MUS 15 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Recitative, George Frideric Handel, Nicola Francesco Haym
Document Summary
Public and public: g. f. handel and john gay. 1720s in london (before haydn and beethoven) Libretto: nicola haym (cesare is portrayed by woman) Men were castrated to keep soprano voice. Usually from poor families whose families had too much children and cannot support all of them, so they send young boys to churches. Women were prevented from singing in church choirs. Larger than normal chest cavity because bones did not develop properly. Working as violinst and keyboard player in theater. Appointed court music director at hanover in 1710. Drama in music, a play that is sung. First type of western music to be released to mass public. Italian opera is in italian, but it does not have to be italy. Despite the fact that it goes public, italian operas are held with prestige and associated with aristocracy. Economy of boxes --> operas are more for wealthy people. Not the height of british empire, but they are expanding.
