Opera - A non-religious multi-act work that tells a story. Opera was invented at the
beginning of the Baroque era. It has major and minor characters and some-
times a chorus, and an orchestra. The singers act out the story wearing
costumes with stage sets.
There is some argument as to what exactly constitutes an opera. For example,
whether an opera can have spoken dialogue. A German Singspiel, a light,
comedic drama (e.g. Mozart's The Magic Flute) is one such case, but is now
usually consider an opera.
Aria - a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral
accompaniment, normally part of a larger work. Often a piece in an opera, oratorio,
or cantata. An aria is a type of song.
Recitative - Recitative does not repeat lines as formally composed songs do. It resembles
sung ordinary speech more than a formal musical composition. It is usually
spoken/sung without accompaniment or with simple background (often just
a harpsichord playing chords).
A list of famous Baroque opera composers and their operas
Oratorio - A sacred or secular work much like an opera except that the singers don't act or
wear costumes and there is no scenery. The orchestra is in full view instead of
being hidden in an orchestra pit.
G.F. Handel is the most famous composer of oratorios, his Messiah (1741) is the
most famous of all. Giacomo Carissimi (1605 - 1674) was the most important
composer in the development of the oratorio in the 17th century.
Cantata - A vocal work, either sacred or secular, with instrumentation, typically with multiple
acts, but usually shorter than an opera or oratorio (J.S. Bach's almost 200 cantatas
typically range from 60 to 80 minutes). Besides, Bach, Christoph Graupner and
comedic drama (e.g. Mozart's The Magic Flute) is one such case, but is now
usually consider an opera.
Aria - a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral
accompaniment, normally part of a larger work. Often a piece in an opera, oratorio,
or cantata. An aria is a type of song.
Recitative - Recitative does not repeat lines as formally composed songs do. It resembles
sung ordinary speech more than a formal musical composition. It is usually
spoken/sung without accompaniment or with simple background (often just
a harpsichord playing chords).
A list of famous Baroque opera composers and their operas
Oratorio - A sacred or secular work much like an opera except that the singers don't act or
wear costumes and there is no scenery. The orchestra is in full view instead of
being hidden in an orchestra pit.
G.F. Handel is the most famous composer of oratorios, his Messiah (1741) is the
most famous of all. Giacomo Carissimi (1605 - 1674) was the most important
composer in the development of the oratorio in the 17th century.
Cantata - A vocal work, either sacred or secular, with instrumentation, typically with multiple
acts, but usually shorter than an opera or oratorio (J.S. Bach's almost 200 cantatas
typically range from 60 to 80 minutes). Besides, Bach, Christoph Graupner and
Georg Philipp Telemann are known for their cantatas. Cantatas developed
from Renaissance madrigals.
Passion - A work about the crucifixion of Christ. Often in a cantata or oratorio format.
Famous passions include J.S. Bach's St. Mathew Passion and St. John Passion.
Mass - Originally, masses were settings of the Catholic Church service (the mass ordinary)
in Latin and come from the middle ages. As they evolved over the centuries, other
forms of the mass developed, including the missa brevis (brief mass), the missa
solemnis , and the requiem (mass for the dead). Also, non-Catholic masses
developed, e.g. Johannes Brahms' Protestant mass Ein deutsches Requiem
("A German Requiem")
A description of masses and list of famous masses
Magnificat - A canticle (i.e. hymn, song of praise, psalm) to Mary with the text being taken
from the Gospel of Luke (1:46-55) ("My soul magnifies the Lord...")
Stabat Mater (the sorrowful mother) - A work built on a melodic hymn sequence from the
13th century. It emotes the suffering of Mary during Jesus' crucifixion.
Te Deum - A Latin Christian hymn whose composition history ranges from the early Middle
Ages to the present. Baroque composers Henry Purcell, Jan Zelenka, and Marc-
Antoine Charpentier are known for their Te Deums. Jean-Baptiste Lully received
a fatal injury while conducting his.
A Te Deum combines the Apostles' Creed with its declaration of belief in the Trinity.
It then recalls the birth, suffering and death of Christ, his resurrection and glorifi-
from Renaissance madrigals.
Passion - A work about the crucifixion of Christ. Often in a cantata or oratorio format.
Famous passions include J.S. Bach's St. Mathew Passion and St. John Passion.
Mass - Originally, masses were settings of the Catholic Church service (the mass ordinary)
in Latin and come from the middle ages. As they evolved over the centuries, other
forms of the mass developed, including the missa brevis (brief mass), the missa
solemnis , and the requiem (mass for the dead). Also, non-Catholic masses
developed, e.g. Johannes Brahms' Protestant mass Ein deutsches Requiem
("A German Requiem")
A description of masses and list of famous masses
Magnificat - A canticle (i.e. hymn, song of praise, psalm) to Mary with the text being taken
from the Gospel of Luke (1:46-55) ("My soul magnifies the Lord...")
Stabat Mater (the sorrowful mother) - A work built on a melodic hymn sequence from the
13th century. It emotes the suffering of Mary during Jesus' crucifixion.
Te Deum - A Latin Christian hymn whose composition history ranges from the early Middle
Ages to the present. Baroque composers Henry Purcell, Jan Zelenka, and Marc-
Antoine Charpentier are known for their Te Deums. Jean-Baptiste Lully received
a fatal injury while conducting his.
A Te Deum combines the Apostles' Creed with its declaration of belief in the Trinity.
It then recalls the birth, suffering and death of Christ, his resurrection and glorifi-
cation. Next it declaims the praise, both the universal Church and the singer in
particular, asking for mercy on past sins, protection from future sin, and the
hoped-for reunification with the elect.
Motet - A vocal composition of various styles ranging from the High Middle Ages to the
present. In Baroque music, especially in France where the motet was very
important, there were two distinct, and very different types of motet: petits
motets, sacred choral or chamber compositions whose only accompaniment was
a basso continuo; and grands motets, which included massed choirs and instru-
ments up to and including a full orchestra. Jean-Baptiste Lully was an important
composer of this sort of motet. Lully's motets often included parts for soloists as
well as choirs; they were longer, including multiple movements in which different
soloist, choral, or instrumental forces were employed.
In Germany, too, pieces called motets were written in the new musical languages Motet - A vocal composition of various styles ranging from the High Middle Ages to the
present. In Baroque music, especially in France where the motet was very
important, there were two distinct, and very different types of motet: petits
motets, sacred choral or chamber compositions whose only accompaniment was
a basso continuo; and grands motets, which included massed choirs and instru-
ments up to and including a full orchestra. Jean-Baptiste Lully was an important
composer of this sort of motet. Lully's motets often included parts for soloists as
well as choirs; they were longer, including multiple movements in which different
soloist, choral, or instrumental forces were employed.
of the Baroque. Heinrich Schütz wrote many motets in series of publications, for
example three books of Symphoniae sacrae, some in Latin and some in German.
J.S. Bach wrote numerous motets.
Chorale - Several forms of works related to the Lutheran hymn. German chorales, usually
in four parts, are known for their harmonic richness. Martin Luther, influenced
by Josquin des Prez and Ludwig Senfl, was instrumental in the origin of these
hymns. J.S. Bach is considered the master of chorale composing. Over 1,000
of his compositions are, or include, chorales, including instrumental chorales
for the organ.
Anthem - A composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group,
particularly the national anthems of countries. G.F. Handel's Zadok the Priest,
composed for the coronation of King George II in 1727, has been the coronation
anthem for every British monarch since.
Videos of vocal works (Early Baroque):
Emilio de' Cavalieri (1550 - 1602) - Rappresentatione di anima et di corpo (1600)
Cavalieri's Representation of the Soul and the Body is often considered
to be the first oratorio (but some consider it an opera)
Gregorio Allegri (1582 - 1652) - Miserere mei, Deus (1630s) Allegri was a composer
of the Roman School that developed from the works of Palestrina.
Heinrich Schütz (1585 – 1672) - Musikalische Exequien (1636) funeral music (4:55)
He was the most important German composer before Bach. He wrote the first
German opera Dafne, now lost.
Giacomo Carissimi (1605 - 1674) - Jephte (1648) oratorio
Carissimi was the most important composer of oratorios before Handel and Bach.
(example: recitative, recitative, polyphonic choral passage, recitative)
Barbara Strozzi (1519 - 1677) - Mercé di voi (Mercy of You) (1650s) (6:00)
Singer and composer of songs, she was the most published secular composer of
her era. Probably the illegitimate daughter of poet/librettist Giulio Strozzi and
a servant, he supported her musical education and career.
Videos of vocal works (Middle Baroque):
Henry Purcell (1659 - 1695) - Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary (1695) Funeral music
Composer at Westminster Abbey, Purcell is the most important English composer
from the Baroque era until the 20th century.
Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643 - 1704) - Te Deum (1690s?)
A versatile French composer in many genres, Charpentier is most famous for his sacred
sacred vocal works between 1670 and 1700. His opera Médée is the most important
French opera between those of Jean-Baptiste Lully and Jean-Phillipe Rameau. He wrote
example three books of Symphoniae sacrae, some in Latin and some in German.
J.S. Bach wrote numerous motets.
Chorale - Several forms of works related to the Lutheran hymn. German chorales, usually
in four parts, are known for their harmonic richness. Martin Luther, influenced
by Josquin des Prez and Ludwig Senfl, was instrumental in the origin of these
hymns. J.S. Bach is considered the master of chorale composing. Over 1,000
of his compositions are, or include, chorales, including instrumental chorales
for the organ.
Anthem - A composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group,
particularly the national anthems of countries. G.F. Handel's Zadok the Priest,
composed for the coronation of King George II in 1727, has been the coronation
anthem for every British monarch since.
Videos of vocal works (Early Baroque):
Emilio de' Cavalieri (1550 - 1602) - Rappresentatione di anima et di corpo (1600)
Cavalieri's Representation of the Soul and the Body is often considered
to be the first oratorio (but some consider it an opera)
Gregorio Allegri (1582 - 1652) - Miserere mei, Deus (1630s) Allegri was a composer
of the Roman School that developed from the works of Palestrina.
Heinrich Schütz (1585 – 1672) - Musikalische Exequien (1636) funeral music (4:55)
He was the most important German composer before Bach. He wrote the first
German opera Dafne, now lost.
Giacomo Carissimi (1605 - 1674) - Jephte (1648) oratorio
Carissimi was the most important composer of oratorios before Handel and Bach.
(example: recitative, recitative, polyphonic choral passage, recitative)
Barbara Strozzi (1519 - 1677) - Mercé di voi (Mercy of You) (1650s) (6:00)
Singer and composer of songs, she was the most published secular composer of
her era. Probably the illegitimate daughter of poet/librettist Giulio Strozzi and
a servant, he supported her musical education and career.
Videos of vocal works (Middle Baroque):
Henry Purcell (1659 - 1695) - Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary (1695) Funeral music
Composer at Westminster Abbey, Purcell is the most important English composer
from the Baroque era until the 20th century.
Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643 - 1704) - Te Deum (1690s?)
A versatile French composer in many genres, Charpentier is most famous for his sacred
sacred vocal works between 1670 and 1700. His opera Médée is the most important
French opera between those of Jean-Baptiste Lully and Jean-Phillipe Rameau. He wrote
six Te Deums, this one being especially famous for its instrumental opening. It is set in
the format of a grand motel, a la Lully.
Videos of vocal works (Late Baroque):
Alessandro Scarlatti (1660 - 1725) Messa di Santa Cecelia (1720) 2. "Gloria"
Father of Domenico, Alessandro is most remember for his sacred vocal music and
as a famous early composer of early opera seria.
Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679 - 1745) Under the Olive Tree of Peace and the Palm Tree of Virtue
the Crown of Bohemia Splendidly Shines Before the Whole World:
Melodrama to Saint Wenceslaus), ZWV 175 (1723)
George Philipp Telemann (1683 - 1767) - The Day of Judgement (1762) (Oratorio)
Giovanni Pergolesi (1710 - 1736) Stabat Mater (1736)
Videos of vocal works (Late Baroque):
Alessandro Scarlatti (1660 - 1725) Messa di Santa Cecelia (1720) 2. "Gloria"
Father of Domenico, Alessandro is most remember for his sacred vocal music and
as a famous early composer of early opera seria.
Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679 - 1745) Under the Olive Tree of Peace and the Palm Tree of Virtue
the Crown of Bohemia Splendidly Shines Before the Whole World:
Melodrama to Saint Wenceslaus), ZWV 175 (1723)
George Philipp Telemann (1683 - 1767) - The Day of Judgement (1762) (Oratorio)
Giovanni Pergolesi (1710 - 1736) Stabat Mater (1736)
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