In this week’s listening journal, we are asked to describe and compare the excerpts from “Cantata No. 140” by J.S. Bach and “Messiah” by G.F. Handel. The selected excerpts are “Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion” and “Hallelujah Chorus” and “Wachet Auf”. Both are great pieces to listen to and both have meanings and different ways that they are presented.
“Messiah and Cantata No. 140” bring together a complex rhythmic of Christian text. Even though they are from two different composers and from different time periods they are both passionate. “Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter
of Zion” by G.F. Handel is a glorious and joyful piece. “Wachet Auf” by J.S. Bach is a piece that he used to celebrate the resurrection through what he calls the sleepers chorus and the soprano solos. Throughout his song Bach uses a traditional tone by including sections of polyphony while Handle uses a more contemporary trend through his tone, structure, and melody of the song. Bach’s most famous excerpts are the ones I listed above. Those two features a chorus and an orchestra. They also share similar chord structure. With Handel’s excerpt he used the standard Baroque orchestra. He used trumpets, drums, horns, and strings with voices mixed with the instruments. The use of trumpets creates a sense of urgency. Bach’s pieces contain more irregular musical phrases while “Hallelujah Chorus” is more rhythmically regular due to four bar phrases throughout each verse. Harmony also plays an important role in enhancing each piece.
