Chorus (i) [choir]

(from Gk. choros; Fr. choeur; Ger. Chor; It., Sp. coro).

A group of singers who perform together either in unison or, much more usually, in parts; also, by extension, a work, or movement in a work, written for performance by such an ensemble (e.g. the lsquo;Hallelujahrsquo; chorus in Handels Messiah). In the performance of part-music a distinction is generally observed between a group of soloists (one singer to each part) and a chorus or choir (more than one singer, usually several or many, for each part); this distinction is not, however, without its exceptions (e.g. the solo petit choeur of the 17th-century French grand motet). The designations lsquo;chorusrsquo; and lsquo;choirrsquo; are often used in conjunction with qualifying terms indicative of constitution or function (e.g. mixed choir, male voice choir, festival chorus, opera chorus). Moreover at various times and places certain types of chorus and choir have been generically designated by terms lacking the words lsquo;chorusrsquo; and lsquo;choirrsquo; (e.g. schola cantorum, glee club, singing society, chorale). In English, but in no other language, a distinction is often made between lsquo;choirrsquo; and lsquo;chorusrsquo;: an ecclesiastical body of singers is invariably called a choir, as, normally, is a small, highly trained or professional group; lsquo;chorusrsquo; is generally preferred for large groups of secular provenance. This article deals with the chorus as it developed in Western art music; group singing in the art and traditional music of other cultures is discussed in articles on individual countries.

1. Antiquity and the Middle Ages.（古代和中世纪）

2. The Renaissance.

3. The Baroque.

4. From the mid-18th century to the later 19th.

5. The 20th century.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

JAMES G. SMITH (1–3), PERCY M. YOUNG/JAMES G. SMITH (4–5)

Chorus (i)

1. Antiquity and the Middle Ages.

Organized choruses are known to have existed in several cultures of the ancient world. Two pre-Christian cultures, those of Greece and Palestine, fostered choral singing that was destined to have an influence on later developments in Western music.

In ancient Greece the chorus was a dancing as well as a singing ensemble. It consisted of one of four groupings – men, women, men and women together, or men and boys – and performed only monophonic music. It played a particularly important role in the drama of the Periclean Age – indeed, Greek drama evolved from religious and ceremonial performances of a chorus of masked dancers. Of the many types of choral dances performed by such choruses, the paean, first mentioned in the Iliad(c850 bc), was an invocation to Apollo in his capacity as god of healing; the partheneia, introduced about 650 bc, was for a womenrsquo;s chorus composed of Spartan virgins; and the dithyramb, raised to the level of choral art music about 600 bc, was a choreographic description of the adventures of the fertility god Dionysus. It was the dithyrambic chorus that led directly to the tragedies and comedies of the 5th and 4th centuries. In these dramas, the chorus, whose leader (coryphaeus) sometimes spoke as its representative, functioned as a corporate commentator. Delivering its commentary from a traditional, conservative perspective that bespoke its earlier existence as a religious and ceremonial body, the chorus acted as an articulate spokesman for conventional society, thereby heightening the spectatorsrsquo; perception of the tension existing between the protagonists and their environment. Pre-dramatic Greek choruses are reported to have been sometimes quite large, numbering 600 on at least one occasion; the dithyrambic chorus was conventionally composed of 50 boys and men arranged in a circle about an aulos player (see fig.1). Authorities disagree about the size of the chorus in Greek drama. It is generally said to have numbered 12 in the dramas of Aeschylus and 15 in those of Sophocles, and the latter figure subsequently became standard for tragedies; it has been variously asserted that the chorus in comedies consisted of 24, 50 or perhaps as many as 60 singers.

The Old Testament provides ample evidence of the existence of well-organized choral singing in ancient Israel. David, when he made preparations for bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, lsquo;spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joyrsquo; (1 Chronicles xv.16). Of the leaders appointed at that time, three were assigned the honour of signalling with cymbals, and 14 (eight with psalteries and six with harps) were designated to play the string instruments which constituted, then and later, the typical accompaniment for Jewish choral music. Chenaniah, appointed to supervise the singing, lsquo;instructed about the song, because he was skilfulrsquo; (1 Chronicles xv.22). He proved to be an able teacher; when the first Temple establishment was formally organized shortly afterwards, David found it possible to appoint 288 skilful Levite musicians – 24 groups of 12, each group with its designated leader. For ordinary occasions these small groups may have served in rotation, but at more important ceremonies the entire body of Levite musicians performed. At the splendid ceremonies conducted at the dedication of Solomonrsquo;s Temple, th

剩余内容已隐藏，支付完成后下载完整资料

Beethoven In C minor Piano Sonata eighth 'Pathetique' s analysis

For example, the eighth piano sonata in is lsquo;Pathetiquersquo;, Op. thirteenth, created in 1798 to early 1799, the work sent to his patron and admirer Prince Lih Andrianof J Ki as a gift. This song is the peak masterpiece of Beethovens Early Piano Sonata, and it is also known around the world as its dramatic melody. No matter in content, melody, structure and other numerous aspects, this song is permeated with a proper sense of Nordic, it is also common traits of Beethoven and other German musicians. However, the playing skills of this song are not so difficult that it can be performed by a wealth of opportunities, and even more abecedarians hardly bear to put it down. In Beethovens Piano Sonatas, 'Pathetique' is the first work that he wrote the title by himself. In regard to the word 'Pathetique', it has a long distance to the thespian life in Beethovenrsquo;s afterlife, which was emotional but wretched and deep, after all, it was his work in early stage. Scotto compared this work with Romeo and Juliet, pointed out that there the existence of common between these two works is [youth sadness], the No. twenty-third Piano Sonatas, which was named by publisher as enthusiasm because of the strong power in the front and back movements, just like storm, and [Waldstein] is created in the most brilliant stage of Beethoven, bring people with a glorious and magnificent effect, and the American piano master recording in 54 years this disc, which put up engaging passion of life in this song thoroughly.

First movement: introduction endows characters to them and independent of allegro part, its essence is the conflict and alternate of contradiction factors, is the contrast between the pressure with dismal and bossy and intense distress, however, gloomy stress of destiny along with the painful sigh, sometimes it implies a bright hope, and a kind of despair in other parts, the opening of this song is a masterpiece of Beethoven with profound and logical thought, its tone is expressive, and its speed, interest, rhythm and other aspects keep the same fluctuation with Allegro part, the elaborate melodic line just like the hiding of language backlog, become the inner activities of plasticity of music image and a kind of power and gradually become a huge.

Positive rhythm and constant movement in adopted part, which is easy for people to think about the feeling of sports in the road, like rolling waves knock on a rock. In order to make the content and presentation uniformly, Beethoven has an ingenious utilization on the unity of rhythm pulse, it is filled with a rapid change in the impression and full of feelings internal. Although Beethoven used half note as a unit in allegro part, the introduction and allegro seek common unity in sharp opposition, however, rhythm is required to do absolutely accurate, no freedom is allowed. When the constant desire dominates the whole theme in the allegro part, a sense of inner freedom, make music the formation of a unified and coherent. On the background about decomposition of eight degrees, the main theme used staccato pop to show up, powerful impulse upward and downward with exciting factors of strong, filling with strong willpower. Silence of the subtopic, is a beautiful and extraordinary melody, which shows an impromptu ecstatic emotion and full of uncommon romance about that times. Whereas, it is a kind of feint, you cannot even just have a breath. The whole music make sense of urgency on breath physiologically, it reflects the amplitude of art passion that Beethoven have on piano.

Expansion is concise and compact, but also contains a new emotional detail, the combination of introduction and allegro motivation and the compact dash to the inner of allegro, become an enormous and unity rote, it leads to remove and weakness of the whole sound, and then ring bell clangor happens next, assaulting everything like a whirlwind, from where we can hear the tragic respiration and miserable whining, it clearly shows Beethoven impatient impulses and iron will. However in the reappearance part, the song changes to a shifty, extensive and contractible way and presents repeatedly. In brief, the first movement ends up with the typical faith of enthusiasm and resolute formula of Beethoven-- 'Im alive, experiencing and struggling!'
The second movement: the structure of the whole movement throughout the subject with connected narrate elements and amazing compactness, and largo melody appears in the background which the semiquaver have symmetrical performance, even more free in trend and state of music and the tones between two note just like reciting. When changing to the melody of four voices, as if there is a duet between man and woman, which is sincere indignation pouring out by people and arousing all kinds of oppression to the reality of discontent and roar. The movement does condense the noble ideas and painstaking carving skills of Beethoven, as well as the foreboding of far-off creation in later period. We can see that this movement has something in common with the Ninth Symphony, in other words, wide conception, profound thought and abundant figure are reaching into a striking level.
The third movement: in this movement, sad feelings of homesickness have been maintained to the end of the song, happy mood has failed to prevail to the top. Because the restless and wonky atmosphere was displayed drastically, the feeling of nervousness cannot be hided, Beethoven has treated the heart trauma here, and seems to find a shelter to get rid of life storm and try to relieve feelings in forest, field and sky. This movement has some similar properties with the first movement no matter in tone, texture atmosphere or writing style, which is full of dramatic conflicts and tragic mood, but it gives no answers and solutions to the contradiction that shown in the first movement, however

剩余内容已隐藏，支付完成后下载完整资料

资料编号：[503425]，资料为PDF文档或Word文档，PDF文档可免费转换为Word