Scan 95
university dictionary of music and musicians, 1912
10 lines. Read by computer on 17 September 2026. Printed page 461. See the scan on archive.org.
1ORATORIO
2published a collection of them, Rome, 1563. While the Florentine musicians were inventing the OPERA, Emilio del Cavaliere, who had himself produced two pastoral dramas in Florence, was composing a work called "La Rappresentazione di Anima, e di Corpo," with soli, chorus, and recitatives to orchestral accompaniment, which was, in fact, "Dramma sacra per Musica," or sacred opera, given with costumes and with dancing in that same oratory at Rome over which St. Philip of Neri had long presided. Thereafter oratorio possessed dramatic form, although it has long ceased to be given with action, costume, or scenery. From Italy, where it was soon overshadowed by opera, the oratorio spread to the other parts of Europe. The church cantatas of Bach and his Passions, according to St. Mark and St. John, may be regarded as its highest expression in North Germany. In England the oratorio was Handel's recourse when opera was no longer profitable. Its extraordinary popularity may be accounted for not only by the religious temperament of the race, but by the fact that here, at least, was one art form in the vernacular which must have been a blessed relief after the Italian warblings at the rival opera houses of Handel and Bononcini. The effect of that long series of oratorios, of which "The MESSIAH" was the culmination, was to impose a cult upon the English people which they have not yet shaken off, and which finds expression in America as well. The next great oratorios were "The CREATION" and "The SEASONS" by Haydn, which were and are more popular in England than in Germany, a statement equally true of the "ELIJAH" and "ST. PAUL" of Mendelssohn and of the "St. Elizabeth" of Liszt. The educational effect of the oratorio has been of the highest value. Requiring large and carefully trained choruses for their performance, the English and American musical festivals which have done so much to disseminate the best music in every form were organized, in almost every instance, primarily for oratorio singing.
4ORCHESTRA
5Orazi ed i Curiazi. Domenico Cimarosa's three-act opera, to book by Sografi, was first performed, 1794, at Venice.
6Orchesis. Gr. The art of dancing.
7Orchesographie. "Description of dancing." A work of that title by "Thoinot Arbeau" or Jehan Tabourot was published at Langres, 1588. It contains the notation of many then popular dance tunes.
8Orchestik. Ger. ORCHESIS.
9Orchestra. The modern grand orchestra, of which the Boston Symphony Orchestra is an excellent type, is the result of a long period of evolution or of accretion. The number of musicians required has been gradually increased, the quality, proportion, and form of the instruments has varied. Before considering the orchestra of the early classic period and without speculation as to the orchestra of the future, it may be worth while to note the personnel of such an organization as that already named in 1908. Besides the concertmeister there were 15 1st violins, 16 2d violins, 10 violas, 10 'cellos, 8 doublebasses, 4 flutes, 3 oboes, 3 clarinets, 3 bassoons, 1 cor anglais, 1 bass clarinet, 1 contrabassoon, 8 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba, 1 harp, 4 tympani, and 2 percussion. Mozart was content to score his Symphony with Fugue, 551, Köchel, popularly known as the "Jupiter Symphony," for 2 violins, viola, bass, flute, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, and kettle-drums. Bach's D major Suite for orchestra was scored for 3 trumpets, 2 oboes, kettle-drums, and a complement of strings which about equalled those employed by Mozart. Beethoven was satisfied to add two clarinets to the forces Mozart had employed. At the performances of Cavaliere's ORATORIO the orchestra consisted of harpsichord, double lyre, bass lute, and two flutes. Peri's OPERA "Euridice" required but a harpsichord, bass guitar, bass lute, and a lyre or viola da gamba. Monteverde is said to have employed an orchestra of 36 pieces for the production of his "Orfeo," 1608, but much of his score was in figured bass, and
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