| Oratorio |
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Most oratorios from the common practice period to the present day have Biblical themes, but a number of composers, notably George Frideric Handel , wrote secular oratorios based on themes from Greek and Roman Mythology . Whether religious or secular, the theme of an oratorio is meant to be weighty, and can include such topics as the creation of the world, the life of Jesus , or the career of a classical hero or biblical prophet. The plot of an oratorio is often minimal, and some oratorios are not narratives at all. While operas are usually based on a dramatic narrative, in oratorios the aesthetic purpose of the narrative is more often to provide organization and significance to a large musical work. Oratorios usually contain:
Probably the best known oratorio in the English-speaking world is Handel's '' Messiah ''. Other well known oratorios include Handel's '' Samson '', the '' Christmas Oratorio '' by Johann Sebastian Bach , '' The Creation '' by Joseph Haydn , Felix Mendelssohn 's '' Elijah '', and Igor Stravinsky 's " Opera -oratorio" '' Oedipus Rex ''. See also EXTERNAL LINKS |
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