in 17th and 18th centuries a vocal chamber work with continuo, usually for solo voice, consisting of several sections or movements that include recitatives and arias and setting a lyrical or quasi-dramatic text; form of Lutheran church music in 18th century combining poetic texts with texts drawn from chorales or the Bible, and including recitatives, arias, chorale settings, and usually one or more choruses; In later eras, a work for soloists, chorus, and orchestra in several movements but smaller than an oratorio ex.(Johann Sebastian Bach, Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland)