messiah - london handel festival
TRANSCRIPT
1/37
Teaching resource #01
Messiah: Pifa
&
Use these buttons, or the arrows keys on your keyboard, to navigate.
Full screen mode
2/37
Thinking point:
What do you already know about Handel and his most famous work ‘Messiah’??
3/37
An Oratorio is a dramatic work for soloists, chorus and orchestra divided into acts like an opera. However, an oratorio is a sacred work and is not performed on stage with costumes and décor, but generally in a concert setting in a hall or church.
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) was a German-born Baroque composer who moved to London where he found success in composing music for the church, for the stage and for the Royal court. His music for the coronation of King George II in 1729 has been performed at every coronation since, and even inspired the UEFA Champions’ League anthem!
‘Messiah’ is an oratorio, composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, and reflects on the story of Christ’s birth, life and death.
A complete performance of ‘Messiah’ can last up to three hours!
But we’ll be focusing on just one particular section (or ‘movement’)…
4/37
? Can you spot the title of the movement we are going to study? clue: look in the top-left corner!
5/37
Well spotted! We are going to listen to the ‘Pifa’ which is sometimes known as the ‘Pastoral Symphony’. This movement appears in ‘Part the First’ of Messiah, which is Jesus’ birth.
11. Air (Bass solo): The people that walked in darkness12. Chorus: For unto us a child is born13. Pifa14a. Secco Recitative (Soprano solo):
There were shepherds abiding in the fields14b. Accompanied Recitative (Soprano solo):
And lo, the angel of the Lord15. Chorus: Glory to God in the highest
Look at this index. What do you notice about how the ‘Pifa’ fits in?
What goes before and after, and why do you think Handel inserted the ‘Pifa’ at this point?
Top tip! Use the score extracts on the next page to help you!
6/37
extract from No.12 – For unto us a child is born
extract from No.13 – Pifa
extract from No.14 – Recitative
? What are your observations?
(Write them down before continuing)
7/37
ANSWER
Handel is composing a dramatic work and he knows how to maintain the audience’s attention by varying the moods. He does this by carefully organising the structure of his story-telling in music to include short and long sections, movements for solo and a small group of instruments, full chorus and orchestra or, as in the ‘Pifa’, just spotlighting the strings of the orchestra.
8/37
Look carefully at this painting by Domenichino.
Remember that ‘Messiah’ is about the life of Christ.
? Which characters can you see?
9/37
The painting is called the ‘Adoration of the Shepherds’.
The shepherds are surrounding Mary and Jesus, framing the central scene.
The shepherd on the left is playing a musical instrument.
? Can you identify this instrument? Do you know what it’s called,
how it works or even what it might sound like? What is characteristic about music for bagpipes?
10/37
The ‘Pifa’ takes its name from the shepherd-bapgipers (called ‘pifferari’). In the 17th century, they would play their instruments in the streets of Rome – and sometimes London – especially at Christmas.
‘Piffero’ can be used to describe various woodwind instruments (from the ‘fife’ of flute, to a double reed instrument similar to the shawm or oboe).
Here in the painting see a set of bagpipes with a reservoir made of sheepskin… bringing us back to the idea of shepherds!
11/37
We mentioned before that the Pifa is sometimes called the ‘Pastoral Symphony’.
What do these two words mean?
Pastoral?
Symphony?
12/37
What have we learned so far?
• The ‘Pifa’ is an instrumental movement (or ‘symphony’) to be found in the first part of Messiah, where we meet the shepherds around the cradle in a stable.
• Handel’s music tries to capture the sound of music played on traditional Italian instruments by shepherds, especially the sound of wind instruments such as the flute, oboe and bagpipes. Remember that bagpipes have a reservoir of air that is squeezed through pipes to create a constant pitch, called a ‘drone’.
13/37
Listen again to the ‘Pifa’.Can you spot these features, imitated by the string orchestra?
Spot the ‘drone’ sound in the held bass note
Click above or visit bit.ly/3fi4nVy
14/37
DID YOU KNOW?
In all of Messiah, only two movements are wholly instrumental! They are both in the first part of the oratorio.
Apart from Pifa, the other one is the opening overture or ‘Sinfony’, which features both strings and wind instruments to make a grand opening to the work.
? Can you remember the definition of ORATORIO? ? What other genres of music need
an overture or ‘curtain raiser’?
15/37
So, Handel wants to imitate the sound of the shepherds’ wind instruments, especially woodwind… in his orchestra for Messiah, he has chosen to include oboes and bassoons.
? Why do you think he chose not to write for oboes in the ‘Pifa’ when he had the opportunity? ? What compositional decision did he make when
choosing to write this movement for strings only? Remember this for your own composition choices!
Composer’s choice - What would Handel do?
°
¢
°
¢
°
¢
°
¢
°
¢
°
¢
Ritter von Schleyer Verlag, 2014
Edited by Paul-Gustav Feller
2 Oboi
2 Fagotti
Violino I
Violino II
Viola
Basso
Continuo
[f]
Grave
[f]
[f]
[f]
[f]
[f]
™™
™™
™™
™™
™™
™™
Ob. I
Fag.
Vln. I
Vln. II
Vla.
B. C.
1.
2.
7
[p]
[p]
[p]
Ob. I
Ob. II
Vln. I
Vln. II
[f]
Allegro moderato
14
[f]
[f]
[f]
c
c
c
c
c
c
&
#
Sinfony
a 2
Ÿ
Messiah, HWV 56 (1741)
George Frideric Händel (1685-1759)
Nr. 1: Overture
?#
a 2
&
#
[con rip.]
Ÿ
&
#
B
#
?#
&
#
Ÿ Ÿ
?#
Ÿ
&
#
Ÿ Ÿ
&
#
Ÿ
B
#
?#
&
#
Ÿ
&
#
∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
Ÿ
&
#
Ÿ
&
#
∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
Ÿ
Ϫ
œ
J
Ϫ
œ
j
œ#™
œ#œ
œ ™ œ
J
œ ™œ
J
Ϫ
œ
J
œ#™ œ
J
œ ™ œ
Jœ ™
œ
j
Ϫ
œ
j
œ ™ œ
j
Ϫ
œ
J
˙Ó
Ϫ
œ
J
Ϫ
œ
J
œ#™
œ
J
Ϫ
œ
J
œ ™œ
j
Ϫ
œ
j
˙ œ#
œ
˙
Ϫ
œ
J
Ϫ
œ
J
Ϫ
œ
j
œ#™
œ#œ
œ ™ œ
J
œ ™œ
J
Ϫ
œ
J
œ#™ œ
J
œ ™ œ
Jœ ™
œ
j
Ϫ
œ
j
œ ™ œ
j
Ϫ
œ
J
œ ™œ
j
Ϫ
œ
j
œ ™œ
jϪ
œ
J
œ# ™ œ
J
œ ™œ#
j
œ ™œ#
j
œ ™ œn
j
˙ œ
œ#
Ϫ
œ
j
œ ™ œ
j
œ ™ œ
j
œ ™ œ
j
œ ™œ
J
Ϫ
œ
J
œ™ œ
J
œ ™œ#
J
Ϫ
œ
J œ ™ œ
J
˙
œ
œ˙ œ ™ œ
J
˙Ó
Ϫ
œ
J
Ϫ
œ
J
œ#™
œ
J
Ϫ
œ
J
œ ™œ
j
Ϫ
œ
j
˙ œ#
œ
˙
Ϫ
œ
J
œ™ œ
J
œ ™œ
J
˙ œ™œ œ
™œ
œ ™ œ
J
Ϫ
œœ
œ ™œ
j
œ
œ
œ ™œ
J
œ ™ œ
J
˙ Ó w
˙#œ
œ
œ#™
œ
j
œœn
œ
œ
Ϫ
œœ
œ ™ œ
J
Ϫ
œ
J
œ ™ œ
j
œ ™œ
j
Ϫ
œ
J
œœ
w
œ™ œ
J
œ ™œ
J
˙ œ™œ œ
™œ
œ ™ œ
J
Ϫ
œœ
œ ™œ
j
œ
œ
œ ™œ
J
œ ™ œ
J
˙ œ™
œœ#™ œ#
w
Ϫ
œ
J
œ œ œ ™ œœ™
œ œœ
œ
œ œ ™œœ
Ϫ
œ
j
œ ™œ
j
Ϫ
œ
j
Ϫ
œ#
j
˙#
Ó
w#
˙ œœ œ ™ œ
Ϫ
œ#œ
œ
œœ
œ
œ
Ϫ
œ
J
œ ™œ
j
œœ
œœ™
œ
J
˙
Ó
w
˙#œ
œ
œ#™
œ
j
œœn
œ
œ
Ϫ
œœ
œ ™ œ
J
Ϫ
œ
J
œ ™ œ
j
œ ™œ
j
Ϫ
œ
J
œœ
w
Œ
œ
œœœ
œ
œ
œœ#
œ
œ
˙ œœ
œ<n> œ
œ
œœœ
œ
œ
˙ œœœœ
œœ
˙ œœœ
œœ
˙œ#
Œ
œœ
œ#œ
œ#
œ
œœ#
œ
œ
˙ œœ
œ<n> œ
œ#
œœœ
Œ
œ
œœœ
œ
œ
œœ#
œ
œ
˙ œœ
œ<n> œ
œ
œœœ
œ
œ
˙ œœœœ
œœ
˙ œœœ
œœ
˙œ#
Œ
œœ
œ#œ
œ#
œ
œœ#
œ
œ
˙ œœ
œ<n> œ
œ#
œœœ
16/37
Music AnalysisConventions in music
17/37
Listen to the ‘Pifa’ again, and look closely at the score as you do.
Now complete the table on your worksheets (as shown below) to identify and understand the musical elements seen and heard.
18/37
Did You Know? This time signature is an example of COMPOUND QUADRUPLE METRE:
• There are 4 beats in every bar (quadruple)
• Each beat is a dotted crotchet
• Each beat is made up of 3 quavers (compound)
Try exploring compound metres in your own music!
4
4
12
8
12
8
&
&
œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
œ
œ œ œ œ
œ ™ œ ™
œ œ œ
œ ™
œ œ œ
œ ™
œ œ œ œ œ œ
4
4
12
8
12
8
&
&
œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
œ
œ œ œ œ
œ ™ œ ™
œ œ œ
œ ™
œ œ œ
œ ™
œ œ œ œ œ œ
19/37
Handel wrote this movement for three violins, viola and bass. In the baroque period, ‘bass’ generally included bowed strings (cello) and a keyboard instrument (harpsichord or organ). Sometimes there would also be plucked string instruments (theorbo) and even woodwind (bassoon). This bass section is known as the continuo.
? MUSICAL SHORTHAND:
Can you see the shortcut Handel has taken in the manuscript?
20/37
Handel indicates that the Violin 3 should play “all ottava” below the Violin 1 and Viola “all ottava” below the Violin 2.
The result looks like this (see right), but Handel was saving himself a lot of time and ink! Of course, someone had to copy out all the parts for the players before the first rehearsal!
12
8
12
8
12
8
12
8
12
8
&∑
&∑
&∑
B ∑
?∑
&∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
&∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
&∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
B ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
?∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
œ œ
J
œ œ
J
œ ™
œ ™
œ ™ œ œ œ ™
œ ™
œ œœ œ ™ œ œ œ ™
œ ™ œ‰
œ ™ œ œ
J
œ ™
œ ™
œ ™ œ œ œ ™
œ ™
œ œœ œ ™ œ œ œ ™
œ ™ œ ‰
œ œ
j
œ œ
j
œ ™ œ ™ œ ™
œ œ œ ™ œ ™ œ œœ œ ™
œ œ œ ™ œ ™ œ
‰
œ ™ œ œ
J
œ ™ œ ™ œ ™
œ œ œ ™ œ ™ œ œœ œ ™
œ œ œ ™ œ ™ œ ‰
w ™ w ™ ˙ ™ œ ™ œ ‰
Œ ™ Œ ™ Œ ™ Œ ™
Œ ™ Œ ™ Œ ™ Œ ™
21/37
Look at how the music is built up simply, using notes from the C major chord:
The notes in red in this extract can all be found in this triad (three note chord) in the tonic (home key) of C major
? Can you see the technique that
Handel is using at the beginning between the first and second violins?
22/37
They start in unison (on the same note). The second violin holds the C for longer then copies the rising scale shape of the first violin in imitation.
The interval between the first violin and the second violin is a third (E above C, F above D, G above E…). Look at how the instruments play in parallel thirds throughout the whole section. This is a really pleasing melodic effect.
REVISION: Do you remember the instrument we saw in the painting of the shepherds? Can you describe how the bass part is imitating the drone of the bagpipes?
23/37
This technique – holding the same bass note while chords change above it – is called a PEDAL harmony.
? Here’s another bit of musical shorthand.
What do you think the abbreviation “tr.” means?
24/37
? Which word best describes the texture of this music?
a) MONOPHONIC – one melodic line b) HOMOPHONIC – two or more parts moving together at the same time c) POLYPHONIC – several parts moving at the same time and interacting with each other
25/37
? What other features does Handel use to maintain
musical interest? Use this example to give you some clues!
Answers are on the next page...
26/37
ANSWERS1) Tr. means ‘trill’ – an ornament using rapid alternation between two neighbouring notes.
It looks like this: But sounds like this:
2) HOMOPHONIC – two or more parts moving together at the same time
3) Possible answers include: use of silence (rests), large leap in the melody part, violin 2 and cello starting together in answer to violin 1, variety of rhythms between all instruments, the violin 1 part holds the top note over the bar line to create a suspension…
27/37
Some other features of interestLook at the regular use of this dotted rhythm
? How many times can you spot this at different pitches in the following extract – can you highlight the appearances of this rhythm? (answer on next page)
28/37
Answer - 10 times
29/37
Now let’s pay a little attention to the bass part
? How many different pitches can you see? ? Can you see how the number of pitches per
bar changes throughout the piece?
This is rather like the heartbeat increasing and decreasing at times, adding interest and momentum to the music. The number of chord changes per bar/phrase is called the HARMONIC RHYTHM.
Look and listen again to the Pifa, focussing your attention on the bass part – what role does the bass part play in this music?
REVISION: Do you remember when we discovered the idea of PEDAL harmony, when the bass part holds the same pitch? Look at the bass part in bars 4-6. What has happened here?
30/37
Now consider the very ending of the piece. It feels satisfying, like we have come to a well prepared end. This is because Handel uses a perfect cadence, moving from chord V (over bass G - the dominant) to chord I (over bass C – the tonic):
Extension work
If you look carefully before these last two chords, you can see that chord I (C major) appears over the note G (shared with the dominant). This is a really nice effect! The C major chord is played in second inversion (Ic) and this makes a Ic V I cadence!
31/37
Over to you…
COMPOSITION CHALLENGE #1
32/37
Can you write an 11 bar piece using some or all of the techniques/features we have studied?
Top tips – try using …
• Pedal harmony – hold a note in the bass and move the top parts
• Parallel movement – write a melody in parallel thirds or octaves
• A distinctive rhythm used regularly
• A perfect cadence to end your piece - move from chord V [dominant] to chord I [tonic]
33/37
Over to you…
COMPOSITION CHALLENGE #2
34/37
Handel also wrote a longer version of this piece. He extended the ‘Pifa’ from 11 bars into 32 bars.
One way of getting great marks for your composition – and of becoming an excellent composer – is to develop your musical material.
Look at and listen to the full version below and spot as many techniques as you can that Handel used to develop the ideas used in the shorter version to make a longer piece. One clue – look at the words at the end of the score….
35/37
Compisition challenge 2 (continued)
36/37
ANSWERS
• DA CAPO form – immediately gets you further! He has only written 10 extra bars before repeating the beginning!
• modulation to the dominant = G major(spot the F# in the bass)
• modulates to the relevant minor = A minor (spot the g# and the 7th d) and then back to G major
• repeats dotted rhythm in 13 (compare to bar 2!)
• use of sequence (copies bar 13 in 14 with pitch change)
• inverts the bass motif from the cadence 11 at 16
• interesting cadence at 20-21 in G [ I ii Ib iib Ic V I ]over pleasant rising bass line.
37/37
CongratulationsThis marks the end of the lesson.
Teaching resource #01&