AOS 2 The Great Choral Classics
* Large scale works for Choir and Orchestra.
* These consist of different sections which in sequence tell a
story.
* Some parts will be for full choir, others for soloists (and
occasionally some for instruments only, interludes).
* Most of these works are sacred and called oratorios.
* Pieces for the choir are called choruses, songs for
Soloists are called arias (or duets, trios, quartets if there
is more than one soloist). Sections where the story is moved
forward in speech-like music are called recitatives.
* A choir is usually made up of four voice parts:
Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass (SATB) in order from high to
low.
* A female voice slightly lower than a soprano but higher
than an alto is called a mezzo-soprano and the male voice
between tenor and bass is a baritone.
* Boys singing soprano with unbroken voices are called
trebles. Men singing alto using a falsetto voice are called a
countertenors.
* The oratorio has a number of similarities to opera. It uses
the same structures, such as choruses and arias, and
employs similar forces (orchestra, soloist and choir).
* Both opera and oratorio use the words to tell the story.
However, unlike opera the oratorio uses religious text,
which makes it suitable for performance in churches and
cathedrals, where as opera is usually performed in
theatres.
* The oratorio is not as theatrical as opera, and is generally
performed without acting, scenery or costumes.
* A Mass is a choral work is based on Latin texts from the
catholic communion service. Most masses consist of six
movements (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus
and Agnus Gei). The texts are of repentance, praise and
belief.
* Mass settings are different from other oratorios in that
they are almost always in Latin, while most oratorios are in
the language of the intended audience. For example,
Handel composed the Italian oratorio La Resurrezione when
living in Italy and the English oratorio Messiah after he
moved to England.
* A Requiem Mass is a “Mass for the dead”, used to
honour the deceased and is often heard in a funeral context.
It omits the more joyful movements of the ordinary Mass
and adds in others such as the Dies Irae (“Day of Wrath”).
* The Dies Irae describes the terror felt when standing
before God at The Last Judgement. Verdi, who composed
many operas, wrote a particularly dramatic Dies Irae in his
setting of the Requiem.
* The vocal forces created with large 4 part choirs (SATB) is
very impressive. Choirs will sing in unison or in harmony,
sometimes overlapping.
* The texture (layers of sound) can change frequently
within the same piece.
* Homophonic texture - the choir sings in harmony at
different pitches, this can be chordal or have a melody and
accompaniment.
* Polyphonic texture - the sections of the choir overlap,
there can be several melodies at once. This type of texture
can sound complex. Polyphony (Polyphonic texture) can
also be referred to as Counterpoint (Contrapuntal
texture).
* Call and response is used where sections within the
choir share a dialogue, at other times imitation is used.
* The choir will usually follow a conductor. This helps all of
the sections to stay in time and balance the dynamics.
* Choral works are usually written for choir and orchestra.
Sometimes a church organ may be used in addition to the
orchestra.
* Soloists are often included in choral music. As well as solo
arias for an individual to sing with the orchestra, the soloist
may have solo lines to sing with the chorus.
* When all of the singers and orchestra work together this is
called tutti (all together).
* In opera singers memorise the lyrics. In Oratorios and
Masses singers use a written vocal score. A vocal score will
have all of the singers music as well as a piano part which is
a condensed version of the orchestra music.
* The Messiah by Handel is perhaps the most well known
Oratorio. The Requiem Masses by Mozart and Verdi are
also famous works within this genre.
* Word painting is typically used by composers to
emphasise certain words or meanings. Higher or rising
pitches can be used to represent words such as God, Lord or
Praise. Low pitches would be used for Hell.
* Most words are sung with one note per syllable (syllabic)
but sometimes composers will deliberately use many notes
on a particular word, again to emphasise the importance of
its meaning. This is called a melisma or melismatic
phrasing.
Listening examples:
Hallelujah from The Messiah by Handel
Dies Ires from Verdi's Requiem
O Fortuna from Carmina Bhurana by Carl Orff
Sanctus from The Armed Man by Karl Jenkins