An oratorio is a sacred musical composition for voices and musical instruments. Religious stories are often the inspiration for oratorios, though they usually include text written specifically for the oratorio rather than text from the Bible or another religious book. George Frederic Handel, who wrote The Messiah, one of the most well-known oratorios in the world, is probably the most well-known oratorio composer.
This musical style emerged in the 1600s, and oratorios are still being written today. Originally, oratorios were strictly religious, and they arose from an older tradition of religious music created as a form of entertainment to attract new converts and lapsed churchgoers. Modern oratorios are often more secular in nature, though most of them deal with serious themes, even if they don’t address religious issues.
Oratorio is frequently compared to opera. Both forms, after all, include an orchestra and singers. However, there are a few key distinctions that can be made between an oratorio and an opera. The first is that an oratorio lacks costumes, props, staging, and action. Singers are usually seated on stage alongside the orchestra, rising or remaining seated as needed, depending on regional tradition. Oratorios rely heavily on the chorus, with the chorus filling in for the orchestra in places where the orchestra would normally appear in an opera.
An overture performed solely by the orchestra opens a typical oratorio. The overture establishes the piece’s basic themes, laying the foundation for the composition as it progresses. Individual singers may perform arias to move the story forward, and recitative is frequently used in oratorios. Oratorios also include a lot of choral work, as mentioned above, and many of them are quite long. The oratorio’s conclusion frequently includes a reprise of the orchestra’s major musical themes to signal to the audience that the work is coming to a close.
Oratorios are particularly popular during the holiday season. In December, most city dwellers can find an oratorio to listen to, most commonly The Messiah. Various orchestras and religious organizations perform oratorios on a sporadic basis throughout the year. Many groups perform shortened oratorios, as many well-known works can last up to six hours, which is too long for most modern audiences.