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Celebrating Our 21st Season! |
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Oratorio Tradition |
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or·a·to·ri·o An extended choral or orchestral composition with text more or less dramatic in character and usually based upon a religious theme; so named from the musical services in the church of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Rome. - The Random House College Dictionary Emilio del Cavaliere applied the techniques of the opera — a new musical form at the time — to the Italian mystery play. His work was first performed, in 1600, in one of the halls known as the oratories of St. Phillip Neri. The oratorio was given definitive form, in 1650, by Giacomo Carissimi. His influence is reflected in the oratorios of Heinrich Schütz and Handel. Alessandro Scarlatti advanced the form by writing 14 oratorios. Pietro Metastasio wrote several. G.F. Handel and J.S. Bach advanced the oratorio in Germany, and Handel inaugurated the English oratorio and his Messiah the prototype for the works of many later composers. Haydn’s work reflected Handel’s influence. Mendelssohn’s Elijah and St. Paul were influential works, especially in England where the oratorio was popular in the 19th Century. Elgar and Walford Davies made notable contributions. Wagner, Liszt, Dvorák, Berlioz and Franck wrote romantic oratorios. 20th century oratorios include Honegger’s King David and Dance of the Dead, Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex, Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast and Britten’s War Requiem. The Santa Barbara Master Chorale seeks to present each oratorio as the composer intended, under the baton of Phillip McLendon, Musical Director and Conductor of SBMC’s concerts. -based on The New Columbia Encyclopedia Link to the Classical Midi Archives (you must have sound card, speakers & midi player) |