Bell Ringer – 10/31 m.socrative.com – Room 38178 OR Bell Ringer Card

1. Bell Ringer – 10/31m.socrative.com – Room 38178 OR Bell Ringer Card • QUESTIONS: • 1. A polyphonic piece of music that starts with a simple theme that keeps getting more and more complex is called a ___________. • 2. Music written with an external idea in mind, or to tell a story, is called ________________. • 3. A piece of music written for one of more soloists and an orchestra is called __________________.

2. Vocal Music

3. Vocal Music – Cantata • Cantata = “sung,” vocal composition with instrumental accompaniment with several movements with related text • The vocal version of a sonata • Usually had instrumental accompaniment • Designed to be performed without costume or scenery • Mostly written for solo soprano voice, both secular and religious • Grew out of the church

4. Vocal Music – Cantata • Bach wrote several cantatas – more than 200 • As a choirmaster and professional organist, he was required to compose a new cantata weekly for the church (Protestant) • He usually wrote for 4 parts • His sacred music achieves extraordinary power – a heartfelt expression of faith • Cantata 80: “A Mighty Fortress is our God” • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_PinoZvY5Q

5. Vocal Music - Opera • Opera is a drama set to music • The music is continuous, with set pieces designed to dramatize the action and display the vocal skills of the singers • Combines a number of complex art forms into one big, ornate, and even more complex piece of art • Includes music, drama, dance, and visual art

6. Vocal Music - Opera • Included roles for castrati – male singers who had been castrated in boyhood so their voices would remain in the soprano range • Created adult voices of unusual strength and clarity • Played many male heroic roles • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7XH-58eB8c • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqUoCD_-gp0 • Began in Italy

7. Vocal Music - Opera • Wanted the singing to resemble the intonations and rhythms of speech – “recitative” • Usually simple music, moves the story along quickly, “speak singing” • Is not ornate – does not “show off” vocal ability • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7Ag9Pf0ybk • Jacopo Peri’s “Eurydice” is the first surviving opera – consisted primarily of recitative

8. Vocal Music - Opera • Emotional moments in opera were sung as arias • Aria: a solo or duet that was very expressive. • The story would “stop” and the singer would share their feelings • Challenging range • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-LNFzG2-ug

9. Vocal Music - Opera • Claude Monteverdi made Baroque opera an art form • In “Orfeo” he took the same mythological story of Orpheus and Eurydice, and made it a five act opera. • He created more substantial and emotional music • The mood swung widely through contrasting passages of louds and softs • (with music, quick shifts in volume or expression are the musical equivalents of the strong contrasts of light and shade in baroque painting.)

10. Vocal Music - Opera • Monteverdi had solos, duets, ensemble singing, and dancing in his operas • Melodic lines were highly ornamental – similar to a fugue • Monteverdi is called the “father of opera”

11. Vocal Music - Opera • Opera spread to France, England, and Germany very quickly • King Louis XIV of France established a national opera • French opera included ballet

12. Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo • One of the earliest operas still regularly performed • 41 instruments used • Instruments specifically used to depict particular settings or characters • Strings and Harpsichord represent the pastoral fields • Brass illustrates the underworld • Very polyphonic

13. Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo • The Plot... • The Performance... • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mD16EVxNOM • Act IV – 1:21:00