Show Invented in 1600 1 fl 1 4 z 44 4 1 N eri en Prepared Way 1 A 4 2 1 4 1 z 24 14 44 B Work Sung First st g By as Giles ITH the approach of Easter Eatter the thoughts of ot music lovers turn to torio or as it was first known cred ired drama with music On the of ot Europe oratorios are arc in- in given gl during holy week In Ina Ine a e spring on All Souls' Souls day in No- No omber o- o an and orten often during tho Christ Christ- Christs s s holidays In America because of or moro more popular nr observance of ot the festive days than of the ly days in tho the spring oratorios are ven veil probably m more re often otten during the ter season Tho greatest music of this t type pe of cred acred drama Is probably the Bach to the Passions of ot St. St Matthew d d St. St John although strictly speaker speak speak- g er t this ls music is not oratorio but is from tho the sacred drama typo oratorio music has S been evolved he typo type as we as-we we understand it toda today Is n of the idea first pr pr- pr b by Philip Ncr erl and this as- as of t the M Maria church e S1 Philip Nerl Nor the founder of or the of thought of ot oratorios as a a. means of or in In- In and warmly encouraged the c of sacred music of ot all allds mis ds On certain evenings In the eek iek k his sermons ro preceded and either cither b by a selection of or popat pop- pop at ar hymns or by the dramatic render render- jr g of ot a a. from scriptural history apted to the comprehension of an consisting chiefly of Roman of ot tho the humbler classes tho the dis- dis ib being delivered between the theof Js c. c of ot the drama As these theBe inces were first introduced In tho the atory A-atory torY atory of or St. St Philips Philip's newly newly built of ot St. St Maria In tho the themselves were com com- only of or as oratorios and no I ong time elapsed before this term Wasi was i not in Rome only but the whole of ot Europe as as asIp I Ip distinguishing title of or the drama ama cra cra per I j I JC J Iouna OUDa St St. Philip died In but the per- per wore vore not discontinued The v. v fords f-ds f of ot some fome of or thorn are still extant t. t Jb bough ugh unfortunately without music seems to have havo aimed at a a. st style stylo lo ei that of ot madrigals le just te-just Just as RS In tho o of razIo Vecchi we wo find a n. close l anco to that of or the secular madrigal f Nothing could have have been more ill III than this than this for the expression lt dramatic sentiment and j I it seems seema lot Lt Improbable that the promoters of ot f he e movement moVement- may themselves have haven havee e efin n aware of or this fact for soon after Ho Invention of ot the style we sect fleet et with a notable change which at nt atrice atrice l rice ce Introduces us to tho the first period UI the tho history of ot the true oratorio WhIlo Pen Peri and Caccini were cre cau- cau feeling their wa way towards a al l w tylo 10 of dramatic music in Florn Flor- Flor n nee nce e Emillo Emilio del a. a composer If r no no mean reputation was endeavor endeavor- ng g with v equal earnestness to attain ho he same sarno end in Rome With this pur- pur 1080 ipso In view ho S sot set t to music a a. sacred froma Irama written for tor him b by Laura and entitled The of ot the Soul and Dod Body The Tho deco eco wa was as allegorical complicated in and of ot considerable pretensions proton preten ns and the tho music was written In tho the then newy invented In representative style EtYle Of or this style del Cavalieri Ca asserted that the he theas vas as tho originator Tho question of ot priority of ot invention surrounded in this case with BO so BOnany zany nany 1 an difficulties that wo we cannot In- In tho course of ot our OUi narrative to it Suffice it to say that by a n. singular 1 gular coincidence tho the year 1600 wIt wll- tho the first performance In Rome Romo jf representation and In Flor- Flor wico of ot Pert's the tho tho earliest examples of ot the true truo oratorio and tile the rue rie opera over presented to tho the pub le Ie First FIrt Orn Oratorio orlo SunG rhe Iho was produced at tho the of ot St. St Maria Marla in Vallicella in ten months before the ap- ap tea tea-rAnce of Euridice at Florence del was then no longer lying liVing but he ho had left such full dl- dl in tho the pr preface face as to tho the manier man man- ier r in which the work was to be per- per Ormed that no difficulty la lay hay in the wa way of ot bringing It out in exact ac accordance accordance no- no with his original intention which included scenes decoration ac action action ac- ac tion Uon and even eYen dancing on a n. regular stage Tho l characters were I IJ n Tempo Time rime Life LiCe the World Worl Pleasure Pleasure Pleas Pleas- ure uro tho the Intellect tho Soul the Do Body two youths who recited the prologue gue and tho the chorus The orchestra consisted consisted consisted con con- of on one lira urn double lyco on ono of or tho the forerunners forerunners forerun forerun- ners nez's of ot the tho piano one re resemblinG resembling re- re a guitar and two flutes No part was written for tor a a. violin but a 1 note nota says that a ef effect ef- ef feet may be bo produced b by playing plains one ono In unison with the tho soprano voices through throughout ut The Tho orchestra was entirely entire entire- l ly 13 hidden from tromIe view Ie but is was recommended recommended recommended rec rec- that tho the various characters should carry musical instruments in their h hands and pretend to accompany their voices and to play the interposed between the allotted allotted allot allot- ted to them A A. madrigal with full instrumental Instrument accompaniment was to tal take o the tho place of tho the overture The madrigal al is of ot two kinds secular and spiritual so-called so from the tho text which the composition composition com corn position contains The Tho style stylo is polyphonic polyphonic poly poly- oly- oly phonic voiced voice or really man many individual s usually of four parts although we have havo more and fewer few tew- or er parts in s some me of or the examples at hand The music of ot tho the present day dayis is almost exclusively one one- voiced really ono one principal voice voice- and accompaniments b by other voices or In In- In Tho The curtain curt then rose and the two youths delivered the tho prologue after which a l ng solo was sung sunS by Time Tho The Bod Body when singing tho the words Seche was to throw throwaway throwaway throwaway away his golden collar and the fe feathers feathers feath feath- th- th ers from his hat lint The World and Life were to b bo be richly dressed but when divested of their ornaments to appear poor o and wretched d and ultimately ely dead I A great o or Instruments instruments ments were to Join in the Ritornelli And finally it was as directed that the tho performance might be finished either with or without a dance If without says the tho stage direction tho the vocal and Instrumental parts of or the tho last chorus must be doubled But should a a. dance bo be preferred certain specified verses must be sung to accompany tho the eta stately tel and reverent steps stops Thus in a n. measureS measure a 1 sort of ot a sacred ballet was introduced Into the oratorio some Bome of the dances being given b by solo dancers even without without with with- without out the singing much a as ballet dancing toda today From the description presented it will be he seen that tho the first operas and the first oratorios were exactly alike aliko with the tho exception of or tho the text It wIllbo will willbe willbo bo be seen scon each was presented on a stage with scenery costumes and properties Tho The ballet ballot orchestra and of the two works were identical In the beginning except that ono one was secular the tho other sacred The wido difference now separating the two forms was wag brou brought hl about b by conditions which will willbe willbo willbo bo be discussed at length in tho the article Modern Oratorio In next Sundays Sunday's Herald |