For Unto Us A Child Is Born Flashcards
(18 cards)
What is the key of the piece?
G major
Who is the composer?
Handel
What type of work is it?
Oratorio- a large-scale setting of a religious text for soloists, chorus and orchestra. It is given as a concert performance in a non-liturgical context.
What is the overall work?
Messiah
What period was it composed in?
Baroque period (1600-1750)
What are the characteristics of this period?
-Use of perfect cadences
-Use of imperfect cadences
-Terraced dynamics help add contrast to the piece
-Polyphonic textures are the predominant texture
-Use of basso continuo (cello and harpsichord/organ)
-Predominance of strings
-Ornamentation: trills often found at cadences
Where was the piece first performed?
Dublin 1742
What choir is used?
SATB choir
What time signature is the piece in?
4/4
What happens at the introduction?
-Orchestral ritornello- the opening orchestral section which returns at the end of the movement
-violins play rising semiquaver sequence in parallel 6ths.
-Intro concludes with syncopation, cadential trills and perfect cad. in G major
Describe theme A- “For unto us a child is born”
-syllabic style of singing
-falling 5th, riding 4th
-repeated pitches
-“born” features melisma, rising sequence and semiquavers
-imitation
Describe theme B- “unto us a son is given”
-rising sequence
Before first theme C altos have a rising sequence on theme B and altos and basses then sing a descending triad/arpeggio and rising sequence
-imitation
Describe theme C- “and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called”
-riding dotted rhythmic motif
-ascending sequence
-falling scale and melisma on “shoulder”
-Mainly syllabic
-imperfect cadence on 1st C theme in D maj
-imperfect cadence in G maj on 2nd C, starts in D maj modulates to G maj
-3rd C perfect cadence C maj
-4th C imperfect cadence in G maj
-imitation and singing in thirds
Describe theme D- “ Wonderfull, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The prince of Peace”
-dotted rhythms
-homophonic texture
-repetition
-SATB choir
-1st D in d maj+perfect cadence in D maj
-2nd D in G maj+semiquavers by violins
-3rd D starts in C major, ends with perfect cadence in G maj
-4th D (end) in G maj, perfect cadence in G maj+descending scale by basses
Describe the orchestral ending
-Opening ritornello reworked to provide an orchestral postlude
-syncopation
-suspension at cadence
-trill
-perfect cadence in G maj
Meaning of syllabic
When each syllable of the text is set to just on note
Meaning of melisma
When a syllable is sung to more than one note
Key changes throughout the piece
-starts in G maj
-after first melisma on “born” key modulates to D maj
-by the end of 2nd C theme “name shall be called” starts in D maj then modulates to G maj
-ends with perfect cadence in G maj
