Secondary General Music Lesson Ideas
Oratorio
A Little History
An oratorio is a large-scale work based on a bible story or scripture; however, it is not intended to be performed in a church or during a church service. Oratorios use choruses, ensembles, and soloists to tell a story, and usually an organ or orchestra accompanies the singers. This large-scale work is often compared to an opera, but unlike opera, the oratorio usually does not have acting, costumes, or scenery.
During the mid-1500s, an Italian priest by the name of San Filippo Neri founded the Congregation of the Oratory. Neri held religious meetings that were so
well attended that a room had to be built to accommodate the participants. The room where they held these meetings was called the Oratory; later the term would also refer to the musical performances presented during their meetings.
Emilio de Cavalieri regarded himself as the composer of the first oratorio, with his Rappresentatione di anima et di corpo performed in 1600. However, technically it is not an oratorio since it is fully staged in three acts, and uses a spoken prologue, acting, and dancing.
While it unclear when or who composed the first Oratorio, it is known that by the late 1600s this art form had evolved so that strong emphasis was placed on arias while the use of the choir diminished. Furthermore, female singers sang recitatives, which replaced the narrator. It has been hypothesized these changes took place because composers of Oratorios were also the leading composers of opera. Whatever the reasons, these changes have continued to be a foundation of the Oratorio to this day.