Ch. 38 Flashcards
Who was Handel’s principle mentor?
Reinhard Keiser
Why did Handel move to Italy in 1706?
To learn the Italian traditions firsthand; he remained for four years, listening to and composing cantatas and operas in Italian
Why did Handel travel to England?
To make money by bringing Italian opera to London
What was the name of Handel’s first opera in England and what is significant about it?
“Rinaldo”; first fully sung Italian opera designed specifically for London and the first to use an all-Italian cast
How did Handel know King George I?
It was his German employer, the elector of Hanover
Aside from _____, Handel’s most popular composition is his dance suite ______.
- Messiah
2. Water Music
binary form
AB
Whom did Handel compose the suites Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks?
orchestra
Handel’s “Water Music” is one of the first English scores to include parts for what instrument?
horn
A natural instrument (no valves) that had a smaller bell, and thus a smaller sound
French horn
instruments slide back and forth through sixths, fifths, and thirds, sometimes ornamenting along the way
horn fifths
What was “Water Music” arranged for?
A small ensemble, for flute and harpsichord, and for solo harpsichord
What are the most popular instrumental works of the first half of the 18th century?
- Handel’s “Water Music”
- Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos
- Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons”
What was the name of Handel’s opera company?
Royal Academy of Music
a fully sung Italian opera of the most elaborate and expensive sort; depicted epic or mythological events involving larger-than-life kings, queens, Gods, and goddesses. Little drama transpired on stage
Opera Seria
Why was Opera Seria a “singer’s opera”?
It provided a platform for those singers who possessed the vocal equipment to quiet a restless, often noisy crowd by the power, range, and the sheer beauty of their singing
Why did Handel’s company go bankrupt?
- Virtuoso were expensive
- the rise of ballad opera
- A second opera company opened up
Who was one of the most famous castrati of Handel’s day?
Senesino
a low female voice
contralto
Where and when was oratorio born?
17th century Italy
What does oratorio’s name suggest?
It originated in an oratory(a large chapel for prayer)
What is an oratorio?
a large-scale, multi-movement composition setting a sacred text; not part of regular worship services; entertained the faithful during lent
What do Oratorio and opera have in common?
- Both performed in public theater before a paying audience
- Both usually begin with an overture, are divided into 3 acts, and consist mostly of recitatives and arias
- Both tell a dramatic story by using individual characters and a chorus
How is Oratorio different from Opera?
- It is not sung in Italian but in the language of the local people
- It does not involve staging, costumes, or acting; the audience must picture in their mind the drama that is described on stage
- It does not require expensive operatic voices and the vocal writing is less extravagant
- It does not draw upon historical events or classical mythology, but on religious subjects
Why did Handel stop composing?
He went blind
How many oratorios did Handel write?
22
What is Handel’s most popular Oratorio?
Messiah
Where does Messiah draw it’s stuff from ?
Passages from the Old and New Testament, concerning the idea of a Messiah
How long did it take Handel to compose Messiah? Where was it first performed? Who conducted?
- 3 weeks
- Dublin, Ireland
- Handel
What are the 3 parts Messiah is divided into?
- The prophecy and birth of Christ
- His crucifixion
- The Day of Judgement and the promise of eternal life
How many musical numbers comprised Messiah?
53
a slow aria with several distinctive characteristics: parallel thirds that glide mainly in stepwise motion, a lilting rhythm in compound meter, and a harmony that changes slowly and employs many subdominant chords
Pastoral aria
Despite the beauty of its arias, the true glory of Messiah is found in its ____.
Choruses
Who was the first master of the Oratorio?
Carissimi
How does Messiah differ from normal oratorios?
- No named characters
- Scriptures from both testaments
- No plot > instead, thread of redemption
When was Israel in Egypt written and what type of style did Handel use?
1739; Word Painting
What time of aria is the sheep aria in “Israel in Egypt?”
Pastoral
