Gregorian Chant o o Alleluia: Vidimus stellam (We Have Seen His Star) Choralis Solinger; Gabriel M. Steinschulte, director Gregorian chant is monophonic church music of the Middle Ages named after Pope Gregory I (c. 540-604): also called plainchant.This jubilant Gregorian chant is the Alleluia from the Mass for Epiphany. In this chant, many notes are sung to "ia" is an expression of over joyfulness. Listening Guide Listen to the Gregorian chant Alleluia from an early Catholic Mass, which consists of melody set to sacred Latin texts and sung without accompaniment (The chant is in monophonic texture). The chant is in ABA from: A (Solo voice: Alleluia+Chorus: long series of notes on ia), B (Chorus), A (Chorus) Perotin (c. 1200) o o Organum, Alleluia: Nativitas (The Nativity of the Virgin Mary) Hilliard Ensemble; Paul Hillier, conductor Perotin was the first known composer to write music with more than two voices. Listening Guide This is an organum (Polyphonic choral church music beginning in the ninth century) in three voices which is based on a Gregorian alleluia melody. The lowest part (the chant) is played on an instrument, while the two upper parts are sung by vocal soloists who are reinforced by instruments. Medieval Dance o o Estampie (13th century) Martin Best Mediaeval Ensemble; Martin Best, director This is a medieval dance. One of the earliest surviving forms of instrumental music. Dances in the Middle Ages were often accompanied by instrumental music. Listening Guide The estampie is in triple meter. This melody is played on a rebec (a bowed string instrument) and a pipe (a tubular wind instrument). Since medieval minstrels probably improvised modest accompaniments to dance tunes, the performers have added a drone-two simultaneous repeated notes at the interval of a fifth, played on a psaltery (a plucked or struck string instrument). Palestrina (c. 1525-1594) o o Mass: De Beata Virgine Kyrie (To the Blessed Virgin-"Kyrie") Spandauer Kantorei; Martin Behrman, conductor This is the late 16th century polyphonic treatment of the "Kyrie" section from the ordinary of the Mass De Beata Virgine. The melody of this Kyrie is an old Gregorian chant, around which Palestrina added other voice parts. Listening Guide Notice that the sopranos begin and the altos enter with counterpoint, after which the tenors and basses imitate the sopranos and altos. What you hear in this style is almost constant imitation, prompting you to shift your focus to whichever voice enters with the melody. Giovanni Gabrieli (c. 1555-1612) o o Motet: O magnum mysterium (O, what a great mystery) Kings College Choir; Philip Jones Brass Ensemble; Stephen Cleobury, conductor The most important composer in Venice. As organists of ST. Mark's Cathedral, he exploited the special acoustics of that extraordinary building. By placing choirs of singers and instrumentalists in different choir lofts, they obtained brilliant echo effects that even modern audio equipment cannot recapture. A motet is sacred polyphonic music for voices popular during the Renaissance and Baroque style periods. Listening Guide Gabrieli is using two large choirs, each with three voice parts and four instrumenntal parts, plus organ. Franz Schubert (1797-1828) o o Die Forelle (The Trout: 1817) Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, bariton; Gerald Moor, piano One of Schubert's most famous songs, The Trout reflects the romantics' attraction to nature and to folklike simplicity. The text, by Christian Daniel Schubart (1739-1791)---tells of a trout that swims merrily in a brook but is then caught by a clever fisherman. Listening Guide Listen to the form of the song. The Trout is in modified strophic form: A (stanza 1), A(stanza 2), BA'(stanza 3). The melody (A) which describe the fish happily swimming. New music (B) is used for most of the last stanza, which tells how the trout is caught. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) o o Cantata No. 140 (1731): 1st Movement : Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Awake, A Voice is Calling Us) Concentus Musicus Wien; Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor Bach employs the chorale melody written by Philop Nicolai(1555-1608). This movement is for Chorus and Orchestra : 2 oboes, English horn, French horn, 1st violins, 2nd violins, violas, basso continuo (organ, bassoon, cello) Listening Guide Notice the use of the animated polyphonic texture combined with instrumental accompaniment. After an instrumental introduction, the sopranos sing Nicolai's chorale melody. Then different sections of the choir imitate the chorale melody. Robert Schumann (1810-1856) o o WidMung (Dedication) Heinz Rehfuss, bariton; Frank Martin, piano Schumann composed the song for Clara and had it performed at their wedding. The text is by the German poet Friedrich Ruckert (1788-1866) Listening Guide Notice how the mood of the music and of the poetry fit. For instance, when the text states "Du bist die Ruh, du bist der Frieden" ("You are rest, you are peace"), the music changes from the excited opening to a more peaceful mood. After the singer finishes, the piano continues playing a little postlude with a musical quote from Schubert's "Ave Maria" to show Schumann's heightened devotion to Clara. Stephen Sondheim (b.1930) o o A Little Night Music (1973): Send in the Clowns Anni Hughes, Orchestra conducted by Donald Perlman Sondheim's show was one of the big hits of Broadway's 1973 season. Mozart's serenade "Eine Kline Nachtmusik"(A Little Night Music) provided the title for this work. The story, closely based on Igmar Bergman's film "Smiles of a Summer Night," is set in Sweden and about Fredrik Egerman, a middle-aged attorney, newly remarried to a teenage girl the same age as his son. After 11 monthes of an unsatisfying marriage in which his wife is still a virgin, Egerman resumes an affair whith his former mistress, Desiree Armfeldt- an actress whose current lover is Count Malcolm, a Swedish military office. "Send in the Clowns" is sung in the musical by Desiree when she and Egerman meet again after years of separation. Listening Guide Broadway Musical song Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) o o Don Giovanni (1787): Act I, RECITATIVE: Alfin siam liberati (At last, we're free) Richard van Allen, baritone; Ingvar Wixell, baritone; Mirella Freni, soprano; Otchestra of the Royal Opera House; Colin Davis, conductor Giovanni invites Zerlina up to his villa, promising to marry her and make her into a fine lady. Listening Guide Recitative (recite)- A speech like section in operas, oratorios, cantatas and other vocal works where it is particularly important for the words to be brought out. This recitative sung with just continuo accompaniment. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart o o Don Giovanni: Act I, Duet: La ci darem la mano (There you'll give me your hand) Richard van Allen, baritone; Ingvar Wixell, baritone; Mirella Freni, soprano; Otchestra of the Royal Opera House; Colin Davis, conductor This is the most famous tune between Don Giovanni and Zerlina. Opera depend on memorable tunes, as well as on musical drama. Listening Guide Duet (an ensemble for two singers) Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) o o La Boheme (1896): Act I, Aria: Che gelida manina (What a cold little hand) Andrea Bocelli, tenor; Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Gianandrea Noseda, conductor The poet, Rodolfo tells Mimi the story about himself, his dreams and his fantasies. Listening Guide Aria-an elaborate solo song with instrumental accompaniment, generally in an opera, oratorio, or cantata. Giacomo Puccini o o La Boheme: Act I, Aria: Mi chiamano Mimi (They call me Mimi) Renata Tebaldi, soprano; Orcchestra e coro dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Roma Mimi responds with a poetic description of her simple life in this aria. Giacomo Puccini o o La Boheme: Act III, Aria (Mimi's Farewell): Donde lieta usci (Back to the place I left) Montserrat Caballe, soprano; London Sympony Orchestra, Charles Mackerras, conductor