bass - St Peters Music Department
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Transcript bass - St Peters Music Department
c.1600-1750
Portuguese for Pearl…
Referring to the ornate architecture, art, melodies.
This period saw many new ideas and innovations
Characteristics of Baroque Music
Unity of Mood: a piece usually expresses one mood or
affection
Rhythm:
patterns are repeated through out
the beat is emphasized
Melody: repeated, ornamented
Use of Diatonic chords of I,IV,V,II,VI
Characteristics of Baroque Music
continued
Terraced Dynamics:
alternation between loud and soft dynamics
organ and harpsichord could not crescendo
Musical textures
Monophonic
Homophonic
Polyphonic
Ornaments
Trill
Turn
Mordent
Acciaccatura/Appoggiatura
Grace note
Basso Continuo
Common type of accompaniment
Bass line with improvised chords
cello or bassoon on bass
harpsichord or organ on harmony
Basso continuo
The Baroque Orchestra
small (10 to 40 players)
basso continuo and violin family strings
brass, woodwinds and percussion used occasionally, but
vary from piece to piece.
tone color was subordinate to the melody, rhythm or
harmony
Music in Baroque Society
Music written to order: demand for new music.
Main source of diversion in the courts of the aristocracy.
Music Director’s job
Pay and prestige were high
compositions were performed
Still a servant of the patron
Music in Baroque Society
Church musicians
earned less than the court and lower status
supplemented with weddings and funerals
Town musicians
Opera houses
Important composers
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
George Frederick Handel (1685-1759)
Henry Purcell (c.1659-1695)
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
George Friderick Handel
George
Frideric
Handel
b. Halle, Germany (one month before Bach) in 1685
Devoted his life to music from age 18
First Opera –Rodrigo- was performed in 1710
Appointed Kapellmeister to Elector Georg Ludwig of
Hanover (Later becoming George I of England)
Promoted with George I to Royal Composer
Handel in London
Favorite of Queen Anne
Wrote ‘Water Music’ in 1717
English Oratorios after failure of Italian Opera
Blind - from cataracts
Died in 1759 and Buried in Westminster Abbey
Handel - Music
Instrumental
suites
organ concerti
concerti grossi
Vocal Music
39 Italian operas
Oratorios (mostly in English)
The Oratorio
a large-scale composition for chorus,
vocal soloists, and orchestra
uses choruses, arias, duets, recitatives, and orchestral
interludes
chorus acts as commentary
last approximately 2 hours
The Oratorio
Set to a narrative text
No acting or scenery
Based on the Bible
Originally performed in prayer halls called oratorios
Handel - Oratorios
generally Old Testament
for the paying public, not church
have plots, but no scenery or acting
chorus is the focus
Listening: Messiah
lasts 2 1/2 hours
composed in 24 days
Premiered in Dublin, Ireland in 1742 as a benefit for
people in debtor's prison
later tradition as London orphanage benefit concert
Only one to use New Testament verses
Messiah - Three Acts
Part 1
Prophesies telling of the coming of Christ
His Birth
Easter
Part 2
The Passion of Christ
Set mainly to words from the Old Testament
Pentecost
Part 3
The Resurrection
Pentecost
Part 3
The Resurrection
Structure of an Oratorio
Recitative
Aria
Chorus
And the Glory of the Lord
Idea 1
And the Glory of the Lord
Idea 2
And the glory of the Lord
Idea 3
And the glory of the Lord
Idea 4
The whole movement is in A major
Modulates to the dominant (Emaj) and the Dominant
– Dominant (Bmaj)
No minor keys to kepp one ‘affection’
Introduction
Lively ¾ - Feels like one-in-a-bar
Orchestral introduction
Hemiola at the end of the introduction
Descending sequences (bars 5-6 and 7-8)
Instruments double voice parts throughout
Analysis: Bar 1-11
Orchestral introduction
States ideas 1 and 2
Example of descending sequence (bar 5-6 and 7-8)
Hemiola rhythm in bar 9-10. Very common as a
cadence approach in Baroque music
Ends with a perfect cadence, (V-I)
Orchestra always doubles the voices
Music is driven by the regular on-beat crotchet rhythms
(look at the bass part)
Analysis: Bar 11-14
Alto entry with motif 1
mf = Mezzo Forte (Quite loud)
Syllabic setting of the text
Perfect cadence in bar 13-14
Analysis: Bar 14-17
f chordal respone by
soprano, tenor and bass
Homophonic texture
The bass often has the
melody if the texture is
homophonic
Perfect cadence in bar 16-17
(Vb-I)
Analysis: Bars 17-22
Imitative entries of motif 2, by tenor, bass, then
soprano.
Built up on the 2 one-bar descending sequence on
‘revealed’
Modulating from A major to E major, using the
chords Vb-I
Analysis: Bar 22-33
In E major, the dominant key
First time that motif 1 and 2 are combined
Tenor and Soprano have motif 1 (an octave apart)
Alto and bass have motif 2
The result = 2 part counterpoint (tune vs tune)
Contrast of texture is created so we have variety,
keeping the listener interested. It is a major feature
of the whole movement!
Bass and tenor = low (bars 22-25)
Soprano and alto = high (bars 25-28)
Alto and tenor = middle (bars 28-31)
Analysis: Bar 33-38
Strong, 4-part homophonic texture of motif 1 in E
major
Melody is in the bass with ‘shall be revealed’ tagged
onto the end
Analysis: Bar 38-43
Orchestral link using motif 2
Use of sequences (bar 38-39)
Use of hemiola rhythms (bar
41-42)
Use of a suspension (bar 42)
These features are all found
in the introduction
Analysis: Bars 43-50
Alto makes the first statement of motif 3.
Tenor follows in bar47-50.
Contrast in texture – Thin with one line at a time
contrasting with the 4-part homophonic sections.
Modulate back to A major (tonic/I)
Note strong crotchet bass line (E-C#-A)
A major is confirmed by a perfect cadence in bars 4647
Analysis: Bars 51-57
Tenor and bass introduce motif 4. Adds weight and
gravitas to the statement by being low and dotted
minims.
Repeated notes in the motif act as a pedal (in this case
a tonic pedal)
This 2-part texture becomes a 4-part texture in bars
53-57 with sopranos and altos singing motif 3 (in
sixths)
Perfect cadence ends the section (V7c-I)
Suspension in bar 56 (7-6 suspension between alto and
bass)
Analysis: Bars 58-73
Sopranos sing motif 4 on a dominant pedal (an
inverted pedal at the top of the texture)
Alto, tenor, bass sing motif 3 and ends with a plagal
cadence. (IV-I)
Imitative entries in these parts as we modulate to E
major.
Bar 68-73 = Tenor/Bass on motif 4 and soprano/alto
with idea 3 one bar later. Ends with a perfect cadence
in B major (Dominant-Dominant)
Bars 74-83
Short orchestral link based on motif 1
Leads to 4-part homophonic rendition of motif 1 in B
major
Note original melody is in the bass.
This then leads to motif 3, arranged in a new texture.
All parts return for a homophonic ‘Together’ on chord
I-V (imperfect cadence).
Momentum is carried on immediately by the sopranos.
Bar 83-102
Dovetails with last section with sopranos singing motif
4 on an F# - NB every time we hear this motif it is
higher in pitch. (A-E-F#).
Over the next dozen bars, all 4 motifs come together
Bar 84 = Altos sing motifs 1 and 2
Decending pitch as alto-tenor-bass sing short
melodies
Bar 89-92 – Motif 3 is shortened by one bar
Breakdown of texture is short lived as Handel brings in
all voices at 93-94.
Bar 83-102 continued...
Bars 93-102: Handel uses motif 1, 2 and 4 in different
parts.
Music modulates back to E major in this section.
This section ends with a perfect cadence in E major (VI)
Modulate straight away back to A major (Tonic key)
Bars 102-124
Altos sing motif 3, fragmented to one bar echoes in the
tenor and bass.
This reduces the texture to a minimum beofre the final
section.
Parts added quickly in bars 105/6, reaffirming words
‘see it together’.
Climax of movement = Sopranos singing motif 1
ending on a top A
This is answered by the other 3 parts, with the tune in
the bass.
Bars 102-124
Imitative entries follow
Bar 118 = Alto, Bar 119 = soprano and tenor = motif 3
This is underpinned by basses singing motif 4 on a E
(Dominant pedal).
Section ends on an imperfect cadence (I-V) at bars 123124.
Bars 124-134
Sopranos begin the final section by taking over idea 4
from the basses.
All other parts answer with motif 4
Firmly stated on the tonic, A.
Bar 129-134 is heard at 51-55. This time soprano/altos
and tenor/bass have swapped parts = Invertible
Counterpoint.
3 parts start with motif 4 before coming to a dramatic
halt at bar 133 (Handel does this quite often at the end
of a chorus e.g Hallelujah Chorus)
Bars 134-138
A dramatic 3 beat rest in all voices and instruments
Tempo changes to Adagio for the final plagal cadence
in A major.
In 4-part homophony adding emphasis to the final
words ‘Hath Spoken it’.
Summary of choral styles used
Choral Style
Example
Monophonic writing (Single line)
Bars 11-13
Homophonic writing (4-part choir)
Bars 33-38
Simple imitation
Bars 17 onwards
2 part counterpoint (Tune v Tune)
Bars 110-113
Doubling of parts
Bars 51 onwards ‘for the mouth’
Key words (The bare minimum – You can, and
must, add to this!)
Cadence
Pedal
Harmonic rhythm
Perfect cadence
Hemiola
Plagal cadence
Homophonic
Imperfect cadence
Monophonic
Pitch
Polyphonic
Tonic
Counterpoint
Chord Vb
Imitative
Chord V7
Modulation
Mellisma
Syllabic
Section A Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
How is the joyful mood/affection achieved in this piece (1)
Name 3 textures used in this piece (3)
Name the 4 voice parts used in this piece (4)
What instruments accompany the singers (4)
How many melodies (motifs) are used in the chorus? (1)
Identify 2 ways in which the last 3 bars are dramatic (2)
Give bar numbers where you can hear the following
1.
One voice part
2.
2 voice part
3.
3 voice part
4.
All 4 voices together
(4)
In general, how are the words set to the music? (1)
How is the word ‘revealed’ treated throughout the piece? (1)
Section B Question
a) In which year did Handel write the Messiah? (1)
b) Which type of vocal work is the Chorus taken from?
(1)
c) Describe this set work using the following headings
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Form/Type of Composition
Melody
Texture
Dynamics
Rhythm
(10 Marks)