http://youtu.be/16cH1RZcPKs
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The song you just listened to is "Kyrie" from the Pope Marcellus Mass by Palestrina; this is called a mass and it is a type of classical form. Dennis J. Sporre states, "The mass is a sacred choral composition consisting of five sections: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Angus Dei" (113). These five sections also form the mass ordinary, which is the Roman Catholic church text. A mass entails religious text and music to be performed together, creating this unique form of classical music. Kyrie is about receiving mercy from the Lord, Gloria is about giving glory to the Lord, Credo is about the creed or belief in the Lord, Sanctus is about the confirmation of the Lord, and Angus Dei is about sin and the granting of peace by the Lord. Although I am not personally involved in this type of music one can just see from its length that people put forth great passion, time, and effort into performing this composition and it has much deeper meaning than many of us could understand. The biblical text aligned with the music creates an intimate experience where people grow spiritually and rekindle a relationship with the Lord.Listen to me!
Cantata
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In the above picture to the left one can see a choir and on the right an instrumental ensemble, these groups combine to make a cantata. Dennis J. Sporre says a cantata is "usually a choral work with one or more soloists and an instrumental ensemble" usually having several movements (113). A cantata originated in the seventeenth century, along with the opera and oratorio, which we will look at later. A cantata is written in several movements and took root from the church cantata of the Lutheran Church of the Baroque period. The cantata is similar to the mass because it originally meant sung piece and uses original, Bible based, or hymns from religious text. The cantata was used as a sermon, based on the Bible readings that were going to be discussed that day. A cantata can last up to twenty-five minutes and comprises various movements, such as choruses, recitatives, arias, and duets. The cantata is a beautiful way which again accents a religious experience. If one has ever sung religious hymns or songs at church they would agree the background music adds that extra essence which heightens the experience.
Oratorio
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I'm sure you have heard this one before; this is George Frederick Handle's "Hallelujah Chorus". I have personally heard it in several different movies and shows. This is an oratorio, another classical form which began in the Baroque period and which can last up to two hours. "An oratorio is a large-scale composition using chorus, vocal soloists, and orchestra" says Dennis J. Sporre (113). In this classical form one experiences choruses, arias, duets, recitatives, and orchestral interludes. It is based on a narrative text, usually biblical, but does not use actors, costumes, or scenery; this is how it is different from an opera, both in theme and interaction of those involved. Again it uses biblical text, but is much larger in scale. The chorus in some instances plays a part in the exposition by commenting on or participating and the narrator plays a part in telling the story and connecting the various parts through the use of recitatives, which are "vocal lines imitating the rhythms and inflections of normal speech"(Sporre 113). This is what makes the oratorio so unique compared to all the recently talked about classical forms. Although the chorus does not specifically take on the role of actors they do play a similar role in communicating the story, which is quite unique and in my opinion makes the composition easier to follow. By adding human dialogue other than musical instruments and sung voice it adds a whole other dimension.
Art Song
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Now you are probably wondering why am I listening to a song in a different language, but remember it is the composition of the song that is most important. You have just listened to Franz Schunbert's "the Erlking". This is a classical from that was popularized in the nineteenth century under the Romantic style and it is called an art song. The art song uses a solo voice and piano and is based on a poem or text, using its mood and imagery to bring the poem or text to life in the form of music. This is one of the most beautiful classical forms in my opinion because it includes just a solo voice and instrument, creating much more intimacy and focus. It requires great collaboration between musician and soloist since there is no way they can hide behind a large chorus or instrumental group. Art songs focus on emotion and tend to follow themes such as love, nature, legend, and the far away and long ago. It is amazing the amount of emotion a single person and instrumentalist can portray, one can truly feel the sadness, happiness, or anger the musicians are depicting. In the art song the accompaniment, in this case a piano, plays just as an important of a role as the voice because important words are emphasized through stressed tones and melodic climaxes, both complimenting and playing off one another. An art song takes great skill and when pulled off it can have just as big of an impact as an orchestra of a hundred.
Fugue
Symphony
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Again here is another classic I'm sure all of you are familiar with; Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C Minor. Pretty surprising how familiar we are with classical forms, who would have thought! The symphony is probably the classical form we are most common with. If there was any musician you learned about in elementary school it would be Beethoven. The symphony arose in the Classical period of the late eighteenth century and is named after the Latin symphonia, which means a sounding together. Dennis J. Sporre says this is because in a sympathy the composer "explores the full dynamic and tonal range of the orchestral ensemble" invoking emotions through contrasting tempos and moods (114). In the opening movement a theme is introduced and throughout the rest of the composition it is alternated and repeated, providing unity throughout the movements, similar to a fugue. The composition "begins with an active fast movement, changes to a lyrical slow movement, moves to a dancelike movement, and close with a bold fast movement" (Sporre 114). It is set up like this because it wants to grab your attention in the beginning, show variation, and then again at the end jolt you again to grab your attention and leave you awed, very similar to how movies attempt to amaze and entertain us.
Concerto
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This final classical form is called a concerto. The composition you just listened to is Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2. The concerto was developed in the Classical period during the eighteenth century and contains three movements, each contrasting from one another. The first is fast, the second is slow, and the third is fast and it can last up to twenty to forty minutes. There is a solo concerto where a solo voice and orchestra combine to create a musical experience where the orchestra highlights the voice of the soloist. Dennis J. Sporre states it is during the first and possibly the third movement the soloist has a cadenza, which is an "unaccompanied showpiece" (114). This is where the soloist gets to show off technique and skill and create an intimate moment with the audience.
During the Baroque period in the seventeenth century the concerto grosso evolved, which is "a composition for several instrumental soloists and small orchestra" which emphasizes "contrasts between loud and soft sounds" (Sporre 114). There are usually two to four soloists and a larger group of up to eight to twenty players called a tutti. The concerto grosso is similar to the solo concerto in the way that the movements follow a similar guideline in pace of the movement, but the first movement is "usually bold, explores the contrasts between tutti and soloists" (Sporre 114). The second movement is more"lyrical, quiet, and intimate" and the third movement is "lively, lighthearted, and sometimes dancelike" (Sporre 114).
During the Baroque period in the seventeenth century the concerto grosso evolved, which is "a composition for several instrumental soloists and small orchestra" which emphasizes "contrasts between loud and soft sounds" (Sporre 114). There are usually two to four soloists and a larger group of up to eight to twenty players called a tutti. The concerto grosso is similar to the solo concerto in the way that the movements follow a similar guideline in pace of the movement, but the first movement is "usually bold, explores the contrasts between tutti and soloists" (Sporre 114). The second movement is more"lyrical, quiet, and intimate" and the third movement is "lively, lighthearted, and sometimes dancelike" (Sporre 114).
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