Chapter 18   Extra
Classical Vocal Music
Oratorio
•	Everything is sung
•	“Bigger then life” qualities
•	Often in foreign language
•	Soloists often represent key persons in the story
Appreciating Oratorio
•	Moving, dramatic music
•	Impact of words and music
•	Beyond ordinary experiences of simply telling a story
Development/Changes to Oratorio
•	Used religious stories as in the past
•	Expressiveness replaced by virtuoso singing  written in the music for soloists
•	Like opera but without staging, costumes and scenery
Other religious vocal, choral works
•	Movements for Mass sung by choir/soloist
►	Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei
•	Special Masses – choirs/soloists
►	Requiem mass (include Dies Irae) plus
►	Regular mass parts like Sanctus, Agnus Dei
•	Other religious services - choir or soloists
►	Vespers containing psalm setting

Composers at this time 
•	Handel (oratorios still performed especially “Messiah”)
•	Johann Hasse (wife was a singer for Handel in England) 
•	Joseph Haydn 
•	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus
•	Short Eucharistic Motet written in 1791.
•	Composed as a thank you gift for a friend with whom his wife stayed in Baden while taking health treatments
•	Text is Latin Hymn with words from 14th c.
•	Choir with string accompaniment
Mozart: Requiem
•	Commission at the end of Mozart’s life.
•	He dictated parts of it to his student Süssmayr
•	Work remained unfinished at time of Mozart’s death
►	next to last movement unfinshed and no last movement
►	Süssmayr completed the work

Mozart: Exultate Jubilate
•	Vocal solo with small orchestra
•	Written in Milan,  Italy while Mozart was there for a run of one of his opera.
•	Originally written for one of the opera’s main performers
•	Today treated as a concert work rather than for a church service.
Mozart’s vocal works
•	Choral works including 
	Masses – large works with orchestra
	Requiem
	Special church music
	Ave Verum Corpus 
	Exultate Jubilate – solo voice
	
Summary 
•	Vocal works at this time
•	Oratorio
•	Mass including Requiems
•	Music usually has small orchestra