Table Of ContentChoral Monuments
Choral Monuments
Studies of Eleven Choral Masterworks
DENNIS SHROCK
1
1
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Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Shrock, Dennis.
Title: Choral monuments : studies of eleven choral masterworks /
Dennis Shrock.
Description: New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2017] |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016052392| ISBN 9780190469023 (hardcover) |
ISBN 9780190469030 (pbk.) | ISBN 9780190469061 (oxford scholarly online)
Subjects: LCSH: Choruses—Analysis, appreciation. | Choral music.
Classification: LCC MT110 .S57 2017 | DDC 782.509—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016052392
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Paperback printed by WebCom, Inc., Canada
Hardback printed by Bridgeport National Bindery, Inc., United States of America
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction xiii
1. Josquin Desprez – Missa Pange Lingua
1
BIOGRAPHICAL AND COMPOSITIONAL OVERVIEW 1
SALIENT COMPOSITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS 7
Imitation 7
Ostinatos 11
THE MISSA PANGE LINGUA 17
Structure and Parody Technique 17
PERFORMANCE PRACTICE CONSIDERATIONS 21
Performing Forces 21
Meter, Tactus, and Tempo 23
Text Underlay 26
Musica Ficta and Musica Recta 30
Summary 33
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 34
2. Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina – Missa Papae Marcelli
36
BIOGRAPHICAL AND COMPOSITIONAL OVERVIEW 36
THE PAPACY AND THE COUNTER- REFORMATION 41
THE MISSA PAPAE MARCELLI 49
Musical Characteristics 49
Legacy 54
PERFORMANCE PRACTICE CONSIDERATIONS 57
Pitch and Performing Forces 57
Meter and Tactus 59
Oratorical Phrasing 63
Tempo 65
v
vi Contents
Musica Ficta 68
Summary 70
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 70
3. Johann Sebastian Bach – B Minor Mass
72
BIOGRAPHICAL AND COMPOSITIONAL OVERVIEW 72
BACH’S LUTHERAN MASSES 76
Parody Technique 77
THE B MINOR MASS 80
Parodies 83
Compositional Rationale 87
MANUSCRIPTS, EDITIONS, AND PERFORMANCES 88
FORMAL AND MUSICAL STRUCTURES 91
Kyrie 92
Gloria 94
Credo 98
Sanctus 102
Agnus Dei 104
Summary 105
PERFORMANCE PRACTICE CONSIDERATIONS 105
Performing Forces 105
Meter and Tempo 111
Rhythmic Alteration 113
Ornamentation 114
Summary 117
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 118
4. George Frideric Handel – Messiah
120
GENESIS AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 120
HANDEL’S COMPOSITIONAL PROCESS 129
Speed of Writing, Parody Technique, and Revision of Works 129
THE LIBRETTO OF MESSIAH 134
FORMAL AND MUSICAL STRUCTURES 138
Instrumental Movements 138
Recitatives 138
Solo Vocal Movements 139
Choruses 140
PERFORMANCE PRACTICE CONSIDERATIONS 143
Performing Forces and Stage Set- up 143
Volume, Timbre, Pitch, and Vibrato 147
Contents vii
Metric Accentuation 149
Rhythmic Alteration 151
Recitative 153
Ornamentation 155
Summary 162
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 163
5. Joseph Haydn – The Creation
165
INTRODUCTION 165
GENESIS AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 168
THE TEXT OF THE CREATION 174
MUSICAL EXPRESSION 182
FORMAL AND MUSICAL STRUCTURES 184
PERFORMANCE PRACTICE CONSIDERATIONS 188
Editions 188
Performing Forces and Stage Set- up 191
Meter and Tempo 194
Metric Accentuation 195
Recitative 197
Ornamentation 202
Summary 205
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 206
6. Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony no. 9
207
INTRODUCTION 207
GENESIS AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 210
SCHILLER’S “AN DIE FREUDE” 217
FORMAL AND MUSICAL STRUCTURES 220
EXPRESSION 225
PERFORMANCE PRACTICE CONSIDERATIONS 231
Tempo 231
Metric Accentuation 236
Orchestration 240
Stage Set- up 243
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 245
7. Felix Mendelssohn – St. Paul
247
GENESIS AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 247
RECEPTION OF ST. PAUL 254
COMPOSITIONAL HISTORICISM 256
THE TEXT OF ST. PAUL 258
viii Contents
FORMAL AND MUSICAL STRUCTURES 262
Recitatives 263
Turba Choruses 264
Arias 264
Chorales 265
Choruses 266
PERFORMANCE PRACTICE CONSIDERATIONS 269
Introduction 269
Performance in German or English 272
Performing Forces and Stage Set- up 272
Fermatas 275
Recitatives 277
Recommendations 279
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 281
8. Johannes Brahms – Ein deutsches Requiem
282
GENESIS AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 282
RECEPTION OF THE REQUIEM 287
TEXTS SET BY BRAHMS RELATED TO THOSE OF THE REQUIEM 289
THE TEXTS BRAHMS CHOSE FOR THE REQUIEM 294
MUSICAL AND FORMAL STRUCTURES 300
Motifs 300
Mirror Construction 305
PERFORMANCE PRACTICE CONSIDERATIONS 308
Instrumentation, Timbre, and Vibrato 308
Metric Accentuation 310
Stage Set- up 312
Tempo Fluctuation 313
Summary 320
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 320
9. Giuseppe Verdi – Messa da Requiem
322
INTRODUCTION 322
GENESIS AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 323
THE TEXT OF THE REQUIEM 328
FORMAL AND MUSICAL STRUCTURES 334
Structures Exhibited in Scoring 335
Structures of Individual Movements 337
Structures Related to Melodic Design 340
PERFORMANCE PRACTICE CONSIDERATIONS 342
Contents ix
Rhythm and Expressive Markings 342
Tempo 346
Performing Forces and Stage Set- up 348
Summary 352
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 353
10. Igor Stravinsky – Mass
354
GENESIS AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 354
MASSES BASED ON HISTORIC MODELS 359
The Nineteenth Century 359
The Twentieth Century 361
STRAVINSKY AND MUSICAL STYLES OF THE PAST 365
Oedipus rex and Babel 368
Symphony of Psalms and Canticum sacrum 368
Mass and Cantata 370
FORMAL AND MUSICAL STRUCTURES OF THE MASS 372
Kyrie and Agnus Dei 373
Gloria and Sanctus 374
Credo 377
Summary 379
PERFORMANCE PRACTICE CONSIDERATIONS 379
Text Setting 379
Performing Forces and Stage Set- up 382
Summary 386
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 386
11. Benjamin Britten – War Requiem
387
INTRODUCTION 387
GENESIS AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 389
WILFRED OWEN AND HIS POETRY IN THE WAR REQUIEM 394
MUSICAL SYMBOLISM 401
STRUCTURAL SYMBOLISM 409
Movement 1 – Requiem Aeternam 410
Movement 2 – Dies Irae 412
Movement 3 – Offertorium 414
Movement 6 – Libera Me 415
Supplementary Structures 416
PERFORMANCE PRACTICE CONSIDERATIONS 417
Performing Forces 417
