Baroque Vocal Music: Bach and Handel

Flashcards covering Johann Sebastian Bach's Cantata 140 (Awake, A Voice Calls to Us) and George Frideric Handel's Messiah from Ch. 20 and Ch. 21 lecture notes.

What musical genre did J. S. Bach compose for the weekly Lutheran service?

Cantata

Why were chorales used in Lutheran churches?

They were used so that everyone could participate.

Around what musical element is the composition Cantata 80 ("A Mighty Fortress Is Our God") based?

A chorale melody

For services of which different religious faiths did Baroque composers write music?

Catholic, Lutheran, and Anglican

From what does "Awake, a Voice Calls to Us" derive its name and primary melody?

A chorale tune

In the seventh movement of Bach's Cantata 140, what does the orchestra double to create musical unity?

The chorus

How are the first and final movements of Bach's Cantata 140 unified?

By using a common chorale melody

Which compositional principle is used by Bach in the first movement of Cantata 140?

The ritornello principle

What feature similar to a French overture did Bach use at the beginning of Cantata 140 to suggest a procession?

Dotted rhythms

Where does the chorale melody of "Awake, a Voice Calls to Us" appear in the finale of Cantata 140?

In the chorale sections

How many cantatas did J. S. Bach write within his first three years in Leipzig?

About $150$ cantatas (at the rate of roughly one per week)

What musical genre is very similar to an opera but is unstaged and based on a sacred topic?

The oratorio

In what two ways does Handel's Messiah differ from most other oratorios?

It does not really have characters or a plot, and it also contains New Testament material.

Which word best describes the recitative style of "He That Dwelleth in Heaven"?

Declamatory

How is the short text of "Thou Shalt Break Them" made into an extended aria?

By repeating words several times and writing long melismas on key words

What word-painting technique does Handel use to represent the text in the aria "Thou Shalt Break Them"?

A shaking figure

Which three textures are featured in the "Hallelujah" chorus?

Monophony, homophony, and polyphony

Which texture does Handel use in the "Hallelujah" chorus to emphasize God's power on the line "For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth"?

Monophony

Which timbres are used to emphasize the regal nature of the "King of Kings" text in the "Hallelujah" chorus?

Trumpet and timpani

What musical accompaniment is used for the recitative section of "He That Dwelleth in Heaven"?

Basso continuo only

What did King George II do during the London premiere of Messiah after being moved by the beauty and majesty of the music?

He stood in respect.

Which two major vocal genres did G. F. Handel compose?

Opera and oratorio

Who performed a well-known "cover" of Handel's "Hallelujah" chorus?

Quincy Jones