Music History is Thrilling! » Baroque Cantata and Johann Sebastian Bach. Terms Cantata This vocal genre is usually based on a lyric or dramatic poem and could be either sacred or secular. It contains pieces for solo voices, chorus and instrumentalists in the manner of arias, recitatives and choruses. The Lutheran Church used the Cantata in their service and required one Cantata per service. Lutheran chorale The chorale was a hymn tune sung in homophonic texture with the soprano carrying the melody. Fugal texture A polyphonic texture in which imitation is the foundation. Canon A strictly organized piece of music in which the melodic line is repeated at a fixed distance Ariosa A small aria like passage which is found in a cantata similar to an aria Oboe de caccia An oboe instrument with a flared brass horn which was discontinued in use after Bach’s death Oboe d’amore Another oboe instrument with a bulbous horn which produced a nasal type sound Taille Another oboe type instrument similar in sound to the oboe d’amore as it was double reeded Johann Sebastien Bach (1685-1750)
Cantata. Historical context[edit] The term originated in the early 17th century simultaneously with opera and oratorio. Prior to that all "cultured" music was vocal. With the rise of instrumental music the term appeared, while the instrumental art became sufficiently developed to be embodied in sonatas. From the beginning of the 17th century until late in the 18th, the cantata for one or two solo voices with accompaniment of basso continuo (and perhaps a few solo instruments) was a principal form of Italian vocal chamber music.[2] A cantata consisted first of a declamatory narrative or scene in recitative, held together by a primitive aria repeated at intervals. Differences from other musical forms[edit] The Italian solo cantata tended, when on a large scale, to become indistinguishable from a scene in an opera, in the same way the church cantata, solo or choral, is indistinguishable from a small oratorio or portion of an oratorio.
Baroque[edit] Classical and romantic period[edit] References[edit] The Cantata - Cantatas. Cantata comes from the Italian word cantare, which means "to sing. " In its early form, cantatas referred to a music piece that is meant to be sung. However, as with any musical form, the cantata has evolved through the years. Loosely defined today, a cantata is a vocal work with multiple movements and instrumental accompaniment; it can be based on either a secular or sacred subject. Early cantatas were in the Italian language and were written in sacred (church cantata) or secular (chamber cantata) styles. 17th century composers for the cantata include Pietro Antonio Cesti, Giacomo Carissimi, Giovanni Legrenzi, Luigi Rossi, Alessandro Stradella, Mario Savioni and Alessandro Scarlatti; the most prominent composer of cantatas during that period. Before long, the cantata was making its way to Germany courtesy of Johann Hasse; one of Scarlatti's students.
German composers such as George Frideric Handel wrote cantatas based on the Italian style, but were later written in German. Baroque sacred music - Cantata in the Lutheran Church. On with the sacred music of the Baroque. Previously we discussed the Oratorio as one big landmark of musical development. Now, the time has come to the Cantata, the Lutheran Church music to be performed during religious ceremonies, often on each Sunday. Cantata (from Italian word, cantare=to sing) was written to Bible words, in native language, so that all people could sing it in the Church.
This is obviously contrasting with the preceding tradition of Latin words used exclusively in the Church singing. The Cantata was not only about Bible words singing, it was like a sermon contained within music, since each particular Sunday in the life of the Church had special themes to deliberate upon. So, a Cantata was a good way to convey the interpretation of Bible words chosen for the special occasions, since people sung these words and they were thus engraved firmly in their minds.
One of the most famous Cantata writers during the Baroque era was, not unsurprisingly, Johann Sebastian Bach. YouTube. YouTube. YouTube. YouTube.