AOS1 Handel Flashcards
When was the piece written?
1741
What is the most famous part of the Messiah?
The Hallelujah chorus
What sort of choir is the piece for?
SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass)
‘The Glory of the Lord’ is from ‘The Messiah’, what is ‘The Messiah’?
An Oratorio
What is an oratorio?
Like an opera with solos, orchestra, choruses but since it is a sacred work it is performed in a church (without acting)
It’s for SATB and orchestra. Included are kettle drums and bassoons, what other instruments does the piece include?
Strings
Oboes
Harpsichord (played along with the orchestra in Baroque times.)
What key is the piece in?
A major
The piece is in A Major, how many sharps does this mean are in the piece?
3 sharps
How many main themes/melodies are there?
4
There are 3 different types of textures used, what are they?
Homophonic, imitation and polyphonic
Hemiola rhythms are used, what are these?
Where the normal beat of 3 in a bar gets changed for a short time to a beat of 2
What is the purpose of hemiola rhythms?
To give the rhythms energy.
Shall Be revealed is a sequence, what’s a sequence?
Patterns going up and down
the last few chords in a piece or section are called cadances, what sort of cadence does this piece end with?
A plagal cadence.
