An oratorio is a large musical composition for orchestra, vocal soloists and chorus. It differs from an opera in that it does not have scenery, costumes, or acting. Oratorio closely mirrored opera in all ages in musical style and form, except that choruses were more prominent in oratorio than in opera. The peak period for composition of oratorios was the 17th and 18th centuries. Musical composition is: an original piece of music the structure of a musical piece the process of creating a new piece of music // A musical composition A piece of music exists in the form of a written composition in musical notation or as a single acoustic event (a live performance... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... In music, solo means to play or sing alone. ... A choir or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. ... The Teatro alla Scala in Milan. ... Theatrical scenery is that which is used as a setting for a theatrical production. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ...

Subject

Most oratorios from the common practice period to the present day have biblical themes, but a number of composers, notably George Frideric Handel, wrote secular oratorios based on themes from Greek and Roman mythology. Whether religious or secular, the theme of an oratorio is meant to be weighty, and can include such topics as the creation of the world, the life of Jesus, or the career of a classical hero or biblical prophet. The word Bible refers to the canonical collections of sacred writings of Judaism and Christianity. ... George Frideric Handel, 1733 George Frideric Handel (February 23, 1685 – April 14, 1759) was a German/British Baroque composer who was a leading composer of concerti grossi, operas and oratorios. ... Roman mythology, the mythological beliefs of the people of Ancient Rome, can be considered as having two parts. ... // The word mythology (Greek: μυθολογία, from μυθος mythos, a story or legend, and λογος logos, an account or speech) literally means the (oral) retelling of myths – stories that a particular culture believes to be true and that use supernatural events or characters to explain the nature of the universe and humanity. ... Jesus (8–2 BC/BCE to 29–36 AD/CE),[1] also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity. ...

The plot of an oratorio is often minimal, and some oratorios are not narratives at all. While operas are usually based on a dramatic narrative, in oratorios the aesthetic purpose of the narrative is more often to provide organization and significance to a large musical work.

Early history

By the mid-17th century, two types had developed: (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ...

• oratorio volgare (in Italian) - representative examples include:
  • Giacomo Carissimi's Daniele;
  • Marco Marazzoli's S Tomaso;
  • similar works written by Francesco Foggia and Luigi Rossi.

Lasting about 30-60 minutes, oratorio volgares were performed in two sections, separated by a sermon; their music resembles that of contemporary operas and chamber cantatas. Giacomo Carissimi (baptized April 18, 1605 – January 12, 1674, Rome), was an Italian composer, one of the most celebrated masters of the early Baroque, or, more accurately, the Roman School of music. ... Luigi de Rossi (ca. ... A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. ... Cantata (Italian for a song or story set to music), a vocal composition accompanied by instruments and generally containing more than one movement. ...

• oratorio latino (in Latin) - first developed at the Oratorio del SS. Crocifisso, related to the church of San Marcello al Corso in Rome;

The most significant composer of oratorio latino is Giacomo Carissimi, whose Jephte is regarded as the first masterpiece of the genre. Like most other Latin oratorios of the period, it is in one section only. Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... San Marcello al Corso is a church in Rome, devoted to Pope Marcellus. ... Nickname: The Eternal City Motto: SPQR: Senatus PopulusQue Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 8th century BC Mayor Walter Veltroni Area    - City 1,285 km²  (496. ...

Structure

Oratorios usually contain:

• An overture, for instruments alone
• Various arias, sung by the vocal soloists
• Recitative, usually employed to advance the plot
• Choruses, often monumental and meant to convey a sense of glory. Frequently the instruments for oratorio choruses include timpani and trumpets.

Overture (French ouverture, meaning opening) in music is the instrumental introduction to a dramatic, choral or, occasionally, instrumental composition. ... This article is about the musical term aria. ... Recitative, a form of composition often used in operas, oratorios, cantatas and similar works, is described as a melodic speech set to music, or a descriptive narrative song in which the music follows the words. ... A timpanist in the United States Air Forces in Europe Band. ... Trumpeter redirects to here. ...

List of notable oratorios

(ordered chronologically by year of premiere)

• Johann Sebastian Bach, the Christmas Oratorio (1734)
• George Frideric Handel, Israel in Egypt (1739), notable for being the source of the earliest known recording of classical music, made in 1888-06-29 on a wax cylinder.
• Handel, Messiah (1741). This is by far the most familiar and widely performed of oratorios, at least in English-speaking countries
• Handel, Samson (1743)
• Handel, Judas Maccabaeus (oratorio) (1747)
• Joseph Haydn, The Creation (1798)
• Joseph Haydn, The Seasons (1801)
• Felix Mendelssohn, Elijah (1846)
• Hector Berlioz, L'Enfance du Christ (1854)
• Igor Stravinsky's "opera-oratorio" Oedipus Rex (1927)
• Artur Kapp, Hiiob (Job) (1929)

Bach redirects here. ... The Christmas Oratorio (German: Weihnachtsoratorium) BWV 248 is a work by Johann Sebastian Bach celebrating the Christmas season. ... George Frideric Handel, 1733 George Frideric Handel (February 23, 1685 – April 14, 1759) was a German/British Baroque composer who was a leading composer of concerti grossi, operas and oratorios. ... Israel in Egypt. ... 1888 (MDCCCLXXXVIII) is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. ... June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 185 days remaining. ... The earliest method of recording and reproducing sound was on cylinder phonograph recordings. ... Messiah (HWV 56, 1741), is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel. ... Samson is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel. ... Judas Maccabaeus (HWV 54) is an oratorio in three acts by Georg Friedrich Händel. ... Franz [1] Joseph Haydn (March 31, 1732 – May 31, 1809) was one of the most prominent composers of the Classical period, called the Father of the Symphony and Father of the String Quartet. A life-long resident of Austria, Haydn spent most of his career as a court musician for... The Creation (German: Die Schöpfung) is an oratorio written between 1796 and 1798 by Joseph Haydn, and considered by many to be his masterpiece. ... Franz [1] Joseph Haydn (March 31, 1732 – May 31, 1809) was one of the most prominent composers of the Classical period, called the Father of the Symphony and Father of the String Quartet. A life-long resident of Austria, Haydn spent most of his career as a court musician for... The Seasons (German: Die Jahreszeiten) is an oratorio by Joseph Haydn. ... Felix Mendelssohn wrote his first symphony at the young age of fifteen. ... Elijah is an oratorio written by Felix Mendelssohn in 1846 for the Birmingham Festival. ... Hector Louis Berlioz (December 11, 1803 – March 8, 1869) was a French Romantic composer best known for the Symphonie fantastique, first performed in 1830, and for his Grande Messe des Morts (Requiem) of 1837, with its tremendous resources that include four antiphonal brass choirs. ... Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (Russian: Игорь Фёдорович Стравинский, Igor Fëdorovič Stravinskij) (June 17, 1882 – April 6, 1971) was a Russian composer best known for three compositions from his earlier, Russian period: LOiseau de feu (The Firebird) (1910), Petrushka (1911), and Le sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring) (1913). ... The Teatro alla Scala in Milan. ... Other musical works on the same subject include Oedipus Rex by Tom Lehrer, and Oedipus Tex by P. D. Q. Bach. ... Artur Kapp Artur Kapp (February 28, 1878 - January 14, 1952) was a notable Estonian composer. ...

See also

• Passion
• Requiem
• Mass
• Mass (as a musical form)
• Cantata

The Passion is the technical term for the suffering and Agony of Jesus that led directly to the Crucifixion, a central Christian event. ... The Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known formally (in Latin) as the Missa pro defunctis or Missa defunctorum, is a liturgical service of the Catholic Church and its Eastern Rite. ... A Medieval Low Mass by a bishop. ... The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the fixed portions of the Eucharistic liturgy (principally that of the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, generally known in the US as the Episcopal Church, and also the Lutheran Church) to music. ... Cantata (Italian for a song or story set to music), a vocal composition accompanied by instruments and generally containing more than one movement. ...

External links

• History and development of the musical form.
• Thiruvasakam In Oratorio by Maestro Illayaraja.