We have called our book Baroque Possibilities, because the true nature of the Baroque is great Flexibility of interpretation: this period allows the co-existence of different versions, both that of the musical score and of its performance. If we begin with the notation we can already see that it was ‘approximate’, a sort of aide memoire acting as a suggestion for extemporization. It is in a similar spirit of improvisation that we must approach these works, obviously within certain limits, without exceeding the confines of the harmonic and stylistic language of the period.
The objective of this book is to provide a practical guide to preparing an oratorio, the highest form of Baroque music, rich in possibilities (its major virtue) and in….. dilemmas!
The oratorio, indeed, is the most complete musical form of this period, but paradoxically it is performed less frequently than other forms because of an infinite number of obstacles, organizational and economical. It is our hope that this book will help to simplify certain aspects, and stimulate the enthusiasm that similar great works deserve. The book is aimed at:
• Choral directors who would like to lose the ‘sociological’ panic of conducting instrumentalists
• Orchestral directors who wish to discover the treasures hidden in the choral texts
• Vocal soloists who want to be more at ease with these epic works
• Instrumentalists who would like to learn more about period practice, or those who are already familiar with it and want to understand the grammar of its language.
• Choir members who wish to have a complete overall view of the greatest musical adventure of the Baroque: the Oratorio.
The book is structured as follows:
A. Historical context: we make some general observations on the function of the testimonies of the era (the Treatises) and on the crucial choices that we have to make today (eg. modern or period instruments), seeking to clarify by reasoned argument the different points of view that are held.
B. Dilemmas of interpretation: we consider the different Variables (dynamics, articulation etc.), making a list of proposals for each line of argument, and showing that in reality they can also be applied in exactly the opposite way, yet still obtain a coherent interpretation: in effect the negative of a photo shows the image just as clearly as the photo itself.
C. Various items: alongside these we consider subjects such as rapport with soloists, the positioning of the chorus, the preparation of the score etc. which are normally very important in the mounting of a Major Production of an oratorio.
D. Analysis: 221 extracts from one of the most exacting of Handel’s oratorios Judas Maccabeus, shown as textbook examples of applied expressive techniques, which can be easily transferred to other similar works.
E. Observations under the microscope: in contrast to the previous rather randomly selective topic, we present a detailed dissection of a choral number and a solo number, attempting to balance meticulously the interpretation of EACH note.
F. Appendices: we outline some of the many subsequent topics that do not immediately appear the moment we enter the realm of baroque dilemmas. In particular we draw attention to the most fundamental: Ornamentation and Bowing.