Baroque - Aria

Aria

An Aria is the Italian word for a Solo Song, from an Opera or an Oratorio.

RECAP: The difference between an Opera and an Oratorio is one is a drama set to music, and the other is a Bible story set to music... how can you tell the difference? Listen to the lyrics! Holy words will feature in an Oratorio!

So if you are listening to an Aria, think about what you will hear:

• Solo Singer
• Orchestral Accompaniment with a Basso Continuo - listen out for a Harpsichord and a bass instrument such as Cello. (In an Oratorio, the Harpischord is often replaced for an Organ).

If it comes from an Oratorio, you will notice that the singer is singing a story featuring Holy words such as "Rejoice", "Lord", "Heaven" and so on.
If it is from an Opera, you will not hear these types of words, and it is most likely to be in Italian or German, if it comes from the Baroque era.

Look at the following videos. You'll note that the second one is not staged like a normal opera - don't worry about that. Sometimes, music festival performances of operas are done this way. For example - La Fanciulla Del West was staged at the Edinburgh festival in this way in the Usher Hall in 2010. (Click on the link if you're interested - but it isn't Baroque!) It happens. I played in this particular Opera.

Video: Aria: "Why Do the Nations" from Handel's "Messiah" Oratorio.

Do you hear the lyrics? Can you tell this is a "Churchy" song?

Video: Aria: "Ombra Mai Fu" from "Xerxes" - an Opera, also by Handel. This is sung by a Counter-Tenor.

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Let's keep it simple. An Aria, whether it is Baroque or later, is a SOLO SONG from an OPERA or an ORATORIO.

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Now you've got to grips with an Aria, remember there are associated concepts such as:

Recitative

Da Capo Aria

Obbligato

Chorus

(I will link to these posts when they go up.)

The following playlist is a bunch of Arias from various different music eras, not just Baroque. Enjoy. See if you can identify which era they are from, and indeed are they from operas, oratorios or something totally different? Fill your boots.