Comparing the Works of Handel, Mozart and Chopin
Handel, Mozart and Chopin are three classical composers from three different periods – baroque, classical and romantic. Their works all contain the basic elements of music; structure, texture, melody and harmony. However the ways these things come across are unique to each composer and era, as well as having quite a few similarities.
Handel's Messiah is an oratorio in the form of an Italian opera, with recitatives, arias and choruses. He gave great importance to the choruses, of which 'And the Glory of the Lord' is one, and used them to comment on the action of the story at that particular point. In an opera an aria would have been used for this. This particular movement is the first chorus and follows the opening overture, a recitative and an aria. At this point nothing had really happened yet so it basically highlights the positive affection and the excitement for the messiah to come. These three basic ideas continue to alternate to tell the story. In contrast, Mozart's Symphony No.40 in G minor uses Sonata form in the first movement, molto allegro. Sonata form is developed from binary form, where these are two contrasting sections, but it includes a repetition of the first section at the end. The three sections are called the exposition, development and recapitulation. In the exposition, the main themes are presented and repeated so that the listener becomes familiar with the two subjects. Then in the development, one or both subjects are developed and changed. Finally in the recapitulation both themes are brought back and it can be finished off with a coda, like in this movement. Finally, Chopin used a ternary structure in the Raindrop Prelude, which is common to many short Romantic piano pieces. In the first section the main melody is heard several times, the second section provides a contrast to the outer sections, and then there is a reprise of the opening section, and like the Mozart, it finishes with a codetta.
The texture of 'And the Glory of the
Handel's Messiah is an oratorio in the form of an Italian opera, with recitatives, arias and choruses. He gave great importance to the choruses, of which 'And the Glory of the Lord' is one, and used them to comment on the action of the story at that particular point. In an opera an aria would have been used for this. This particular movement is the first chorus and follows the opening overture, a recitative and an aria. At this point nothing had really happened yet so it basically highlights the positive affection and the excitement for the messiah to come. These three basic ideas continue to alternate to tell the story. In contrast, Mozart's Symphony No.40 in G minor uses Sonata form in the first movement, molto allegro. Sonata form is developed from binary form, where these are two contrasting sections, but it includes a repetition of the first section at the end. The three sections are called the exposition, development and recapitulation. In the exposition, the main themes are presented and repeated so that the listener becomes familiar with the two subjects. Then in the development, one or both subjects are developed and changed. Finally in the recapitulation both themes are brought back and it can be finished off with a coda, like in this movement. Finally, Chopin used a ternary structure in the Raindrop Prelude, which is common to many short Romantic piano pieces. In the first section the main melody is heard several times, the second section provides a contrast to the outer sections, and then there is a reprise of the opening section, and like the Mozart, it finishes with a codetta.
The texture of 'And the Glory of the