Live Performance Analysis: SATB Chorus

The live performance that I had attended to was Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra “Messiah” near Madison, WI. The genre of composition is supposed to be drama. This composition genre is an oratorio, which is a large-scale dramatic genre originating in the Baroque. Baroque is based on text of religious or serious character, performed by solo voices, chorus, and orchestra; similarto opera but without scenery, costumes, or actions. This specific oratorio is different because this composition is in three parts but is compilation of biblical verses from Old and New Testaments. The text for “Rejoice greatly” is actually from the New Testament itself.
The soloists for the live performance was Sarah Laurence, the soprano was Jamie Van Eyck, the mezzo-soprano
I also noticed a little bit of polyphony in there when the chorus started to sing lower and then start to get higher around “He shall reign for ever and ever”. I believe where I detected it, along with the dynamics taking an effect. Then the around the ending the homorhythmic melody came back because of the settings from the trumpets and the timpani setting the mood to complete the performance. I also found out that this would be a SATB chorus, which is a 4-part chorus and
The instruments that were used were strings like violins and the continuo, which is a form of musical accompaniment used in the Baroque period. This is usually played by a keyboard instrument and another bass instrument like the cello, violone, or bassoon. I saw some trumpets, oboes, and drums along with the strings and continuo. The Baroque period is most commonly called “classical music” which also means being widely studied, performed, and listened too. All the sections of the Messiah, which are Christmas section (part one), Easter section (part two), and Redemption section (final part) are all in a da capo aria. What a da capo aria is a lyric song in an A-B-A form, which is usually found in operas, cantatas, and