Reading: Vocal Music

Question 1

In the Baroque period, musical devices corresponded to ___.

Answer 1

Affects (emotions).

Question 2

Coloratura Singing

Answer 2

Vocal virtuosity including fast, brilliant runs, scales, high notes, vocal cadenzas, etc. for its own sake.

Question 3

What are the two important factors for all Baroque sacred music genres?

Answer 3

• Participation of the choir.

- Strong tendency to borrow from secular vocal music (opera).

Question 4

List the Baroque sacred music genres:

Answer 4

Oratorio and passion, cantata, Mass, and motet.

Question 5

Oratorio

Answer 5

Long semi-dramatic piece on a religious subject for soloists, chorus, and orchestra.

Question 6

Oratorio substituted for operas in ___.

Answer 6

Lent.

Question 7

Cantata

Answer 7

A composition in several movements for solo voice(s), instruments, and perhaps also chorus. Depending on the text, cantatas are categories as secular or church cantatas.

Question 8

Chorale

Answer 8

German for hymn; also used for a four-part harmonization of a Lutheran hymn, such as Bach composed in his Cantata No. 4 and other works.

Question 9

Gapped Chorale

Answer 9

A setting of a chorale melody in which the tune is presented in phrases with “gaps” between them, during which other music continues in other voices or instruments.