Park+-+Oratorio

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=**O-r-a-t-o-r-i-o **= //By: Elysha Park//

= = = Brief summary: The Oratorio became the main choice of music during the Baroque Period. It became extremely popular in the early 17th century particularly in Italy partly because of the success of the opera as well as the Church's prohibition of spectacles during Lent. To learn more about the influence of Oratorio during the Baroque Period keep reading!  =  Oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists similar to an opera. = ** What are the similarities between an oratorio and an opera? ** Their similarities include the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, and arias (any expressive melody, usually performed by a singer). = So what are the differences? ** Their differences are that opera is a musical theatre while oratorio is strictly a concert piece. In an oratorio there is generally little or no interaction between the characters, and no props or elaborate costumes. A particularly important difference is in the typical subject matter of the text. Opera tends to deal with history and mythology, including romance, deception, and murder, whereas the plot of an oratorio often deals with sacred topics, making it appropriate for performance in the church. Protestant composers took their stories from the Bible, while Catholic composers looked to the lives of saints.
 * What is an Oratorio?**
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**Who created the oratorio? ** In 1716, Antonio Vivaldi created his very first and greatest oratorio, //Juditha triumphans.// media type="youtube" key="8jCKbHDN5os" width="425" height="350" align="center" Ensemble Choir singing Describes the victory of the Christians over the Turks Arias sung by the choir No soloist in this piece Hard to tell the difference between an opera and oratorio when there is no actually video of the performance
 * Note (from 1:30-2:00) **

**When was the oratorio created?**
 * The oratorio was created in the Baroque time period. Antonio Vivaldi’s oratorio, “Juditha triumphans” is recognized as the very first oratorio composed. Juditha triumphans was composed and performed in November of 1716 in Venice by the orchestra and choir of the Ospedale della Pietà. In November of 1716 Juditha Triumphans was performed and was an allegorical description of the victory of the Christians over the Turks (the barbarians) in August 1716. Without even knowing it, Vivaldi composed a piece with a class of its own, an oratorio. **


 * Examples of music from famous Baroque Composers: **

Johann Sebastian Bach, the Christmas Oratorio (1734) media type="youtube" key="F3sBCuK1CIQ" width="425" height="350" align="left"



Ensemble present Soloist Choir singing No costumes No acting No props **
 * Note (from :50-1:20)**
 * Christmas song, religious meaning



George Frideric Handel, Messiah (1741) - And the Glory media type="youtube" key="C6yIgN54R7k" width="425" height="350" **Note (from :00-0:25)**  Ensemble present Religious meaning No soloist Choir singing No costumes No acting No props

Ludwig van Beethoven, Christ on the Mount of Olives (1803) media type="youtube" key="H37ADy5D3tk" width="425" height="350" **Note (from :20-0:50)** Ensemble present Religious meaning No soloist Arias sung by the choir Hard to tell the difference between an opera and oratorio when there is no actually video of the performance

<span style="font-family: Arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15.6px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;"> <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #333333; font-family: verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: normal;">Estrella, Espie. "The Oratorio." //Music Education//. About.com, Web. <http://musiced.about.com/od/othermusicgenres/a/oratorio.html> <span style="font-family: verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: normal;">Otten, Joseph. "Oratorio." __The Catholic Encyclopedia.__ Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 2 May 2010<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11270a.htm>.
 * <span style="color: #9c3ae4; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Reference **