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Music > For Unto Us a Child Is Born > Flashcards

For Unto Us a Child Is Born Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the title of the overall work?

A

Messiah.

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2
Q

What type of work is ‘‘for unto us a child is born’’?

A

An oratorio.

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3
Q

What is an oratorio?

A

Sacred/religious opera.

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4
Q

Who composed ‘‘for unto us a child is born’’?

A

Handel.

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5
Q

What key is ‘‘for unto us a child is born’’?

A

G major.

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6
Q

What period of music is ‘‘for unto us a child is born’’ from?

A

The Baroque period.

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7
Q

In what year was ‘‘for unto us a child is born’’ released?

A

1741.

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8
Q

When and where was ‘‘for unto us a child is born’’ first performed?

A

In Dublin in 1742.

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9
Q

What is the structure of ‘‘for unto us a child is born’’?

A

After the introduction there are 5 musical themes weaved together: Theme A is ‘‘for unto us a child is born’’, theme B is ‘‘unto us a son is given’’, theme C is ‘‘born’’, theme D is ‘‘and the government shall be upon his shoulder’’ and theme E is ‘‘wonderful, counsellor…’’

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10
Q

What instruments is ‘‘for unto us a child is born’’ written for?

A

A typical Baroque orchestra: oboes, bassoons, trumpets, violins, violas, cello, timpani and basso continuo (cello and harpsichord/organ).

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11
Q

What are the melodic features of the introduction section?

A

It includes a rising semiquaver sequence and syncopation.

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12
Q

What are the harmonic features of the introduction section?

A

The key is G major and the introduction ends with a perfect cadence.

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13
Q

What instrumentation is featured in the introduction section?

A

There is an orchestral ritornello and trills from the violins at the end of the introduction section. Violin 1 introduces theme A here which is imitated by violin 2 in bars 1 to 5.

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14
Q

What are the rhythmic features of the introduction section?

A

The time signature is 4/4.

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15
Q

What are the melodic features of section A?

A

Part A begins with theme A which is syllabic. There is a descending 5th on ‘‘for’’ and ‘‘un-‘’ followed by a rising 4th on ‘‘-to’’ and ‘‘us’’ and there are repeated pitches on the words ‘‘a child is born’’. Theme B follows and is a rising sequence. Theme A returns with tenors which is imitated by the sopranos as theme C is introduced - melisma on ‘‘born’’ and a rising semiquaver sequence.

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15
Q

What are the harmonic features on section A?

A

The key in G major throughout.

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16
Q

What instrumentation is featured in section A?

A

Violin 1 introduces theme A which violin 2 imitates in bars 1-5 and the basso continuo is played by the cello and organ.

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17
Q

What are the rhythmic features of section A?

A

The time signature is 4/4.

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18
Q

What is the texture throughout section A?

A

While the sopranos introduce theme C (the melisma on ‘‘born’’) and the tenors sing theme B the texture is polyphonic.

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19
Q

What are the melodic features of section B?

A

Theme A returns with the Altos which is imitated by the bases who go on to sing theme C - melisma and rising and falling sequences while the altos sing rising sequence theme B and ‘‘unto us’’ is a descending arpeggio.

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20
Q

What are the harmonic features of section B?

A

The key modulates to D major (dominant) from G major at the end of bar 20.

20
Q

What are the rhythmic features of section B?

A

The time signature is 4/4.

21
Q

What instrumentation is featured in section B?

A

The basso continuo is played by the cello and organ.

22
Q

What are the melodic features of section C?

A

Theme D is introduced by the tenors and includes a descending scale on ‘‘shoulder’’. This is imitated by sopranos with a dotted rhythm and rising sequence. Altos and basses join in bar 30 singing in thirds.

23
Q

What are the harmonic features of section C?

A

The key remains in D major and part C ends in bar 32 with an imperfect cadence?

24
Q

What instrumentation is featured in section C?

A

The basso continuo is played by the cello and organ.

25
Q

What are the rhythmic features of section C?

A

The time signature is 4/4.

26
Q

What is the texture throughout section C?

A

When section C ends the texture is homophonic as all four parts are singing ‘‘and his name shall be called’’.

27
Q

What are the melodic techniques of section D?

A

Theme E is introduced here, the melody is repetitive and has a dotted rhythm. Theme A is imitated by tenors with a melisma with rising and falling semiquaver sequences. As the sopranos, altos and basses sing theme B they sing in descending arpeggios. The altos then sing theme D in a dotted rhythm with a descending scale melisma which is imitated by the bass.

28
Q

What are the harmonic features of section D?

A

The key is D major and there is an imperfect cadence at the end of bar 49.

29
Q

What instrumentation is features in section D?

A

The basso continuo is played by the cello and organ and ‘‘the prince of peace’’ is played in octaves.

30
Q

What are the rhythmic features of section D?

A

The time signature is 4/4.

31
Q

What is the texture throughout section D?

A

Theme E has a homophonic texture on ‘‘wonderful, counsellor…’’ and when theme A returns the texture is polyphonic. Section D ends with a homophonic texture as they sing ‘‘shall be called’’.

32
Q

What are the melodic features of section E?

A

The music in theme E is repeated between ‘‘wonderful’’ and ‘‘counsellor’’. Theme A returns with overlapping entries and imitation. There is a semiquaver melisma - theme C while sopranos, basses and tenors sing theme B. Theme D begins in bar 63 with the tenors singing a dotted rhythm rising sequence and a melisma and this is imitated by all other groups. ‘‘And the government’’ is sang in thirds by the altos and bases.

33
Q

What are the harmonic features of section E?

A

Section E begins by modulation back to G major but it then modulates to C major at bar 68. And there is a perfect cadence at the end of section E.

34
Q

What instrumentation is featured in section E?

A

The basso continuo is played by the cello and organ.

35
Q

What are the rhythmic features of section E?

A

The time signature is 4/4.

36
Q

What is the texture throughout section E?

A

The texture of theme A is homophonic and it is homophonic at the end of section E too.

37
Q

What are the melodic features of section F?

A

Theme E begins section F with repetition and dotted rhythm. Then theme A, B and C return with a melisma of semiquavers in a rising and falling sequence in the sopranos and altos. The sopranos begin theme D again with a rising, dotted rhythm sequence and there’s a stretto - the altos begin before the sopranos finish.

38
Q

What are the harmonic features of section F?

A

Theme E begins in C major and ends in G major with a perfect cadence in bar 74. There is an imperfect cadence in G major to end section F which began in C major.

39
Q

What instrumentation is featured in section F?

A

The basso continuo is played by the cello and organ.

40
Q

What are the rhythmic features of section F?

A

The time signature is 4/4.

41
Q

What is the texture throughout section F?

A

Theme E has a homophonic texture and as the sopranos and altos sing theme C and tenors and bass sing the B the texture is polyphonic and the texture at the end of section F is homophonic.

42
Q

What are the melodic features of section G?

A

The music for ‘‘wonderful’’ is repeated for ‘‘counsellor’’. There is a descending scale on ‘‘the everlasting father’’ and the song ends with theme E which is a descending sequence.

43
Q

What are the harmonic features of theme G?

A

The key is G major and theme E ends with a perfect cadence in G major.

44
Q

What instrumentation is featured in section G?

A

The basso continuo is played by the cello and organ.

45
Q

What are the rhythmic features of section G?

A

The time signature is 4/4.

46
Q

What are the rhythmic features of the ending section?

A

The time signature is 4/4.

47
Q

What instrumentation is featured in the ending section.

A

The basso continuo is played by the cello and organ. In the final three bars there are trills by the violins (ornamentation).

48
Q

What are the harmonic features of the ending section?

A

The key is G major and the song ends with a perfect cadence in G major.

49
Q

What are the melodic features of the ending section?

A

Material from the opening ritornello is reworked to an orchestral postlude. The final 3 bars feature syncopation and suspension at the cadence point.

Music (3 decks)

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