FIRST NIGHTS MIDTERM REVIEW SHEET
Identifications I.
1. aria - a vocal composition which serves as a song in an opera or oratorio, as opposed to recitative, which is a musical representation of speech. An aria is a self-contained piece for a single vocalist, often using strophic text setting, and employing much melodic ornamentation. It is usually accompanied by the whole orchestra, as opposed to the basso continuo for a recitative.
- An example of an aria is "Vi Recorda" from Orfeo
2. moresca -
3. recitative accompagnato - A recitative is a declamatory style of text setting that is meant to imitate the natural rhythms and cadences of speech. It is sung by one person over an instrumental accompaniment that serves to harmonically support the melody assigned to the text. Two types are the recitativo accompagnato and recitativo secco. The recitativo accompagnato is a style of recitative where the instrumental accompaniment occurring under the single vocal line is explicitly written out to be more active than that of recitativo secco; here, the basso continuo is supplemented with the addition of other instruments. Two examples from the Messiah : Recitativo Accompagnato
4. sequence- A short musical pattern that is repeated at successively ascending or descending pitches. It is characteristic of Handel’s music to extend phrases by adding sequences. For example, in “And He shall purify” he uses sequence to extend the second phrase of the opening melody. Repetition can be used to create sense of familiarity.
5. fugue- Uses imitative polyphony, with multiple voices imitating one melody at scattered entrances with variation. A piece where one theme, called the
“subject”, is repeated and elaborated in multiple voices, during the
“exposition.” “Amen” (the last piece in Messiah) is an example of a fugue.
6. anthem chorus- a chorus that has a mix of polyphonic and homophonic textures, with each line of text set to a separate line of music. Messiah contains several of these, including “Hallelujah” and “The Glory of the
Lord.”
7. Euridice- The human lover of Orpheus whom he must rescue from Hades.
Almost certainly played by a male castrato. It is known that Monteverdi, and Francesco Gonzaga, the son of the duke, had to request the loan of castrati from other cities, but it is not known if the castrato who played
Euridice belonged to the Duke of Mantua or someone else.

8. meter- The methodical organization of the beat in a piece of music. The number of beats per measure is given by the time signature. When the beat is organized in multiples of two, this is called duple meter. When it is organized in multiples of three, it is called triple meter. An easy way to count is to l isten for the downbeat, which (if you’re lucky) is the first beat of each measure and carries extra emphasis. Binary meter (which is another term for duple meter) refers to beats that come in groups of 2. It is simple if these can be broken down into 2 subunits, like in 2/4 time, or compound if the beats can be broken down into 3 subunits, like in 6/8 time.
9. Francesco Gonzaga-
“Heir to the dukedom of Mantua [and] the originating force behind the composition an performance of Orfeo.” – textbook p. 27.
A member of the Accademia degli Invaghiti. Much of what we know about the opera comes from letters between him and his younger brother
Ferdinando in Pisa (which is strange because Ferdinando is apparently deeply connected to the Medici’s, who were based in Pisa), because
Francesco was trying desperately to orchestrate the organization of the opera and needed his little brother’s help.
10. Henriette Sontag- is the 18 year-old highly regarded Viennese soprano soloist selected by Beethoven for the May 7 opening concert including the
Ninth Symphony. She was a favorite of Beethoven’s and became internationally for her voice later in life, casuing “Sontag Fever” in Berlin.
11. Giovanni Gualberto Magli- was the castrato sent by to Francesco
Gonzaga for the opening performance of Orfeo. Mantua was short on good sopranos, and Francesco had seen great castrati in Tuscany, and therefore requested one from the Grand Duke of Tuscany through his brother, Ferdinando. Magli was late arriving to Mantua and had to quickly learn the multiple (and difficult) parts assigned to him as Soprano 1
– La
Musica, Messagiera, Speranza, and part of the act V Chorus, and he was able to not only learn his parts, but, as noted in a letter from Francesco to
Ferdinando “delivers it with much grace.”
12. basso continuo- is Italian for continuous base, and is usually constructed with a low string playing the base line and a harpsichord or lute playing an improvised harmonic accompaniment. The basso continuo is very prominent in Orfeo using the viola da gamba as the low string and a continual harpsichord (replaced by the organ during Charonte’s parts).
13. ritornello- instrumental music or interlude that precedes a verse of a song and is repeated later in the piece. It literally means "little return" in Italian.
A ritornello can be heard between contrasting sections of music, helping to create a larger form for the entire piece. A ritornello introduces the aria
"Ev'ry valley shall be exalted" and many can be found throughout Orfeo.

14. “Ode to Joy”- An die Freude in German, an ode written in 1785 by the
German poet and historian Friedrich von Schiller. Beethoven set it to music in the last movement of the Ninth Symphony. It was performed by a chorus and a quartet of vocal soloists. This ode helps shift the weight to the end of the symphony.
15. scherzo- found in the second or third movement of a symphony, a scherzo has a three part form of ABA. It is in triple meter and has a fast tempo. It is similar to a minuet in its form, meter and placement in a symphony. The second movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony consists of a scherzo.
16. castrato - men who were castrated at a young age to preserve their high voices, they usually sang soprano parts. The famous castrato, Giovanni
Gualberto, sang three separate roles in *L'Orfeo*.
17. woodwinds- a class of instruments that produce sound when the player blows through a reed or across an aperture. An early woodwind instrument heard in Moneverdi's* Orfeo* is the recorder. Other examples of woodwind instruments are the flute, the oboe, the English horn, the clarinet, and the bassoon.
18. homophonic- musical texture where the melodies, usually not the same ones, are played at the same time with about the same note values. The
Hallelujah Chorus is a prime example.
19. exposition- The opening section of a movement in sonata form in which two contrasting themes are introduced, the first in the tonic key, the second in the dominant (second theme followed by closing material in the same key)
Ex.
– exposition in the opening of movement 1 of Beethoven’s
“Ninth Symphony”
20. Alessandro Striggio- librettist for Monteverdi’s
Orfeo ; nobleman, courtier, poet, member of the Academy (less famous than Monteverdi even though he was a noble)
21. Caroline Unger
21 yr. old contralto in Beethoven’s ninth symphony
; More down to earth, not as famous ; Large, attractive woman; Responsible for turning Beethoven around during performance to see the applause of the audience ; Had trouble with the part but Beethoven motivated her
22. oratorio- This refers to a genre of music that is a combination of vocal and instrumental music. Its subject matter is dramatic, often Biblical, but there are neither sets, scenery, nor costumes. It employs many of the musical forms of opera: aria, recitative, and chorus.

Ex. Messiah is an oratorio
23. polyphonic- This describes a musical texture where the musical lines move in different directions from each other and at different points in time.
Fugues are a good example of polyphony, but they are by no means the only kind of music to generate this texture.
Ex. Orfeo Act I “Lasicate I monti” score page 15
Ex. Messiah Part I Section 2 Chorus “And he shall Purify” score page 44-
50
Ex. Beethoven Part I score page 16-20ish B of the exposition of sonata form
24. Charles Jennens- the librettist for Messiah; very u nsatisfied with Handel’s music to his libretto…tried to get Handel to change it and make it better, but Handel refused. Jennens thought his libretto was worthy of better music rather than “a fine entertainment.”
25. symphony- “A genre of music for orchestra that arose in the early eighteenth century. By the end of the eighteenth century, the typical symphony had four movements:
I. a fast movement in sonata form
II. a slow movement, often theme and variations
III. a dance movement, either a minuet or a scherzo
IV. a lively finale, often a rondo”
Example : Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (and Mozart’s 40 th Symphony)
26. development- “This is the middle section of a movement in sonata form in which elements of the two contrasting themes presented in the exposition are developed in a variety of new and different ways.”
Example: Seen in the first and second movements of Beethoven’s 9 th symphony between the expositions and the recapitulations.
27. pifa- “This is a term unique to Handel's Messiah . It is an instrumental piece that evokes a pastoral mood and uses many instruments.”
Example : Between “Unto us a child is born” and “There were shepherds…”
28. recitative secco- literally the term secco means “dry” in Italian. This type of recitative is “dry”, in the sense that it has a very sparse instrumental backing behind the voice singing the recitative. The accompaniment is the

basso continuo (usually a low string and a chord playing instrument). The opposite of a recitative secco is a recitative accompagnato. The recitativo secco sounds more like speech and less like a song, while accompagnato is closer to song on the continuum.
Most of the recitatives that are in the works that we’ve studied are recitative secco (in Orfeo, not necessarily Messiah). This includes the
Prologue of L’Orfeo (sung by Music), Tu se’morta (Act II, where Orfeo decides to descend to the underworld), Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive and Then Shall The Eyes from the Messiah.
Basically, if it’s a recitative it’s probably secco. If you can sing it, it’s probably not.
29. sinfonia- an instrumental (absolutely no voices) introduction to a vocal section. The sinfonia is often multi-sectional. This is the case in the single easiest sinfonia to remember
—the one that opens The Messiah (where there are two sections, a slow and a fast). The sinfonia is not connected to themes found later in the work (unlike an overture).
If they ask us where to find a sinfonia and you can’t remember any, just write down the third act of L’Orfeo. There’s, like, five sinfonias there (two different ones that are repeated). But, fortunately, it’s really easy to remember where these are. The second act of L’Orfeo, and the first act of
The Messiah both open with sinfonias. Sinfonias also appear in acts four and five of L’Orfeo, but they are way less obvious than the beginning of
The Messiah.
30. Jonathan Swift- he wrote Gulliver’s Travels, which has absolutely nothing to do with Handel. However, he was also the dean of Saint Patrick’s
Cathedral, which was one of the two cathedrals in Dublin when Handel was there. Handel’s first performance of Messiah was in 1742, by the way.
Jonathan Swift died in 1745, and was going a little bit insane around 1742 when Handel was in Dublin with him.
As the Dean of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, he was able to prevent the choir of the cathedral from participating in any concert. He exercised this power when Handel wanted to employ the choir in his performance. This was, according to Professor Kelly, due to his attitude that “religious words and mu sic have no place in a theatrical setting.” Swift eventually permitted the choir to go perform, but subsequently forgot that he had done this and got angry at the false report that he had permitted this. He wasn’t such a bad guy, just going a little bit insane towards the end of his life
—he was losing his hearing, having headaches and dizziness. He was also experiencing memory problems. Before Handel left Ireland he said paid a visit to
Jonathan Swift. In that meeting Swift said of Handel “Oh! A German, and a
Genius! A Prodigy!”

31. Anton Haitzinger- was the twenty-eight yearold tenor in Beethoven’s
Ninth Symphony. Having been a primo tenore at the Theater an der Wien since 1821 and having sung a variety of notable roles, he was well known to Beethoven by the time of the Ninth Symphony. His repertoire included
Florestan in Fidelio, and he sung in such cities as Paris and London.
Some people found is voice “throaty and disagreeable” while others described it as “very beautiful.”
32. Francesco Rasi- was a Mantuan singer, poet, and composer with a wide reputation who probably played the role of Orfeus in Monteverdi’s Orfeo.
He had a remarkably elevated position for a court musician and may have even lived in the palace. He was described as “so famous for his excellence in his profession that everyone agrees that there are few in the world who can excel him. He was a range between tenor and baritone, had an ability to sing florid ornamentation, and could express words dramatically in song – all necessities for the role of Orfeus.
33. Mrs. Cibber- was one of the solo singers in the first Messiah; however, she was actually better known for being one of the most famous actresses of her day. She was notorious for her rivalry with another well-known actress as well as the scandal surrounding her marriage to her manipulating and abusive husband. Mrs. Cibber’s chief talent was dramatic rather than musical, but Handel had worked with her previously in London and was fond of her. In Messiah, Handel altered “He shall feed his f lock” and “If God be for us” to suit her voice. She was described as
“penetrating the hearts, when others, with infinitely greater voice and skill, could only reach the ear.”
34. Caronte- Appearing in Act III of Monteverdi’s Orfeo, Caronte is the ferryman that guards entrance to Hell. In order to get past Caronte, Orfeo serenades Caronte to sleep.
35. de capo aria- A tripartite musical structure that can be represented by A-B-
A’. First there is an A section, then a contrasting B section, and a return to the A section. However, the second time the A section is played, it is played with many embellishments, or much more ornamentation than in the first instance of the A section. An example of a da capo aria is “The trumpet shall sound”, which appears in Part III of the Messiah.
36. tempo- speed of a piece or the frequency of the beat. Composers can indicate the desired tempo of a piece by using a set of terminology. For instance, the second movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Molto vivace, means a very lively tempo.
37. ornamentation- this term refers to the musical 'decoration' of a single pitch/note with other often non-metrical pitches. A very common example

is the trill (quick switching between two adjacent notes). A trill is designated with the abbreviation tr above the note.
38. Ignaz Schuppanzigh- he led the orchestra in Beethoven's 9th symphony.
He was a virtuoso violinist who led two major string quartets, and had
just returned to Vienna from Russia, where he was working with Count
Razumovsky. A fuller mini-bio can be found in the First Nights textbook from pages 143 - 145.
39. Matthew Dubourg- he led the orchestra in Handel's Oratio, keeping the orchestra together with his demonstrative violin playing. He had been
Master and Composer of the State Music of Ireland since 1728. A famous story has Duborg spend so much time playing around with a violin solo that at the end, Handel exclaimed "Welcome Home, Mr. Duborg!" A couple paragraphs on him are in the textbook pages 84 - 85.
40. recapitulation- The final section of a movement in sonata form in which the material introduced in the exposition returns in the tonic key (LA B-51
Glossary). The first movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is in sonata form, and the recapitulation occurs when the introductory passage that started the symphony is repeated fortissimo
41. Friedrich Schiller- In the final movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, a chorus and a quartet of vocal soloists sing Beethoven’s version of
Schiller’s ode to joy, An die Freude. This is significant because audience members would have been familiar with the tune and the use of a chorus helps shift the weight of the symphony into the last movement. One reviewer also wrote that “the passages from Schiller’s ‘Song of Joy’ are made admirably expressive of the sentiments which the poet intended to convey” (Document 36). It is the lyrics that make the symphony suitable as a worldwide anthem by expressing the achievement of triumph through struggle and all persons living in brotherhood.
42. Franz Wild- (p. 144 of text) Singer who described Beethoven conducting and Umlauf taking over when Beethoven’s conducting no longer followed the music on Jan.2, 1814. Description similar to that Prof. Kelly gave in class. Beethoven sank to his knees during piano parts, waved excitedly during forte parts of the piece. Soon, his conducting did not match the orchestra’s music, and Umlauf discreetly had the musicians follow only his lead. Beethoven, when he finally noticed, smiled “heavenly” as described by Wild.
43. Lucrezia Urbana- – (p. 36 of text) Singer and harpist from Naples that possibly played in Orfeo. She was on the Mantuan payroll for sure between 1603 and 1605, further records have been lost. Thought to have

played the harp solo, suspected to have been written just for her, shows off her trilling skill. One of the only women in the performance.
II. Listening
III. Essays
Essay #2: In the pieces we have studied, how does the music work to express the text? Discuss at least two specific examples.
This essay can probably be taken in any direction. The music is used to express text in many different ways. After all, matching of text to music is a significant part of the art.
Generally the music fits the mood of the text’s content, yet sometimes acts out effects that connect with what the text is saying at a more literal level (for example in Messiah , in the recitative “Thus saith the Lord of hosts,” the word “shake” is drawn out with melisma (many notes sung for one syllable), bouncing back and forth in pitch – literally shaking the pitch). Such use of the music to express the literal meaning of the text is referred to as “word painting.” However this is more exceptional than the norm. Devices such as word painting can be used to emphasize certain parts of the text to make the audience focus more closely.
Music can also serve to lead the content of the text. Example is “Vi ricorda” in beginning of the second act of L’Orfeo : music is generally light-hearted and upbeat yet the lyrics at that moment are unhappy in nature (“Shady woods, do you remember how you heard my long lamenting, and your sorrow for my suffering turned your spring to cold
December...”). That the meaning of the words do not fit the mood of the music, and that the words are in past tense, it more suggests that Orfeo’s words are leading in a positive direction – and indeed they are (“Fortune now her wheel is turning, and you whisper joy to greet me...”). In class, Professor Kelly indicated that this example was a “strophic song” (where several verses are all sung to same music), and so there is that discordance of textual meaning and feel of music in the beginning because the general nature of the song and where its lyrics are going is positive (Orfeo is now very happy). Thus the same music that is repeated for all the verses conveys from the very first verse where the mood is headed, even if the text has not yet arrived there in content.
Essay #3: Choose one of the three pieces that we have studied and answer the following question: What musical techniques does the composer use to create a cohesive large-scale work?
Beethoven’s 9 th Symphony (discussed in lecture on Monday October 30)
A decent guide to this question is the “Sonata Form” handout, which addresses some specific issues.
For example, Prof. Kelly spent a great deal of Lecture on Oct. 30 th
discussing how
Beethoven modulates the key between D and D minor, setting up a competition between the two that runs throughout all the movements and terminates with the final triumph of

D. Prof. Kelly discussed how he emphasizes this by using either B naturals or B flats.
Beethoven often repeats phrases which are identical with the exception of a switch between these two notes.
If you want to consider the very beginning of the Symphony to be the exposition,
Beethoven here introduces a motive out of which he will build a melody. He repeats this in movement 4. In fact, all the movements (with the exception of the 4 th
) build the melody out of a 2 note-long motive. It also shows up in other places; for example, it appears about 3:00 into “An Die Freude.” The last two notes of the symphony, also, are a repetition of this motive.
The 1 st
and last movements begin with a very nebulous, amorphous introduction that almost sounds like the orchestra is tuning itself. This serves to give it a sense of coming full circle.
Prof. Kelly said that Beethoven has a tendency to quote his movements in other movements of the symphony, but aside from when the opening of the symphony repeats itself in the 4 th
movement, examples elude me.
Recapitulation also occurs in all his movements. For example, after changing keys on page 9 of the score, Beethoven switches back on page 22 and remains in the home key for the rest of the movement.
Essay #4: Which of the two surviving endings – that of the libretto or of the score – do you think was performed at the premiere of Orfeo? Discuss the evidence in favor of each possibility.
The ambiguity surrounding the ending of the original 1607 performance of
Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo is subject of great debate. The published libretto has the opera concluding with a Bacchic frenzy chasing Orfeo offstage and promising not to allow him to escape, whereas the ending of the score Monteverdi sent to Francesco Gonzaga in
1609 indicates the ending was a happier one where Apollo reunites Orfeo and his wife,
Euridice, in the stars followed by a chorus of shepherds praising Apollo and Orfeo. Both sides have strong arguments, but I feel that the argument of the latter group is stronger, as it uses more music and less speculation to reach its conclusion.
For those that believe the libretto’s version was the one seen at the first performance, they largely rest on one large piece of evidence: the printing of the libretto itself. It makes little sense to print a libretto, the purpose of which is to act as a guide for your audience, which you will not follow. However, there are two other reasons one can use to support the choice of the Baccante dance as the original ending. The first is that if the other ending was used, it would have been very difficult to manage the props and machinery involved in having Apollo descend from Olympus on a cloud in the tiny room where the performance was held, possibly necessitating the change from the score’s ending to the libretto’s ending. Also in support of this ending is the quality of Apollo’s poetry is not equivalent to that of Striggio seen in the remainder of the piece. Again, it

could indicate a quick change due to space constraints, or, here, could be due to
Monteverdi inserting the part when making the 1609 score after the success of
Rinuccini’s poetry with miraculous deitys in his Arianna .
While there are good arguments for the dance ending, it seems as if there is more comprehensive evidence to support the happier ending reuniting the lovers in the stars. A weaker, speculative argument can be made on behalf of this ending is that the actual first written ending was the Bacchic dancing frenzy, but the happy ending with two lovers reuiniting was added in preparation for a visit (which never happened) by Duke Carlo
Emanuele of Savoy, a potential father-in-law of Ferdinando Gonzaga. However, this argument is weak, and the argument for the ending with Apollo seems most likely when considering the set up, musically, of Apollo as a central character in the opera. When
Orfeo goes down to Hades in his attempt to get Euridice back, he begs Charonte to allow him to cross the River Styx. At the beginning of his plea, there is a short sinfonia, which is heard again as Charonte falls asleep, allowing Orfeo to sneak by him. This sinfonia is heard yet again when Apollo physically appears after Orfeo’s monologue in Act V; it is here when it becomes apparent that the music of this sinfonia is Apollo’s “theme song.”
Hence, it appears that Apollo had been carefully integrated into the plot of the opera all along – supported even more by the fact that the succeeding chorus of shepherds is noted in the 1609 score as “chorus of shepherds who danced the moresca at the end” in the Cast list. Monteverdi’s verb choice notes that this event actually did occur at the 1607 performance, all but cementing the ending with Apollo and the shepherd chorus as the one seen in Mantua.
Essay #5: How much information about the performing forces of the first performance of Handel's Messiah can be deduced from the earliest scores? What information can be inferred based on what we know about the performance tradition?
The earliest scores give very little information about the performing forces of the first performance of Handel's Messiah. The score says that there were to be stings, continuo, a solo trumpet in "The trumpet shall sound" and two trumpets with kettledrums in four of the choruses. Oboes, bassoons, and horns were not mentioned. The score depicts the string instruments playing in a variety of ways. Sometimes the violins accompany a vocalist with the continuo, while other times they create contrasting textures or play as a whole orchestra with the violins playing duets.
While the score only suggests the usage of strings, its is likely that the orchestra contained wind instruments and horns. The continuo probably had bassoons, an organ and a harpsichord. The bassoons would join the cello at times while at other times they would be silent and let the cello play alone. Handel usually allowed the organ and harpsichord to play together and to alternate depending on his purpose. It can also be assumed that oboes performed and played from the violin parts. Since there are many fugues and imitations it is likely that there were two oboe parts each responsible for doubling one of the two violin parts. Wind instruments probably played in the choruses, doubling either the orchestral on vocal parts while string voices would prevail in the arias

and recitatives. Horns probably accompanied trumpets in a lower octave in the choral pieces, as was the tradition at the time.
Essay #6: Using examples from at least two of the three works studied so far, discuss three different kinds of evidence used to reconstruct the conditions of the first performance.
Although few primary documents remain from the first performance on February
24, 1607 Monteverdi's *L'Orfeo*, we still have letters of correspondence between Monteverdi and numerous people. These documents describe, among other things, his dedication of the opera to the duke, the trials and tribulations of obtaining a castrati, the success of the actual performance, and the names of the key figures involved. We derive most of our information about the preparations for that fateful night from one particular series of letters between Francesco Gonzaga and his brother Ferdinando.
We also still have the published score, which also contained comments that reveal the performers, instruments, and staging arrangements. The score that we now have was published in 1609, but it contains all the instructions and instruments for how the performance had been, not necessarily how it should be. In addition, the instrumental indications gave vague guidelines about how the songs were to be performed and when they would take place.
Although we have much more remaining evidence from the first performance of
Beethoven's 9th, the best sources of information we have still lies within personal correspondences. We also still have some of the original orchestral music. There are, in addition, diary entries and first-hand reports from many people, including musical reviews for publications. They show a subjective view of the performance, but taken in the context of each other, offer a telling glimpse at the events of May 7, 1824.
Essay # 7: Briefly describe the audiences for the three pieces we have studied so far, and assess the differences between them.
Orfeo
Accademia degli Invaghiti (academy of lovestruck, fascinated, or those who have taken a fancy to something) o Association dedicated to the arts, poetry, rhetoric, and courtly virtues o founded in 1560s by Cesare Gonzaga o Monteverdi not of high enough rank to be a member
Spectators at first Orfeo were Italians (why important? They understood all the subtleties of the language used)
People at the time were interested in the ways poetry and music were related
Listeners would have loved the richness of the music (madrigals, choruses, scherzo musicali, dances, instrumental colors, virtuous singing, passionate music all in one)

- We don’t use pastorals now, but the point is: the audience knew the setting and the general idea of the plot before the show even began
Opera was new to them (singing representing the spoken word)
Messiah
700 people
Audience of bishops, heads of colledge, eminent people in law: most of them knew each other
What the Audience Thought o Music wasn’t revolutionary (what they were used to; they knew opera well) o It was a really good version of what everyone else was doing. o ***It used words of Scripture to this type of music o It wasn’t anti-Catholic (even though the audience, librettist, etc. were
English) o It did use the King James bible translation (Anglican) o Most “finished” piece of music (carefully crafted) o Immediate and universal appeal (through grandeur and simplicity)
Need to be upper class to go to Messiah - need $$ to buy a ticket and need the time to go to a performance in the middle of the day
Important social occasion
Audience wanted something new (good that it was the premiere) o Today, we want something we know that is good (old and known)
Audience at first performance thought: o Exquisite delight to crowded audience o Performed in most regular manner (most finished piece of music) o Audience probably had been to his first 2 series of music before Messiah

Most acceptable was Messiah o Most elevated, majestic, moving words o Thought it was different from anything else (harmonies so open they will please all who have ears)
Religious words in theatre for a paying audience o Audience probably all members of Church of England (recognize his words)
-
Ninth Symphony
Audiences attracted by new variety and exotic instruments
big audience, imperial family did not show up
people came to see Beethoven (and other performers, but not as much)
Listeners then saw through the minor mistakes and saw the artistic vision (saw
THROUGH the performance)
Beethoven’s audience knew the structure of the symphony really well (knew what
to expect)

Essay #8: Describe the use of recitative in the three pieces we have studied so far.
How is recitative used and to what effect? Give specific examples.
Recitative generally refers to a declamatory style of text setting that imitates the natural rhythm of speech. In the three pieces we have studied, Orfeo, Messiah, and
Symphony No. 9, recitative is used as a conduit of plot progression, a contrasting style of oration, and a supplementary style to broaden the scope of a piece. In Orfeo, recitative is used mainly to progress the plot of the story by allowing the clear declamation of events or messages without the ostentation that might arise with an aria. The words are easily understood, as the rhythm of song is closely matched to the natural rhythm of speech. An example of this is towards the end of Act II, when the Messagiera comes to tell Orfeo and the others of Euridice’s death.
In Messiah, recitative is used in a form of alternating recitative, aria, and chorus, in which the recitative acts as the opening to each three part section. Here, recitative is either accompanied by the whole orchestra (recitativo accompagnato) or simply a minimal basso continuo (recitativo secco). In both cases, the recitative contrasts the following aria in its lack of melody and ornamentation. For example, the recitative “Thus said the Lord of Hosts” conveys a clear mood and is very musically expressive, but when compared to the aria “But who may abide,” one recognizes a clear contrast that acts to emphasize the melodic quality of the aria.
In Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, the recitative is used more broadly as a supplemental style to contribute to the large scope of the symphony as a whole. The use of recitative is present more for the effect of having the oratorio style in addition to the sonata form, the rondo, and the concerto elements already present in the fourth movement. In particular, the recitative is used to recapitulate an already stated theme, such as at the beginning of the Allegro assai section of the fourth movement (score page
198). This plethora of forms adds to the scope of the symphony to make it a truly
“universal” and grand piece.
Essay #9: Discuss the role of the chorus in the three pieces we have studied so far. How does the chorus contribute to musical and dramatic effect? Give specific examples to support your thesis.
The role of the chorus:
I.
In an opera: (Monteverdi’s
L’Orfeo
) a.
informs the audience of what has occurred b.
provides feedback about the events c.
can also serve as characters in the opera d.
Examples: “Ahi! Caso acerbo” – Chorus sings this line of mourning, which has been repeated several times before. Emphasizes sadness of the tragic death of
Euridice and the collective sorrows.
II.
In an oratorio (Handel’s Messiah ) a.
built into the structure of the oratorio (recitative – aria – chorus) b.
Types of chorus: i.
Anthem chorus: “Such a chorus contains a mix of polyphonic and homophonic textures. Each line of text is set to a separate line of music.

Handel's Messiah contains a number of anthem choruses, such as
"Hallelujah" and "The Glory of the Lord", etc.” (LAB51 Glossary) ii.
Duet chorus: “This is a type of choral writing where the music occurs in pairs of voices, rather than in all the voices of the chorus simultaneously.
In the Messiah, duet choruses such as "For unto us a child is born" were based on duets that Handel had written for secular vocal music such as operas or cantatas. The following example is the beginning of the duet chorus "And He shall purify" from Handel's Messiah” (LAB51 Glossary) iii.
Fugue chorus: “This type of chorus employs the compositional technique of fugue writing. In Messiah, there are number of fugue choruses, such as "And with his stripes we are healed", "He trusted in God", etc.”
(LAB51 Glossary)
1.
The fugue chorus is useful in illustrating the sounds of a crowd.
III.
In a symphony (Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony ) : a.
Use of chorus in the fourth movement of a symphony was a unique characteristic of Beethoven’s 9 th symphony. b.
Use of chorus in the fourth movement also helps to shift the weight of the piece to the end. c.
Specifically Schiller’s “Ode to Joy” represents a song of brotherhood and unity.
Essay #10: Is classical music elitist?
Well, what kinds of things are elitist? When we determine these, we will be able to decide if classical music belongs with our list.

Caviar, yachts
—they are available only to the elite who can afford them

Wine parties
—though they are cheap to be a member, they are available only to those with the qualifications, the elite

A magazine about caviar —it’s cheap and available to everyone, but it’s only interesting to those who have certain qualifications, the elite
So, perhaps, we could say that there are three types of elitism.
1.
Elitist due to cost
2.
Elitist due to prerequisites
3.
Elitist due to interest
I’m sorry if this isn’t rigorous or if the categories overlap. I’m just trying to take examples and make them into broader categories. But now, at least, we can examine various aspects of classical music and see if they are similar to any of these categories.
1.
Are people prevented from enjoying classical music because it costs too much? a.
Examples from the three pieces—Some performances were definitely open only to the elite. L’Orfeo was only open to Academy members,
Messiah was performed at noon of a workday and the tickets cost some money, so you needed to be pretty well off to go. The ninth symphony was attended mostly by people in the boxes around the theatre, and these were expensive. But there was also a standing section in the back that was open to people who couldn’t afford more expensive seating. But just because these performances were somewhat elitist doesn’t make classical music elitist. All of these composers (Monteverdi, Handel, and Beethoven) were

celebrities. In order to be a celebrity you need to be popular among the masses, and they were definitely well known. This implies that the masses had access to their music. We know, for example, that Monteverdi and
Handel wrote madrigals, which wouldn’t have been staged in expensive performances. b.
Today, it’s impossible to claim that people are shut off from classical music because it costs too much. A CD by Eminem costs the same as
L’Orfeo does. If you’re willing to be piratish, you can get anything you want for free. So if people are interested in a classical music, cost will not shut them off from it. It is true that tickets to a major symphony orchestra cost a bit of money, but not so much. Really. BSO seats cost about 30 bucks, and people spend plenty on entertainment annually.
2.
Are there certain education qualifications that preclude all but the elite from enjoying classical music?
a.
Examples from the three pieces—Monteverdi definitely inserted certain things into Monteverdi that were supposed to appeal to the high-class minds of the Academy. We also have been learning how, through analysis, we can understand better the intentions of the composer. But the fact that there are many layers to the music that can be uncovered through education, the music itself was historically enjoyed by all classes. Like I said before, these composers were celebrities. b.
Today—The reason why back then they didn’t need any educational prerequisites to classical music is because they listened to lots of classical music. This is one thing that many people today do not have—experience with classical music. But though this is an education qualification, sort of, the education is open to everybody, so it’s difficult to call classical music elitist based on an education that’s open to everybody who wants it.
3.
Is classical music only interesting to the elite?
Is the content only relevant to them?
a.
Examples from the three pieces—Nothing about the “stories” of the three pieces that we’ve studied should appeal only to the elite. L’Orfeo is about human nature, The Messiah is about Jesus (and everybody believes in
Jesus!), and the 9 th
Symphony is about universal brotherhood and joy.
Plus, as I keep on pointing out, the fact that these composers and there music was popular indicates that the people at the time did not consider classical music to be elitist. b.
Today—Well, it’s kind of elitist. In movies, when they want to let you know that a certain character is smart or rich or sophisticated they play classical music (see Andy in The Shawshank Redemption, or the introduction to Masterpiece Theatre). But there’s nothing about the music itself that should cause this. Caviar Magazine might matter only to the rich because they’re the ones who have access to caviar. But everybody has access to classical music today.
Conclusion: Is classical music elitist?

It’s factually true that classical music is not as popular today as it was centuries ago. But we should spend a second or two thinking about how to define classical music.
What is classical music? Is it serious music? Handel wrote silly love songs, and Bob
Dylan wrote important serious songs. So that can’t be it. I think that classical music, to most people, is orchestral music. While I understand that such a definition would seem to exclude choirs, to make things simpler let’s just say that a chorus is part of an orchestra.
We hear orchestral music all the time—many major movies are scored with orchestral music, NFL movies have orchestral music. How many people know the theme to Harry
Potter? A good percentage of the people who’ve seen the movies, I’d bet. Many people also know famous pieces like Pachabel’s Canon, or Ode to Joy.
So really, classical music is available to everybody to obtain, and we find in our society that people enjoy it. The scores from major movies and the pop status of certain classical music pieces really displays this. Classical music today just doesn’t appeal to the tastes of most people. There are some exceptions, and these are the popular pieces of classical music that most people know. But a change in taste doesn’t make the music elitist. In order to be elitist, something needs to be exclusive in its nature, and due to cheap prices and relatable themes this is not the case. Further, classical music was popular in previous centuries, displaying that nothing in the nature of the music makes it elitist.
Essay #11: Monteverdi believed that “the text should be the master of the music, not the servant.” Would Handel have agreed or disagreed, in regard to Messiah?
For Monteverdi, the story of Orfeus is what brought the power of the piece, exploring universal human truths of duty, desire, passion, life and death – natural and timeless subjects for meditation and representation. Thus, for him, the text was the driving force of the piece and the music was the accompaniment to enhance the words of the characters. In this vein, Orfeo was an academic exercise – presented first for the members of a learned association who could understand and appreciate the nuances of the story and its poetry. By having a story, the power of classical drama came through and the dialogues between the characters is what evoked emotions (namely, the moment when death removes Euridice from the world and secondly, when Orfeo himself chooses passion over reason and looks back at her).
In comparison, it seems as though Handel would have disagreed with Monteverdi on this subject. Firstly, Messiah had no storyline or characters, so the power and emotion had to dependent on the piece’s musical qualities, rather than dialogue. Also, because the text is Biblical, the words carry themselves, and people already are familiar with them.
Thus, the accompaniment can become more of a focus. For example, instead of adhering to people’s musical expectations, Handel experimented with the style of the standard da capo aria and featured contrasting mood, keys, or themes. This ultimately gave less room for embellishment by the singers, but unlike Monteverdi, Handel did not expect his singers to be operatic stars. Rather, the vocals acted more as a whole, and individual singers were not spotlighted. Two examples of an altered da capo aria are “O thou that tallest good tidings” and “Why do the nations.”
*a legitimate case can be made that Handel would have agreed with Monteverdi too…
(see Chapter 2 of First Nights)

Essay #12: Please name four of the most important performers in the premiere of
Orfeo [or Messiah or Beethoven’s Ninth symphony] and for each give a brief description of his/her activity.
Orfeo

Francesco Rasi o sang the part of Orfeo o was well known in Mantua as a singer, poet, and composer o relative to other court musicians, had a high social status and may have lived in the palace o apparently was a talented singer with a range between tenor and baritone

Giovanni Battista Sacchi o Famous castrato o Sang the part of a female character as women were not allowed in the performance

Giovanni Gualberto Magli o A young castrato sent by Prince Francesco Gonzaga’s brother,
Ferdinando, to perform in Orfeo o Sang the parts of the personification of Music in the Prologue, Proserpina, and a third indefinite role (one of either Ninfa, Speranza, or the messenger)

Girolamo Bacchini o A priest and soprano castrato o Sang the part of Euridice; a favorable choice for his “purity of voice” and
“small stature”
Messiah

Mrs. Susanna Maria Cibber o Sang alto o Most famous/notorious actress/singer of her time; ran off with the man her husband hired to be a liaison for her o Her talent lay more in drama than in music o Handel was willing to work with for hours so that she could learn her parts o “He shall feed hi flock” and “If God be for us” were transposed to suit her voice

Signora Christina Maria Avolio o Italian soprano o Had sung Handel’s music before; Handel must have been impressed as he decided to bring her with him for more performances o Gave herself a benefit concert before and after the performance of
Messiah

Mrs. Maclaine o Sang soprano o Wife of the organist who performed with Handel in Dublin

William Lamb o Sang alto

o Sang a substantial portion of the solo music for alto including “Behold a virgin shall conceive” and the aria “O thou that tallest good tidings to
Sion” o Also performed “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron” though Handel gave him the simpler recitative version rather than the more difficult aria version
Ninth Symphony

Henriette Sontag o One of the most famous soprano of her time, achieved great fame o Beethoven was fond of Sontag; he did not waver in choosing her despite the suggestion of other sopranos o Had a light, brilliant voice, was known for her technical skill

Caroline Unger o A contralto, sang the solo parts in the 9 th o Less delicate, more down-to-earth than Henriette Sontag; had just begun her operatic career o Had a fine broad tone, slight o Turned Beethoven around during the concert so that he could see the audience applauding for him

Anton Haizinger o Sang tenor o Was a primo tenore at Theater an der Wien, and sang Fidelio (an opera by
Beethoven) so Beethoven was familiar with him o Was the third choice for the part after Franz Jäger and Joseph Barth o Was described as having a sonorous voice

Joseph Seipelt o Sang bass o Had been a member of Kärntnertor Theater company for two years o Although he was an experienced performer and a better than average sight reader, he was not Beethoven’s original choice o Seipelt replaced Preisinger at the last minute over an issue of high notes, performed after only one rehearsal

Essay #13: Please describe the performing ensemble in Orfeo [or Messiah or
Beethoven’s Ninth symphony], giving the best available estimate of numbers of performers for solo singers, chorus, and instrumental ensemble.
Orfeo
Francesco Rasi
Girolamo Bacchini tenor soprano castrato
Giovanni Gualberto Magli soprano (1)
Soprano 2
Alto
Tenor 1,2
Bass 1,2
Chorus (made of soprano 1,2, alto, tenor 1,2, bass 1,2)
 gravicembano/i

2 contrabasso/i de viola

10 viola/e da brazzo [braccio]

1 arpa doppia

2 violino/i piccolo alla francese

2 chitarrone/i

2 organo/i di legno

3 basso/i da gamba

4 trombone/i

1 regale

2 cornetto/i

1 flautino alla vigesima seconda

1 clarino

3 tromba/e sordina harpsichord/s double bass viol/s violin/s (not modern, but not a viol either) harp kit/s (dancing master's violin) arch-lute or big guitar (theorbo-like) small organ/s with wooden pipes bass viol/s trombone/s regal (small organ) cornett/s (a kind of trumpet, but not a cornet) sopranino recorder long trumpet, played high trumpet/s
Messiah
Mrs. Cibber
Signora Avolio
Mrs. Maclaine alto soprano soprano
Mr. William Lamb alto
Mr. Joseph Ward alto
James Bailey tenor
John Mason
John Hill bass bass
Chorus:16 men, 16 boys, 3 women (soprano, soprano, alto)
6 Violin 1
6 Violin 2
4 Viola
4 Violoncello

2 Oboe 1
2 Oboe 2
4 Bassoon
2 Trumpet
1 Drums
8 Soprano
8 Alto
8 Tenor
8 Bass
Ninth Symphony
Instruments:
12 Violin 1
12 Violin 2
10 Violas
6 Cello
6 Basses
4 Flutes
4 Clarinets
4 Oboes
4 Bassoons
1 Contrabassoon
8 Horns
2 Trumpets
2 Percussion
Vocalists:
1 Solo (of each) soprano, alto, tenor, bass
24 Sopranos
24 Altos
24 Tenors
24 Basses

Essay #16: Please describe how the chorus contributes to the musical and dramatic effect in Orfeo, Messiah, and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony?
In Ninth Symphony the chorus redirects musical focus towards the end of the symphony, plays on a tune audience members may have known, and underscores Beethoven’s message to what was a Viennese society dealing with censorship and oppression. By joining the “joy” musical theme with the “brotherhood” theme in the last movement, the fugue choruses help the symphony reach a triumphant end full of military pomp and purpose.
In Orfeo , choruses emphasize the general mood of the setting. For instance, in Act I choruses punctuate the introductions of the characters and establish the happiness of
Orpheus. After the messenger delivers the fateful news of Euridice’s death, “Ahi! Caso acerbo” is reflected in the chorus. Thus, the chorus serves to underscore the recent events and maintain the feel of the events.
In Messiah choruses are more integral to the musical structure of the oratorio. Handel uses them in Part I in a series of recitatives, arias and choruses. He combines anthem choruses (“And the Glory of the Lord”), duet choruses (“For Unto Us A Child Is Born”) and fugue choruses (Final Chorus, “Amen”) throughout the work to enrich the sound and dramatically punctuate the development of sections.
Essay #17: What do the musical scores of the pieces we have studied tell us, and what do they not tell us, about the performance of the music?
What they tell us:
Anticipated performing forces (vocal parts, instrumental parts, who’s playing when)
Dynamics
Meter
Rhythm
Melody
Lyrics
Tempo
Time Signature
Parts of piece (movements, preludes, interludes etc)
Composer’s vision
Emphasis
What they don’t tell us:
Actual performing forces
Changes made by composer/conductor
Conductor’s vision or any liberty taken by conductor in regard to tempo/rhythm
Improvised parts (cadenza)
Actual dynamics
Set-up of orchestra/chorus
Acoustics of theater
Audience’s reaction

Composer’s reaction
Mistakes