Folk oratorio

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The term folk oratorio called an oratory for and about the people . The church Latin root of the term ( oratorium = house of prayer) suggests spiritual themes, but worldly subjects are also taken up. Similar to the Volksstück , the term is by no means to be equated with “undemanding entertainment”.

In contrast to the folk song , which is often created and distributed directly in the creative people, folk oratorios mostly come from trained, learned authors and are initially only received by the basic class. Other researchers ( Erich Seemann , Wolfgang Steinitz , Walter Wiora ) no longer focus on the question of the author.

development

In England, George Frideric Handel first used the generic name “Oratorio” for an English work in 1732. In contrast to the performance practice of the opera at the time , the singing was no longer designed for Italian virtuoso voices, but changed to a new tone typical of oratorios. The choir, which is increasingly made up of amateur singers, was given considerably more space in the work. Handel can thus be counted among the early and influential pioneers of the folk oratorio. Popular works themselves contributed to the wider distribution, such as "Acis and Galatea", "Esther" or later "Messiah"; however, the increasing self-confidence of the bourgeois classes also played a major role. They turned away from bel canto operas, which were perceived as aristocratic , and increasingly took a liking to spiritual and secular subjects of the new theatrical-concert genre.

In addition, this development was not limited to pure reception for long. Numerous music festivals sprang up all over England; The basic class and the bourgeoisie formed large choir communities. Here, not only was the people's cultural aspirations made socially clear, but an influence was also exerted on the further development of the genre.

At the time of the Viennese Classic, works such as “ The Creation ” and “ The Seasons ” by Joseph Haydn set the trend. These are performed by large oratorio choirs to this day, some of which are also joined by workers' choirs . The folk oratorio has recently become widely known through Mikis Theodorakis , who set a cycle of poems by Nobel Prize winner Odysseas Elytis to music in this form. The work " Axion Esti " (1960) leads through the genesis of the Greek identity. Another example is his work “ Canto General ”, which premiered in 1974, based on texts from the Canto General cycle by the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda .

Examples of folk oratorios

  • Axion Esti (1960) by Mikis Theodorakis (text: Odysseas Elytis). Mixed choir (SATB) with soprano solo and orchestra
  • Canto General (1975) by Mikis Theodorakis (text: Pablo Neruda). Mixed choir (SATB) with solo (mezzo-soprano, baritone) and orchestra
  • Saint Elisabeth op. 84 by Joseph Haas (text: Wilhelm Dauffenbach)
  • From the realm of angels by Karl Lorenz
  • Die Jahreszeiten HOB XXI: 3 by Joseph Haydn. Mixed choir (SATB) with solo (STB) and orchestra
  • Balkanal - synthetic folk oratorio (1969) by Janko Jezovšek

Footnotes

  1. ^ Production theory according to Josef Pommer
  2. ^ "Sunkes Kulturgut", reception theory according to Hans Naumann
  3. ↑ Wolfgang Steinitz: "With regard to content and form, there are no fundamental differentiating features that are valid for all periods and peoples between folklore and 'literature'."
  4. ↑ Examples: Brahms Choir (Bergedorf), Hamburger Oratorienchor

literature

  • Joseph Haas, Wilhelm Dauffenbach: Die heilige Elisabeth - Volksoratorium for solo soprano, choirs and orchestra op.84.Schott Music, Mainz 1961, ISBN 3-7957-3310-3 (text book with the melodies of the hymns)
  • Siegfried Gmeinwieser, Günther Weiß: On the genesis of the folk oratorios by Joseph Haas. in: Contributions to the history of the oratorio since Handel. Festschrift for Günther Massenkeil, Voggenreiter, Bonn-Bad Godesberg 1986
  • Peter Zacher : Canto General. In: Hans Gebhard (Ed.): Harenberg Chormusikführer. Harenberg, Dortmund 1999, ISBN 3-611-00817-6 , p. 883 f.