed off to sleep. But at midnight a cry was heard:
“Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” With that the girls all got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, “Our lamps are going out; give us some of your oil.” “No,” they said; “there will never be
enough for all of us. You had better go to the shop and buy some for yourselves.” While they were away the bridegroom arrived; those who were ready went in with him to the wedding.... Keep awake, then; for you do not know on what day your Lord is to come.
(Matthew 25: 1—13)
Movement I, Choral Verse I
Featured Voice: Soprano
Form: Chorale Fantasy/Ritornello, triple meter, E” Major
Mood: Excitement and anticipation
Introduction: Ritornello
The orchestral introduction begins with a ritornello theme of great beauty and dramatic import:
A This orchestral ritornello theme consists of three distinct phrases, each phrase
characterized by its own motives:
Phrase A: Alternating strings and oboes play the dotted rhythms of a French Overture.
Phrase B : Syncopated rising/falling motives in violins and oboes create a mood of yearning and anticipation.
Phrase C: Upward-sweeping string scales continue and heighten the sense c upwards yearning created by Phrase B, bringing the ritornello theme to its conclusion.
NOTE:
Phrase A: dotted rhythms span twelve beats; this would seem to indicate the tolling of midnight bells. (See line 3 of verse 1.)
Steady, march-like rhythms and “walking bass” of the ritornello theme might have been inspired by the last line of verse 1 , “you must go out and meet him”; others have suggested that this ritornello is nothing less than a wedding processional!
The rising quality of all three phrases creates anticipation. No quiet, calm nighttime music this. Scored for three oboes (two oboes and a taille/oboe da caccia—an ancestral English horn); invokes a dark, nighttime timbre in the face of the upward anticipation and rhythmic activity.
Lines 1—3: The ‘call to awaken” of the watchmen is sounded by the sopranos;
they will sing this first verse of the chorale without alteration or elaboration. Bach leaves it to the altos, tenors, and basses to add dramatic detail and psychological insights, to create moods and draw pictorial images for the listener.
Line 1 Faster embellished lines in the altos, tenors, and basses create sense of energy and fervor underneath the slower-moving chorale melody in the sopranos:
Line Chor Chorus
1 Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme Awake, call the voices
Line 2 Note tone painting in the chorus as each voice rushes upward to a high note on the word “hoch” (“high”). Brief orchestral interlude precedes line 3
Line Chor Chorus
2 Der Wächter sehr hoch auf der Of the watchmen high on the
Zinne, battlements,
Line 3 A jubilant awakening followed by a brief orchestral interlude
Line Chor Chorus
3 Wach auf, du Stadt Jerusalem! Awake, city of Jerusalem!
Note: March-like dotted-rhythm accompaniment has been present almost continuously under Lines 1-3 and will continue to be present throughout the rest of the movement.
A’
Ritornello Theme is heard in its entirety (Phrases A, B, and C)
Lines 4 - 6 (Use essentially the same music as lines 1-3)
Line Chor Chorus
4 Mitternacht heisst diese Stunde; The hour is midnight
5 Sie rufen uns mit hellem Munde: they call to us loud and clear
6 Wo seid ihr kiugen Jungfrauen? Where are you, wise virgins?
B
Part 1, Ritornello Theme (Phrases B and C only)
Chorus
The hour is midnight, they call to us loud and clear: Where are you, wise virgins?
Lines 7—8 An excited chorus shouts the groom’s (God’s) approach even before the soprano/chorale can formally “announce “ it.
Line Chor Chorus
7 Wohi auf, der Brautgam kommt; Arise, the bridegroom is coming;
8 Steht auf, die Lampen nehmt! Arise, take lamps!
Line 9 A peak of excitement is reached as the chorus (altos, tenors, and basses) intones a jubilant triple fugato on “Alleluia”; compare this to the four rather flat notes in the chorale (soprano)for the same word!
Line Chor Chorus
9 Alleluia! Alleluia!
Part 2, Ritornello Theme in C Minor (Phrase A only)
Line 10 The soprano regains leadership of the music
Line Chor Chorus
10 Macht euch bereit zu der Hochzeit, Prepare for the wedding,
Line 11 All voices initiate line 11 together as they go out to greet the groom
Line Chor Chorus
11 Ihr mUsset ihm entgegengehn! You must go out and meet him!
Ritornello Theme in its entirety (Phrases A, B, and C)
Movement IV Chorale, Verse II
Featured voice: Tenors
Form: Chorale (“gapped”)/ritornello, duple meter, E” major
Mood: Peaceful and lyric calm
Ritornello Theme:
Unison violins and violas play a theme of great beauty and grandeur;
(Note: this is the only movement of the cantata in which the violino piccolo— with its high, piercing tonal quality—is not present.)
In an extraordinary example of non-imitative counterpoint, the tenors enter against this ritornello theme, singing the hymn tune.
The tenors narrate, in reverential tones, the awakening of the virgin (the soul) and her joyous union with Jesus.
Line Chor
Zion hört die Wachter singen,
Das Herz tnt ihr von Freuden springen,
Sie wachet und steht eilend auf.
Ihr Freund kommt vom
Himmel prachtig,
Von Gnaden stark, von
Wahrheit machtig,
Ihr Licht wird hell, ihr
Stern geht auf.
Nun komm, du werte Kron,
Herr Jesu, Gottes Sohn.
Hosianna!
Wir folgen all zum Freudensaal
Und halten mit das Abendmahl.
Chorus
The daughter of Zion hears the watchmen singing, her heart leaps for joy,
She wakes and makes haste to arise.
Her beloved comes in splendor
from heaven,
Comes her friend resplendent,
Sturdy in grace, mighty in truth,
Her light brightens,
arises.
Come now, precious crown,
Lord Jesus, Son of God!
Hosanna!
We all follow to the joyous chamber
And commune in the feast.
Featured voices: Tutti
Form: Four-part chorale, duple meter, Eb major
Mood: Ecstasy and exaltation
The chorale is here presented unambiguously for the first time in the cantata; this magnificent concluding version clearly echoes the heavenly choir and orchestra invoked by lines 2 and 3.
Gloria sei dir gesungen
Mit Menschen und englischen Zungen,
Mit Harfen und mit Zimbeln schon.
Von zwölf Perlen sind die Pforten,
An deiner Stadt; sind wir Konsorten
Der Engel hoch um deinen Thron.
Kein Aug’ hat je gespürt,
Kein Ohr hat je gehört solche Freude.
Des sind wir froh, io, io!
Ewig in dulci jubilo.
Glory be sung to you
By men and angels,
With harps and cymbals.
The gates are of twelve pearls.
In your city we consort
With angels, high around your throne.
No eye has ever seen,
Nor ear ever heard such joy.
Thus we are happy, io, io!
In sweet rejoicing forever.
Sacred Vocal Music Terms
Oratorio: an extended work for chorus, soloists, and orchestra; typically a dramatic story drawn from scripture; performed without action or costumes; not part of any church service; written for both Catholic and Protestant audiences.
Cantata: shorter than an oratorio but similar to an oratorio as a work for chorus, soloists, and orchestra (occasionally the chorus has only a small part); performed without action or costumes; both secular and sacred cantatas were written during the Baroque era; Lutheran church cantatas were part of the Sunday worship service; typically based on that week’s Bible reading; written for Protestant (Lutheran) audiences.
Mass: an extremely varied genre by the Baroque era; based on the traditional five sections of the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei, though the sections were frequently subdivided to create long, massive works; usually written to celebrate special holidays and festivals and performed as part of the holiday service; written for both Protestant and Catholic audiences.
Magnificat: based on a specific text from the Bible, Luke 1 :46-55—The canticle of the Virgin”; Bach’s Magnificat is a sort of Latin cantata based on this Biblical text.
Passion: a type of oratorio; based on one of the Gospel accounts (by Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) of the events culminating in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ; written for Holy Week services (the week before Easter) for both Protestant (Lutheran) and Catholic audiences.
Motet: essentially a cantata; featured an a cappella chorus.
Sacred Vocal Music Glossary/Chart
While Baroque sacred music takes many forms, two broad generalizations can be made about it:
1. Almost all Baroque sacred music includes a chorus.
2. Baroque sacred music borrows heavily from Baroque operatic techniques and procedures.
The various names and functions of the many sacred Baroque vocal genres— oratorio, cantata, Mass, Magnificat, Passion, motet—can be confusing to students. The following descriptions should help put these genres in perspective.
Oratorio
1. An oratorio is an extended work for chorus, soloists, and orchestra.
2. The text of an oratorio is typically a dramatic story drawn from scripture.
3. An oratorio is performed without action or costumes.
4. An oratorio was not part of any church service.
5. Oratorios were written for both Catholic and Protestant audiences.
Cantata
1. A cantata is shorter than an oratorio. Like an oratorio, a cantata is a work for chorus, soloists, and orchestra (occasionally the chorus has only a small part).
2. A cantata is performed without action or costumes.
3. Both sacred and secular cantatas were written during the Baroque era.
4. A sacred cantata was part of the Sunday worship service.
5. The text of a cantata was typically based on that week’s Bible reading.
6. Sacred cantatas were written for Protestant (Lutheran) audiences.
Mass
1. By the Baroque era, the Mass had become an extremely varied genre.
2. The Mass was still based on the traditional five sections of the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei, though these sections were frequently subdivided to create long, massive works.
3. Masses were usually written to celebrate special holidays and festivals and were performed as part of the holiday service.
4. Masses were written for both Protestant and Catholic audiences.
Magnificat
1. The text of the magnificat is based on a specific text from the Bible, Luke
1 :46-55—The canticle of the Virgin.”
2. Bach’s Magnificat is a sort of Latin cantata based on this Biblical text.
Passion
1. A passion is a type of oratorio.
2. The text of a passion is one of the Gospel accounts (by Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) of the events culminating in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
3. Baroque passions were written for Holy Week services (the week before Easter).
4. Passions were written for both Protestant (Lutheran) and Catholic audiences.
Motet
1. Baroque church motets were essentially cantatas.
2. Motets featured an a cappella chorus.
Messiah (1742) “There Were Shepherds” and “Glory to God” -George Frederick Handel
Recitative Secco:
There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Recitative Accompanied:
And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, And they were sore afraid.
Recitative Secco:
And the angel said unto them: Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy. Which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David A Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
Recitative Accompanied:
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host,
Praising God and saying:
Chorus:
Glory to God, glory to God in the highest.
And peace on earth.
Glory to God, glory to God in the highest.
And peace on earth, good will towards men.
Lecture Four continued
Baroque Sacred Music Part Two:
The Lutheran Church Cantata