Vocal Music

This recording provides example of a common format used within eighteenth century oratorio. Duo soloists would commonly introduce text, and the choir would then enter and often restate this same text.

A melisma is a series of notes set to a single syllable of text.

Da Capo, or "from the beginning", is a musical form that involves a return to the beginning of a section of music. In vocal music, the return is generally ornamented in some way. In this excerpt, the opening of the aria is heard followed by the end of the second section's transition to the return of the opening material after the da capo. The return is ornamented.

An arioso is a style of delivery in singing that is more melodic than a recitative while being less formally structured than an aria.

Recitativo accompagnato (accompanied recitative) involves the orchestra as a means of accompanying a vocal line in eighteenth-century large scale vocal works, both sacred and secular. It is often characterized as emotional in quality and songlike with wide vocal leaps and extended high or low notes. This musical feature is often employed to emphasize important dramatic moments.

Secco recitativo (“dry” recitative) is a means of accompanying a vocal line in eighteenth century large scale vocal works, both sacred and secular, utilizing only continuo, the group of instruments that plays the basso continuo part, usually cello and harpsichord. It is often characterized as chordal, simple, and encompassing a small range. Sometimes referred to as "recitativo semplice" (simple recitative), it is typically sung in rhythm dictated by linguistic accents.

This audio recording is of the large ensemble Cantata Singers rehearsal on October 2nd, 2015. We were rehearsing Johan Sebastian Bach's Magnificat in D Major for an upcoming performance with the orchestra (another Large Ensemble) taking place in December. In this snippet of our rehearsal, we sang through the phrase. In Anna Carolina's recording, our instructor went back and worked out the kinks in this particular section. This rehearsal took place in a rehearsal room on the UNCSA campus and was recorded on an iphone 5s. As shown in other large ensemble recordings, the UNCSA Cantata Singers performed Orff’s Carmina Burana in collaboration with the UNCSA Orchestra. The concert was conducted by Christopher James Lees on October 30, 31, and November 1, 2015. The UNCSA Cantata Singers will be performing with the Orchestra again in December for the performance of Bach’s Magnificat. Many members of the Cantata singers will also be performing in February in the opera chorus for UNCSA’s production of The Italian Straw Hat.