Kathleen Battle And Marsalism Summary

Kathleen Battle and Wynton Marsalis performed “Let the Bright Seraphim”, complementing one another’s talents. Battle provided the vocals to this duet; whereas, Marsalis played his trumpet. In the background, one could hear the accompaniment of an orchestra. The strings of violins, violas, cellos, basses, and a harpsichord set the stage for this musical piece. Battle’s soprano alternated with Marsalis’ trumpet as if responding to one another. Together, Battle and Marsalis produced a homophonic melody in A-B-A form. The short, contrasting notes in a quadruple meter were emphasized as the music ascends. The uplifting major harmonic chorus was repeated twice. George Frideric Handel composed “Let the Bright Seraphim” as
part of his Baroque oratorio Samson in 1741. Handel completed this oratorio around two hundred and seventy-six years ago, on October 29. The original did not include “Let the Bright Seraphim” which was added nearly a year later. The oratorio became popular due to the lower production costs than operas. Handel produced many of this favored concert form in his New Royal Academy of Music in London, England. Samson is one of Handel’s biblical musical works. The oratorio is based on John Milton’s Samson Agonistes. At Samson’s death “Let the Bright Seraphim” is sung praising his heroic deeds. It allows the final scene in Samson to be a joyful celebration. The duet of Battle and Marsalis develops an atmosphere of pure praise in “Let the Bright Seraphim”.