This document facilitates the study of the bass roles, including the bass arias and recitatives that are in the Old Testament English oratorios of George Frideric Handel. This study is largely dependent upon the Chrysander editions of the oratorios, however both the Bärenreiter and Novello editions are consulted where available. This work may serve as a reference for bass soloists, or vocal pedagogues in selecting bass oratorio arias and recitatives, and in study for preparation of a bass role in one or more of the selected oratorios. Ten oratorios were selected for this study, based on their dramatic emphasis, Handel's more mature compositional style, and the use of the English language. While all arias are discussed, recitatives were selected on the basis that they stand-alone and are not in dialogue with another character. The study is limited to ten of Handel's Old Testament English oratorios: Esther (1718-20 version and 1732 revision), Deborah (1733), Athalia (1733), Saul (1738), Samson (1741), Joseph and His Brethren (1743), Belshazzar (1744), Joshua (1747), Solomon (1748), and Jephtha (1751). The study in concerned with the dramatic function of each aria and recitative within the plot of the oratorio, as well as the range, tessitura, literary rhyme scheme (if applicable), and tonal structure of each aria and recitative. Compositional devices that are used in melodic construction, level of difficulty, and maturity of voice needed for performance will be also be discussed for each aria and recitative. Chapter 1 of the study is the introduction to the dissertation, including objectives, delimitations, need for study, basic assumptions, and related literature. Chapter 2 discusses Handel's compositional development from Germany, while in Italy, and finally in England. Chapter 3 is concerned with a historical overview of the genre of oratorio. Chapter 4 focuses on the bass roles and the arias and recitatives within the selected oratorios. Chapter 5 concludes the dissertation, makes observations and directs for further study. / This item is only available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. If you are not associated with SBTS, this dissertation may be purchased from <a href="http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb">http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb</a> or downloaded through ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses database if your institution subscribes to that service.

The lecture recital was given on April 18, 1977. The subject was Adaptation of Handel's Castrato Airs for Bass, and it included a discussion of conventions peculiar to Handelian opera seria, concerns regarding adaptation of Handel's castrato airs and a comparison of adaptation practices in eighteenth- and twentieth-century presentations of Handel's operas. Three coloratura castrato airs and two virtuoso bass airs were performed at the conclusion of the lecture. In addition to the lecture recital, one operatic role and three recitals of solo literature for voice, piano and chamber ensemble were publicly performed. These included the role of "Samuele" in A Masked Ball, by Verdi, performed in English on March 19, 1975 with the Opera Theatre of North Texas State University, a program presented on November 24, 1975,of solo literature for voice, piano, and chamber ensemble, including works by J. S. Bach, W. Mozart, M. Ravel and G. Finzi, a program consisting of a set of works by R. Schumann presented on June 27, 1985, and a program presented on October 28, 1985,of solo literature for voice, piano, and chamber ensemble,including works by A. Caldara, G. Handel, H. Wolf, H. Duparc, C. Ives and S. Barber.

Although long-neglected, the topic of Handel's operatic oeuvre has in recent years gained new currency. Of interest to oboists is the great amount of soloistic writing for the oboe in the arias of his operas which takes the form of obbligato solos. From this body of works approximately twenty operas contain soloistic writing for the oboe in conjunction with the voice. The rationale for the investigation of this topic is two-fold: first, to make oboists aware of the availability of this body of literature, and second, to explore the manner and extent to which Handel used the oboe as an obbligato instrument. Topics covered include the instrumental make-up of Handel's orchestra and a brief history of the obbligato aria beginning with the early trumpet arias. An examination of Handel's compositional technique precedes a detailed analysis of six examples of varying style. The conclusion considers the aesthetics of performing these pieces out of context in light of historical practice and perception.

The lecture was given on April 23, 1979. The discussion consisted of an exploration of the history and derivation of the Baroque idiomatic technique for trumpet to which Handel was heir. Consideration for Baroque performance practice is included along with stylistic and formal analyses of the trumpet arias that were performed. Four works were rendered; they were selected on the basis of their adaptability to the recital situation. The first recital was presented on April 24, 1970, and included solo works of Giuseppe Torelli, Geoffrey Robbins, Marcel Poot, Halsey Stevens, and Fanfares Liturgiques by Henri Tomasi which featured Mr. Morley as conductor of a sixteen member brass choir. The second recital, on February 18, 1971, featured solo works by von Oskar Bohme, Roger Goeb, Robert Weast, Merrill Ellis, and the Septet fur Biasinstrumente by Paul Hindemith. The third recital included solo works of Paul Hinderoith, Kent Kennan, Georges Enesco, and Marcel Bitsch, and was presented on August 16, 1973. All of the recitals were recorded on magnetic tape and are filed, along with the written version of the lecture material, as a part of the dissertation.

The purpose of this dissertation is two-fold: one is to analyze the narratives of Acis and Galatea written by Ovid, and the two libretti by Handel's librettists including Nicola Giuvo (1708) and John Gay (1718) with John Hughes and Alexander Pope; the other is to correlate this textual analysis within the musical languages. A 1732 pastiche version is excluded because its bilingual texts are not suitable for the study of relationships between meaning and words. For this purpose, the study uses the structural theory- -mainly that of Gérard Genette--as a theoretical framework for the analysis of the texts. Narrative analysis of Acis and Galatea proves that the creative process of writing the libretto is a product of a conscious acknowledgement of its structure by composer and librettists. They put the major events of the story into recitative and ensemble. By examining the texts of both Handel's work, I explore several structural layers from the libretti: the change of the characterization to accommodate a specific occasion and the composer's response to contemporary English demand for pastoral drama with parodistic elements, alluding to the low and high class of society. Further, Polyphemus is examined in terms of relationships with culture corresponding to his recurrent pattern of appearance.

It is the purpose of this thesis to determine the comparative differences and similarities of the accompanied violin sonatas of the two contemporary eighteenth-century composers, Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frederick Handel.