Introduction: An Opera, an Oratorio, a Cantata, and Their Differences
Opera, oratorio, and cantata are musical staples of the Late Baroque Era. Despite being grouped as a highlight of a specific time period in culture, they bear several significant differences from each other. On the other hand, the genres display certain similarities, oratorio and cantata more specifically, both having come from religious spaces. To fully appreciate the beauty of these musical pieces, one must be aware of the features and details that make them unique.
The Roots
First and foremost, the origins of the music genres discussed here must be observed. As mentioned, oratorio and cantata come from a religious background, and both arose in Rome. Oratorio emerged as a form of vocal performance outside of churches, and cantata often revolved around a hymn or chorale, especially in the Lutheran Church (Encyclopedia.com, 2022). On the other hand, opera was initially and continuously set up in Italy as a piece to exclusively serve the drama.
The Performance
The contents and performance of the three genres both differ and have striking similarities. For example, an oratorio generally has a storyline absent of romance, while romantic aspect can be present in cantata and opera. There is also no acting in oratorio, but rather a description of action by a narrator. Cantata differs from oratorio in using a various number of voices and possible application of a secular storyline. (Encyclopedia.com, 2022) However, unlike opera, a cantata is not staged and does not involve acting.
Summary
In summary, opera, oratorio, and cantata are musical genres that define the Late Baroque Era. Their uniqueness comes from a particular set of features that simultaneously unites them and sets them apart. Each of them provides an exceptional spectacle, but the entertainment comes from different intents, be it religious or dramatic. The differences in presentation between them add to the variety of their style and make them more distinct.
The Key Features of the Late Baroque Style in Music
The definition of the Late Baroque Era in music is slightly murky, given the fact that the pace of change in stylistic preferences and influences varied regionally. However, it is possible to define certain key features of late Baroque music, starting from 1690 and ending in 1750. The defining shift could be traced to Italy, but the style defied country and culture borders with time.
The Late Baroque music started its separation from its predecessor by establishing the prevalence of polyphonic texture over homophonic. Austrian composer Fux was one of the pioneers of this movement with his influential book Gradus ad Parnassum (Tibbetts, 2018). Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is a prime example of polyphony with pattern that changes from fast to slow and back to fast, program music, and concerto form.
Generally, the form of the music pieces was simple, employing repeated binary or rondeau forms. In addition, three-part forms were commonplace, which is exemplified by Handel’s oratorio, Messiah. When in terms of the form of the structure, a certain simplification was prominent, the Late Baroque provided more diversity in the area of genre range (Tibbetts, 2018). This time-period saw expansion in such genres as suite, concerto grosso, concerto, sonata, and oratorio. In addition, opera and ballet took an even more prolific place in the culture and arts.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Late Baroque era in music displayed several specific features that were pioneered and solidified by proficient composers such as Fux, Vivaldi, and Handel. They began to employ polyphonic texture instead of homophonic and to use less complicated structures. In addition, the scope of musical and theatre genres has been expanded significantly, with several styles, for example, oratorio and cantata, coming back into prominence.
References
Encyclopedia.com (2022). Oratorio and Cantata. In Art and Humanities Through the Eras. Web.
Tibbetts, J.C. (2018). Late Baroque Music. In Tibbetts, J., Saffle, M., Everett, W. (Eds) Performing music history (pp. 45–68). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.