The Composing of "Musick" in the English Language: The Development of the English Cantata, 1700-1750
Abstract
The cantata as cultivated by Alessandro Scarlatti and his contemporaries Alessandro Stradella and Giovanni Bononcini was the model for the early development of the English cantata, "which remained a solo vocal genre in England throughout the eighteenth century, namely 1710-1800. By focusing on specific musical elements, such as cantata format (recitative-aria-recitative-aria or aria-recitative-aria), song forms, motivic use, textual content, instrumental requirements and performance venues, the evolution of the English cantata can be observed during the first half of the eighteenth century, developing from a simple imitation of the Italian form to a genre in its own right.1
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
2008
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2008 Steglein Publishing, Inc. This chapter first appeared in Genre in Eighteenth-Century Music.
Please note that downloads of the book chapter are for private/personal use only.
Purchase online at Steglein Publishing, Inc.
Recommended Citation
Cable, Jennifer. "The Composing of "Musick" in the English Language: The Development of the English Cantata, 1700-1750." In Genre in Eighteenth-Century Music, edited by Anthony DelDonna, 257-74. Ann Arbor, MI: Steglein Publishing, 2008.