Download - Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
1/20
Matthew Perez
Burnett 761
05/18/15
Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
Composer of both sacred and secular music !eor"e #rideric $andel was a master of
creatin" dramatic and well%paced choruses which are able to &eep their listeners interested
throu"hout' (n this essa) ( will be discussin" his *n"lish oratorio Samson in order to
demonstrate the composer+s abilit) to ,ar) the te-tures of his choral writin" throu"h the
manipulation of rh)thm moti,e harmon) and other such musical elements' .ue to its len"th (
will onl) be able to discuss certain sections of the oratorio but will be sure to e-amine one chorus
from each act' Before we be"in our studies ( will first present a brief narrati,e re"ardin" how
this under%appreciated masterpiece came into bein"'
I. Historical Context
Samson was concei,ed durin" a period in which $andel e-perienced a number of
personal and financial misfortunes' (n 17 7 the composer suffered from a stro&e which disabled
the use of four fin"ers on his ri"ht hand pre,entin" him from performin"' $owe,er he was able
to ma&e a miraculous reco,er) after spendin" onl) si- wee&s at a spa' B) the )ear 17 0 he
essentiall) dropped out of the spotli"ht in ondon and onl) had a few close friends who
continued to encoura"e him in his composin"' 1 $andel completed both Imeneo and Deidamia
that )ear but neither wor& was well recei,ed' 2his was due in part to the fact that he did not ha,e
access to an) stron" sin"ers at the time' 3nfortunatel) the financial losses from these
productions would lea,e him ban&rupt' 4 B) 17 1 he had withdrawn from public life completel)'
1 ewman #lower George Frideric Handel ew or& Charles 9cribner+s 9ons 1: 8; 48 '4 #lower 48 '
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
2/20
Perez 4
$owe,er it was durin" this time that nd althou"h this particular piece of Milton+s poetr) was ne,er intended for a sta"ed
performance it had been created in the st)le of a classical !ree& tra"ed) which lent itself to the
dramatic shape of an oratorio' ewbur"h $amilton librettist for !lexander's Feast and the
$ccasional $ratorio ; di,ided Milton+s te-t into three acts condensin" it from 1758 lines to onl)
5 6' >lthou"h this sounds li&e an impressi,e feat musicolo"ist
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
3/20
Perez
different shorter poems' 7 >nd so the libretto for Samson was completed and read) for $andel to
be"in settin" in the )ear 17 1'
hen $andel be"an wor&in" on Samson he was able to complete the first act in fifteen
da)s the second in twel,e da)s and the third in ei"hteen da)s' 2hus the initial draft of the wor&
was finished on ctober 4: th of 17 1' 8 >fter tra,elin" to .ublin in order to produce the rather
successful premier of Messia he returned to ondon in late >u"ust of 17 4 and made thorou"h
re,isions to the score in =uestion' : 3pon the oratorio+s completion $andel showed it the *arl of
9haftesbur) who would later write ?Mr $andel has plaid me o,er his 9amson >"onistes' ( thin&( ma) dare ,enture to affirm at once hearin" onl) that it surpasses an) of his "reatest former
performances D 2he whole is ine-pressibl) "reat and pathetic@' 10 2he first performance of this
masterwor& too& place at the Co,ent !arden 2heater on #ebruar) 18 th of 17 and it was so
successful that it ran for ei"ht performances in its first season alone' 11 one of $andel+s other
oratorios were performed as man) times in a sin"le season durin" his lifetime' 2he composition
and production of both Messia and Samson were a maEor turnin" point in the composer+s life in
terms of both financial reco,er) and artistic fulfillment' 14
Fe"ardin" the te-t from which the libretto was adapted Milton+s Samson !gonistes
contains a lot of e-tra%fictional details which were added for the purpose of de,elopin" 9amson
as a character and len"thenin" the stor) presented to us in the si-teenth chapter of the boo& of
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
4/20
Perez
were completel) fabricated in order for the poet to ha,e more fle-ibilit) in terms of stor)tellin"'
ith these considerations in mind let us mo,e forward to a brief summar) of what happens in
this musical adaptation of Milton+s closet drama'
2he stor) be"ins with 9amson alread) ha,in" been captured b) the Philistines blinded
and in chains' 2he once%mi"ht) warrior "rie,es his fate particularl) his loss of si"ht; while the
Philistines worship their "od .a"on' 2he chorus of (sraelites and 9amson+s father obser,e the
prota"onist+s pitiful state and e-press a sense hopelessness re"ardin" the immediate situation' >t
the end of the act the (sraelites comfort 9amson in sa)in" that he will e,entuall) triumph o,er both death and time' 1 2he second act opens with Micah and the chorus of (sraelites callin" upon
fterwards
$arapha moc&s 9amson and challen"es him to a duel but later retracts his re=uest on the "rounds
of it bein" beneath his di"nit) to fi"ht a blind man' Micah then su""ests that the people measure
the power of their "ods and the act concludes with the Philistines and (sraelites sin"in" praises
to .a"on and fterwards an (sraelite messen"er arri,es to tell the audience what has happened'
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
5/20
Perez 5
the boo& of wa&e the trumpet+s loft) soundH is preceded b) the wor&+s
o,erture alon" with a brief recitati,e from 9amson; which utilizes horns in its orchestration'
2his choice of instrumentation helps to set the scene for the followin" Philistine ritual since
horns are associated with pa"anism in $andel+s wor&s' 16 >nd althou"h this chorus is not
particularl) chromatic or harmonicall) acti,e it does e,entuall) reach phrases in the dominant
and subdominant &e) areas' 9tartin" with a flurr) of si-teenth notes in the orchestra the chorus
features a fanfare%li&e arpe""iation of the tonic triad as sun" b) the altos and tenors in m' *-'
1;' hat is particularl) impressi,e about this musical settin" is how it displa)s $andel+s abilit)
to switch between sta""ered entrances homophon) and unison passa"es as a means of creatin"
,ariet) and e-citement' *,en musicolo"ist inton .ean notes that ?these Philistines are a little
more contrapuntal than most of $andel+s pa"ans@' 17 2he first ,ariation we see is the
fra"mentation of the openin" arpe""iation in the sopranos and basses at m' 7%:; bein" used as a
contrapuntal e-tension a"ainst the phrase ?awa&e the trumpet+s loft) sound@ *-' 4;' hat
follows is a completel) homophonic statement of the second line of te-t in m' 10%14 which
15 .ean 47'16 $erba"e 104'17 .ean 8'
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
6/20
Perez 6
&xam le ). !*a+e t e trum et's lofty sound, m. )-
&xam le /. !*a+e t e trum et's lofty sound, m. 0-1
utilizes a nearl) identical echo of the ,oice leadin" obser,ed in m' :%10' ote how $andel has
transformed the openin" moti,e in these measures b) redirectin" the arpe""io upwards' (n this
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
7/20
Perez 7
&xam le . !*a+e t e trum et's lofty sound, m. )0-)1
&xam le 2. !*a+e t e trum et's lofty sound, m. /0-/3
wa) the hi"hest ,oice contains an #I soundin" one octa,e hi"her than it did in the initial
statement at m' ' e then see a unison passa"e whose melodic profile is ta&en from the
orchestral moti,e heard in the first two measures; in m' 1 %15 which is used to stron"l)
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
8/20
Perez 8
punctuate the final line of te-t in the chorus' 2he composer then introduces a new moti,e in
stretto as sun" b) the lower three ,oices and doubled b) the orchestra in m' 17%18' 2hese three
,oices return to homophon) in m' 1: and are complimented b) the sopranos+ contrapuntal
statement of fra"ments from the openin" moti,e *-' ;' >nother stretto of the new musical
material is presented thou"h now in a new &e); in which we see a similar contrapuntal
interEection from the basses in m' 44 as followed b) another unison passa"e from m' 4 %45'
2hus $andel has switched between four completel) different te-tures o,er the span of onl)
se,en measures' >fter a brief homophonic passa"e in m' 45%46 the sopranos be"in a new strettousin" the arpe""iated moti,e from the openin" of the chorus; which lasts from m' 47%4: *-' ;'
>fter this point the composer rec)cles these homophonic passa"es unison statements and
strettos in order to redirect the harmonic structure of the chorus bac& to the tonic' 2he last thin"
we should obser,e is the wa) $andel brin"s nearl) all of the openin" material bac& startin" in m'
:' 2his techni=ue "i,es the chorus a ?rounded@ feel allowin" for the music to end with a final
statement from the ?loft) trumpets@ and unison si-teenth note passa"e as pla)ed b) the strin"s' (t
is e,ident from this wor& that the composer+s abilit) to create a ,ariet) of te-tures throu"h the
use of de,elopment and transformation was abo,e a,era"e' But before we draw an) conclusions
let us ta&e a loo& at another section of Samson '
2he ne-t chorus we will be dissectin" G$ear particularl) important
18 and"raf and Aic&ers 14 '1: .ean 1'
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
9/20
Perez :
similarit) to notice is that both Carissimi+s aeolian modalit) and si-%part scorin" is retained in
G$ear
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
10/20
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
11/20
Perez 11
&xam le 6. "lorate filiae Israel, m. /)-/0
&xam le 0. Hear, 4aco%'s God, m. /8-/0
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
12/20
Perez 14
in preparation for the ne-t cadence; is what we hear bein" utilized in G$ear
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
13/20
Perez 1
&xam le 3. Hear, 4aco%'s God, m. 2/-21
certainl) impressi,e but instead of e-poundin" on these thou"hts we will now mo,e ahead to the
final chorus of the oratorio as a means of understandin" how the composer is able to use ,ariet)in te-ture and techni=ue to end a dramatic wor&'
G et their celestial concerts all uniteH is the final musical settin" of the wor& and $erba"e
notes that this particular chorus ?certainl) concludes Samson in a blaze of "lor) trumpets and
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
14/20
Perez 1
timpani addin" their fanfares to the broad choral themes@' 40 $owe,er .ean su""ests that the
precedin" re=uiem for 9amson ?was the ori"inal end of the oratorio and after hearin" it one is
tempted to wish it had so remained@ ' 41 9eein" that $andel+s writin" process was interrupted b)
his trip to .ublin and that the composer wrote both G et their celestial concerts all uniteH and the
precedin" aria G et the bri"ht seraphimH before the oratorio+s premier in ondon there is little
reason to su""est that the solemn musical affect e-pressed b) G!lorious heroH was intended to
conclude the wor&' $a,in" that said let us ta&e a close loo& at how the true finale ma&es use of
,ariet) in te-ture for the purposes of "eneratin" interest and complimentin" the drama'2he initial two measures of G et their celestial concerts all uniteH feature a presentation of
the first moti,e hereinafter moti,e ?a@; as sun" b) the sopranos *-' :;' 2his phrase is
completel) without orchestral accompaniment a te-tural idea which will return throu"hout the
chorus' hat follows in m' % is a homophonic restatement of the words ?let their celestial
concerts all unite@ b) all four ,oice parts as complimented b) the orchestra+s first entrance' ote
that the tenors ma&e use of moti,e ?a@ in in,ersion a techni=ue which will be often utilized in
the measures to follow' e ne-t hear the basses sin"in" the first half of the second line of te-t
?e,er to sound his praise@; as set to a new rh)thmic idea hereinafter moti,e ?b@; a"ainst the
faster%mo,in" oboe lines *-' 10;' 2he altos then come in with moti,e ?b@ ha,in" been
transposed up b) an octa,e; at m' 7 in imitation of the basses who are now utilizin" the same
contrapuntal idea with an additional arpe""iated anacrusis hereinafter moti,e ?c@; as used b)
the oboes in the pre,ious measures *-' 11;' 2hese two ,oices continue in counterpoint until the
basses introduce a fourth moti,ic idea hereinafter moti,e ?d@; set to the words ?in endless blaze
40 $erba"e 10 '41 .ean '
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
15/20
Perez 15
&xam le 1. #et t eir celestial concerts all unite, m. )-/
&xam le )8. #et t eir celestial concerts all unite, m. 5-6
&xam le )). #et t eir celestial concerts all unite, m. 0
&xam le )/. #et t eir celestial concerts all unite, m. 1
>
B
C
B
.
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
16/20
Perez 16
of li"ht@ in m' 8%10 *-' 14;' 2he ne-t moment of interest occurs at m' 10 in which a stretto of
moti,e ?c@ between the tenors and sopranos be"ins o,er a sustained > ♮ in the altos and basses'
2his te-ture continues until we hear a second four%part homophonic statement of the te-t ?let
their celestial concerts all unite@ in m' 1 %16' 2he basses then help to &eep the momentum of the
chorus up b) reintroducin" moti,e ?c@ at the anacrusis to m' 17 at which point the moti,e has
been in,erted; in which the upper three ,oices present another uni=ue moti,ic te-ture' 2his new
idea as sun" b) the sopranos altos and tenors hereinafter moti,e ?e@; is an out"rowth of
moti,e ?b@ and ma&es use of =uarter notes and ei"hth notes a"ainst the basses+ =uic&l) mo,in"line from m' 17%18 *-' 1 ;' $owe,er it is important to note that the upper three ,oices are not
in complete homophon) as the sopranos ma&e use of fra"ments from moti,e ?c@ as a means of
decoratin" their melodic profile' (t is the basses who moti,ate the end of this passa"e b) usin"
moti,e ?d@ as a wa) to rei"n the ,oices in for a brief moment of homophon) in m' 1:%40 as
followed b) an in,ersion of what we Eust heard' (n m' 41%44 we see that the sopranos are now
utilizin" an in,erted moti,e ?c@ while the other three ,oices compliment it with moti,e ?e@ now
in complete in homophon);' hat follows startin" in m' 4 is a mostl) homophonic cadential
passa"e in which the tenors utilize an in,erted fra"ment of moti,e ?d@ in m' 46; which ser,es as
a lin& to another section of the chorus' 2his ne-t portion be"ins with )et another homophonic
statement of the openin" moti,e as followed b) a new combination of melodic material' hat
happens in m' 4:% is that the sopranos are sin"in" moti,e ?a@ while the tenors are in
counterpoint a"ainst them with moti,e ?c@' 2his is followed b) the imitati,e entrances utilizin"
moti,e ?a@ at different pitch le,els; of the altos and basses at m' 1 and respecti,el)' >
similarl) comple- and contrapuntal passa"e occurs from m' 5% 8 in which the sopranos sin"
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
17/20
Perez 17
&xam le ) . #et t eir celestial concerts all unite, m. 1
moti,e ?e@ a"ainst imitati,e entrances of moti,e ?c@ in both its ori"inal form and in,ersion;
from the altos tenors and basses in m' 5 6 and 7 respecti,el)' 2his is then followed up with
another homophonic statement of moti,e ?a@ on the words ?let their celestial concerts all unite@'
$owe,er this particular passa"e is different in that the orchestral accompaniment has completel)
dropped out in preparation for its dramatic return at m' 1 *-' 1 ;' 2his e-citin" entr) is set to a
homophonic echo of moti,e ?a@ which has been shifted up to a hi"her pitch le,el' e ne-t see
moti,es ?c@ in in,ersion; and ?e@ bein" pitted a"ainst one another in a two%part te-ture in m' %
as followed b) a stretto of moti,e ?c@ in the upper two ,oices from m' 5% 8' > reintroduction
of the te-ture which features moti,e ?e@ as sun" b) the sopranos altos and tenors in
counterpoint with the basses+ moti,e ?c@ ta&es place in m' :%50' 2his is then followed b) a
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
18/20
Perez 18
&xam le )2. #et t eir celestial concerts all unite, m. 1-2
powerful homophonic statement set to the words ?in endless blaze of li"ht@ in m' 51%5 which
features the sopranos+ utilization of an in,erted fra"ment of moti,e ?d@ in the cadence precedin"
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
19/20
Perez 1:
the ne-t phrase' 2his ne-t moment in which the altos and tenors sin" in thirds without an)
orchestral accompaniment from m' 55%56 is echoed b) the two trumpets in m' 57%58' 2he
followin" te-ture in,ol,es the upper three ,oices on moti,e ?b@ while the basses are sin"in"
moti,e ?c@ as set to the words ?e,er to sound his praise@ in m' 5:%60' > brief homophonic
passa"e from m' 61%6 brin"s us to an e-act repetition of m' 55%58' hat we see in m' 6: is that
the lower three ,oices are utilizin" moti,e ?e@ while the soprano switches from moti,e ?b@ to an
in,erted fra"ment of moti,e ?c@ ultimatel) Eoinin" to"ether in homophon) for the final si- of
Samson +s "loriousl) orchestrated measures'
III. Conclusions
$andel+s abilit) as a composer of dramatic choruses is unli&e that of an) other and it is
clear that his use of ,ariet) was carefull) calculated in each of his wor&s' (n his oratorio Samson
we ha,e now see that the composer was able to use a lar"e number of te-tures an adaptation of
an older st)le and multiple moti,es which are capable of combinin" in different wa)s as a means
of writin" compellin" and thorou"hl) interestin" choruses' (n li"ht of the fact that this essa)
e-amined onl) three of the composer+s musical settin"s it is ob,ious that $andel+s pallet of
compositional techni=ues was rather e-tensi,e' #urther stud) on the topic would )ield ,aluable
information for musicolo"ists theorists and composers who are interested in "ainin" an insi"ht
into what ma&es for an effecti,e use of ,ariet) in te-ture'
-
8/15/2019 Samson: Handel's use of Variety in Texture
20/20
Perez 40
Biblio"raph)
Burnett $enr) and Fo) itzber"' Composition Chromaticism and the .e,elopmental Process'
Burlin"ton >sh"ate Publishin" Compan) 4007'
nnette and .a,id Aic&ers eds' 2he Cambrid"e $andel *nc)clopedia' Cambrid"e
Cambrid"e 3ni,ersit) Press 400:'
ewman #lower !eor"e #rideric $andel' ew or& Charles 9cribner+s 9ons 1: 8'9edle) 2a)lor 2he (ndebtedness of $andel to or&s b) other Composers' Cambrid"e
Cambrid"e 3ni,ersit) Press 1:06'
inton .ean $andel+s .ramatic ratorios and Mas=ues' ondon -ford 3ni,ersit) Press
1:5:'