Oratorio
An
oratorio is a large
musical composition for
orchestra, vocal
soloists and
chorus. It differs from an
opera in that it does not have
scenery,
costumes, or acting. Oratorio closely mirrored opera in all ages in musical style and form, except that choruses were more prominent in oratorio than in opera. The peak period for composition of oratorios was the 17th and 18th centuries.
Most oratorios from the common practice period to the present day have
biblical themes, but a number of composers, notably
George Frideric Handel, wrote secular oratorios based on themes from
Greek and
Roman mythology. Whether religious or secular, the theme of an oratorio is meant to be weighty, and can include such topics as the creation of the world, the life of
Jesus, or the career of a classical hero or biblical prophet.
The plot of an oratorio is often minimal, and some oratorios are not narratives at all. While operas are usually based on a dramatic narrative, in oratorios the aesthetic purpose of the narrative is more often to provide organization and significance to a large musical work.
By the mid-
17th century, two types had developed:
*
oratorio volgare (in
Italian) - representative examples include:
**
Giacomo Carissimi's
Daniele;
**
Marco Marazzoli's
S Tomaso;
** similar works written by
Francesco Foggia and
Luigi Rossi.
Lasting about 30-60 minutes,
oratorio volgares were performed in two sections, separated by a
sermon; their music resembles that of contemporary operas and chamber
cantatas.
*
oratorio latino (in
Latin) - first developed at the
Oratorio del SS. Crocifisso, related to the church of
San Marcello al Corso in
Rome;
The most significant composer of
oratorio latino is Giacomo Carissimi, whose
Jephte is regarded as the first masterpiece of the genre. Like most other Latin oratorios of the period, it is in one section only.
Oratorios usually contain:
* An
overture* Various
arias, sung by the vocal soloists
*
Ensemble singing*
Recitative, usually employed to advance the plot
* Choruses, often monumental and meant to convey a sense of glory. Frequently the instruments for oratorio choruses include
timpani and
trumpets.
Probably the best known oratorio in the English-speaking world is Handel's
Messiah. Other well known oratorios include Handel's
Samson, the
Christmas Oratorio by
Johann Sebastian Bach,
The Creation by
Joseph Haydn,
Felix Mendelssohn's
Elijah, and
Igor Stravinsky's "
opera-oratorio"
Oedipus Rex.
See also
*
Passion*
Requiem*
Mass*
Mass (as a musical form)
*
Cantata*
History and development of the musical form.*
Thiruvasakam In Oratorio by Maestro Illayaraja.
