Famous works
This requiem is known for its omission of the Dies irae.
What is Faure Requiem?
This short Latin word meaning "behold" has two common Germanic Latin pronunciations.
(found in the Quia respexit/Magnificat of JS Bach)
What is ecce?
The key of his most famous Mass, Bach often chose this key for his most solemn moments
What is b minor?
The notes and meter of the singing follow the verbal accents, accompanied only by chords and /or a bass line.
What is recitativo secco?
The restatement of a motif or longer melodic passage at a higher or lower pitch often culminating in a cadence.
What is sequence
The story line of this Handel oratorio was adjusted in order to create a happy ending.
What is Jephtha?
To sustain and support the musical interest
To offer scope for the performer’s virtuosity.
To extract additional layers of meaning from the text.
What is the purpose of ornamentation?
This work was rediscovered in the early 1800's and its first performance in that century was conducted by Felix Mendelssohn.
What is the St. Matthew Passion?
A pair of chords that close a thought or sentence.
What is a cadence?
A rhythmic displacement of stress from 2 bars of 3 to 3 bars of 2.
What is a hemiola?
This oratorio is obsessed with weather.
What is Haydn's Die Jahreszeiten?
The motor for the music, creating or suspending direction, and providing the foundation of harmonic movement.
What is the bass line?
The compositional device of using a musical motive to represent an emotion, gesture or other imagery.
What is symbolism?
A recitative of lyrical and expressive quality, midway between recitative and aria. Bach often incorporated this after a recitative secco section to bridge into the aria.
What is recitativo arioso?
These are the five movements that are commonly set by composers and make up the Ordinary of the Mass.
( Hint: one movement has two titles)
What are Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus et Benedictus, Agnus Dei?
In this work, the title character has a name change one third of the way through the work.
What is Mendelssohn's Paulus? (St. Paul)
Always consult this first to create the most truthful aural image of works in the oratorio/sacred repertoire.
What is the orchestral score?
An almost weekly assignment, Bach composed these works to deliver the Lutheran doctrines as well as edify his congregations.
What are cantatas?
In Handel, this notation, despite its frequency, can actually be ignored given the appropriate context.
What are rests?
The title for our course is derived from the word meaning the the art of public speaking (French derived) or a place for private reflection and prayer (Latin).
What is oratory?
This modern oratorio describes the autobiography of 20th century woman, and contains sung and spoken text throughout.
What is Saariaho's La Passione de Simone?
Valued for its beauty of expression and creative use of Latin, this text is considered one of the oldest poetic texts and has been set by numerous composer.
What is the Stabat Mater?
These concise musical gems have served and continue to serve to this day as superlative models for the study of harmony and counterpoint, demonstrating an unparalleled mastery of harmony in the way the vertical (harmony) and the horizontal (melody) in music are fused into a coherent and beautiful whole.
A unifying and summarizing element, these are found throughout Bach's sacred works.
What are chorales?
A name given to a musical style employing rapid repeating notes to express anger, agitation etc. A pair of chords that close a thought or sentence.
What is concitato?
One of the most characteristic features of the Vespers, a liturgical element that has been retained through the centuries without change, often called the Canticle of Mary.
What is the Magnificat?