Handel - Messiah (And The Glory Of The Lord)

Question 1

How many voices are in the piece?

Answer 1

4

Question 2

What is the home key of the piece?

Answer 2

A major

Question 3

When was this piece composed?

Answer 3

1741 (18th century)

Question 4

When was this piece first performed?

Answer 4

13th April 1742

Question 5

Where was this piece first performed?

Answer 5

Dublin

Question 6

What style is this piece?

Answer 6

Baroque

Question 7

What are some key features of baroque music?

Answer 7

• use of ornamented melodic parts
• major and minor keys
• use of diatonic keys (of I, IV, V, II, VI)
• Basso continuo
• Different textures (mono, homo and poly phonic.)
• Prevalence of one ‘affection’ (mood)
• Terraced dynamics (contrasts of two levels)

Question 8

What is the home key of this piece?

Answer 8

A major

Question 9

What is the metre of this piece?

Answer 9

3/4

Question 10

What is the tempo of this piece?

Answer 10

Allegro (fast) until the end where it becomes adagio (slow)

Question 11

what does the tempo change create?

Answer 11

creates a stately and grand ending

Question 12

What is the instrumentation of this piece?

Answer 12

Baroque orchestra

• 1st and 2nd violins
• violas
• SATB choir
• Double bass
• Cello
• Chamber organ

Question 13

How many main motifs are there for the melody?

Answer 13

four

Question 14

What is the main rhythm of the first 3 motifs?

Answer 14

mostly crotchets and quavers

Question 15

what is the rhythm of the 4th motif like?

Answer 15

uses long (dotted minim) repeated notes

Question 16

What is used towards the cadence point and what does this make the music feel like it’s in?

Answer 16

Hemiolas’

2/4 timing

Question 17

what is used in the lyrics to match the rhythm?

Answer 17

Word painting

Question 18

What two keys does the piece modulate too?

Answer 18

E major (dominant)
B major (supertonic)

Question 19

What are the majority of the cadences?

Answer 19

Perfect cadences

Question 20

What is the ending cadence?

Answer 20

Plagal cadence

Question 21

What is completely diatonic? (only uses notes within the key)

Answer 21

The Harmony

Question 22

What textures contrast?

Answer 22

Homophonic and polyphonic

Question 23

What is the ending texture?

Answer 23

Homophonic

Question 24

What is used between parts?

Answer 24

Imitation

Question 25

What are the dynamics like at the end?

Answer 25

Loud

Question 26

What do the dynamics determine?

Answer 26

The number of parts playing at a time

Question 27

What is there a clear contrast between in dynamics?

Answer 27

Loud and soft

Question 28

What is used in the word setting?

Answer 28

Mixture of syllabic and melismatic word setting

Question 29

What are repeated many times?

Answer 29

The different phrases

Question 30

What is the mood/affection of this piece?

Answer 30

Joyful | the piece is celebrating, glorifying and praising God

Question 31

How is this mood reinforced?

Answer 31

- The major tonality - The sprightly tempo - The 3/4 tempo

Question 32

Name two details of motif A | 'And the glory, the glory of the lord'

Answer 32

- First sung by Altos - Dotted rhythm in bar 2 - Word setting is completely syllabic

Question 33

Name two details of motif B | 'shall be re-veal-ed'

Answer 33

- First sung by the Tenors - the word 'revealed' is a descending sequence' - Word setting is melismatic on the word 'revealed'

Question 34

Name two details of motif C | 'And all flesh shall see it to-ge-ther'

Answer 34

- First sung by the Altos - There is repetition used between 'all flesh', 'shall see it' and 'together' - There are melismas' in this motif

Question 35

Name two details of motif D | 'For the mouth of the lord hath spoken in'

Answer 35

- First sung by the tenors and basses - There are only two notes used (A and B) - There are longer notes used, which are repeated - Word setting is completely syllabic

Question 36

what is messiah?

Answer 36

an oratorio

Question 37

how long did it take for Handel to write 'Messiah'?

Answer 37

3 weeks

Question 38

When would this piece typically be performed?

Answer 38

Easter | but it is often performed at Christmas now too.

Question 39

what is the texture of this piece?

Answer 39

homorhythmic

Question 40

what does Handel do with the 4 man musical ideas?

Answer 40

Handel introduced each idea using one part and then weaves them into the rest of the music, often imitation and overlapping each other.

Question 41

what is most of the singing in this piece?

Answer 41

syllabic

Question 42

melisma's are used in this piece. what is a melisma?

Answer 42

when a syllable is sung over several notes.

Question 43

there are some hemiolas used In this piece. what is a hemiola?

Answer 43

when music that is in triple time (3/4), temporarily sounds like it is in duple time (2/4) for 2 bars.

Question 44

where would a hemiola often be in baroque music?

Answer 44

at cadences

Question 45

name 3 techniques used in the melody vocal part in this piece.

Answer 45

- Imitation - singing is syllabic - melisma

Question 46

what is the pitch like in this piece?

Answer 46

all parts keep to a moderate pitch range.

Question 47

what are the dynamics like in this piece?

Answer 47

- hardly any marked dynamics - only p and f are used. - typical as baroque music rarely has crescendos or diminuendos marked.

Question 48

what are the chords in this piece and what speed to they change at?

Answer 48

diatonic (all belong to the key) | a fast harmonic rhythm (speed at which the chords change)

Question 49

what instruments play throughout?

Answer 49

the continuo players (cello, double bass and organ)