INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC-MUSIC F001

Listening lab- Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, BWV 1050, 1st movement: Allegro by J.S. Bach

Ritornello is a baroque music form that is commonly used in instrumental music. In a ritornello form, contrasting passages played by one or more soloists alternate with a repeating melodic phrase (known as the “ritornello”). Ritornello form mainly focuses on the contrast between two musical themes or ideas, one played by the orchestra and the other played by the soloists. The solo portions offer variety and contrast, while the ritornello often acts as a kind of musical refrain or anchor that unites the work (Kerman & Tomlinson 116). The flute, violin, and harpsichord are the solo instruments in the concerto. The ritornello sections of this concerto are characterized by thick textures, homogenous timbre, and louder volumes in contrast to solo sections which have thinner textures, typically softer and intimate volumes, and distinct sound as each instrument has its solo timbre. The final solo cadenza, which is rich and ornamented, is a brilliant demonstration of the solo harpsichord’s capabilities. Rapid runs, trills, and arpeggios, as well as abrupt pauses and dynamic contrasts, are all present in this extremely improvisatory piece. The movement’s appropriate conclusion is the cadenza, which displays the harpsichordist’s technical mastery and musicality. If I were the margrave of Brandenburg, I would hire J.S. Bach as the court composer after I have heard his six concerti grossi. He remains a musical genius of the Baroque age and hiring him would be one of the best ways of celebrating him in a special way.

There are several differences between operas and oratorios. These differences are; operas are mostly composed for dramatic purposes to tell a story via music, while oratorios are written with a Biblical or religious text that is made to be performed in a concert setting, operas mostly feature solo singers with orchestral accompaniment; oratorios are mostly a choir ensemble, which occasionally may feature solo singers and instrumental accompaniment, and operas are longer in length as they feature several dramatic acts, while oratorios are short with clear structures. Secco recitative is the name Italian composers gave to recitative with continuo accompaniment, with the singer interpreting the action or dialogue as spontaneously as possible. Secco recitative means “dry” in Italian. We learned that emotional- filled recitative with orchestral accompaniment of either one kind or another is known as accompanied recitative. It had more orchestral support (Kerman & Tomlinson 138).

The great choral work “Glory to God” by Handel is taken from his oratorio “Messiah.” Strong rhythms and daring harmonies define the melody, which is large and victorious. The music is exultant and has a brisk tempo that fits the words. The choir sings softly in certain passages and loudly in others, varying the dynamics as it builds to a great climax towards the end. With sections of imitation counterpoint, the texture is primarily homophonic. The beat has a constant, strong pulse and is upbeat and driving. The structure is ABA, with the opening and closing portions contrasted with a more somber middle section. The tone color is full-throated and rich, as is customary for Handel’s choral compositions. The textures of the following three phrases are found in Handel’s “Glory to God”:

• “Glory to God” (1:18): With the choir singing in harmony and rhythmically, this phrase has a generally homophonic texture.
• When the choir sings “Peace on Earth” (1:28), the texture is more polyphonic and more contrapuntal, with overlapping melodic lines.
• The chorus unites in harmony and rhythmic singing during the line “Good will toward men” (1:59), which has a homophonic texture again.

References

Bach (2009) Bach – Brandenburg concerto no. 5 in D Major BWV 1050 – 1. allegro, YouTube. Available at: https://youtu.be/ZK6-x9sdEYo.

Handel (2016) Messiah: “there were shepherds abiding in their fields” – “glory to god”, YouTube. Available at: https://youtu.be/kVB5r-ui-C8

Kerman, J., & Tomlinson, G. (2015). listen-Bedford, St. Martin’s (2015).PDF. Google Drive.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OQa-jGj2JYOAwqKzeIygo7uWtUsIDzOS/view