A cantata (literally "sung", derived from the Italian word "cantare") is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir.
The meaning of the term changed over time, from the simple single voice madrigal of the early 17th century, to the multi-voice "cantata da camera" and the "cantata da chiesa" of the later part of that century, from the more substantial dramatic forms of the 18th century (including the 200-odd church and secular cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach) to the usually sacred-texted 19th-century cantata, which was effectively a type of short oratorio. Several cantatas were written for special occasions, such as Christmas cantatas.
Read more about Cantata: Historical Context, Differences From Other Musical Forms, Baroque, Classical and Romantic Period, Twentieth Century and Beyond
Other articles related to "cantata, cantatas":
... to Zoltán Kodály (1975), Endre Ady Cantata (1975), Gályarabság Cantata (1975), Libellus Ungaricus (1979), Confessio Augustana (1980), Martin Luther Cantata (1983), Hungarian ...
... Cantata Profana (subtitled A kilenc csodaszarvas English The Nine Splendid Stags German Die Zauberhirsche) Sz ... Bartók's musical style in Cantata Profana was influenced by Bach's Passions, though as the title of the work suggests it is more pagan than Christian ...
... Cantatas, both of the chamber variety and on a grand scale, were composed after 1900 as well ... In the early part of the century, secular cantatas once again became prominent, while the 19th-century tradition of sacred cantatas also continued ... Ralph Vaughan Williams composed both kinds "festival" cantatas such as Toward the Unknown Region (1907), Five Mystical Songs (1911), and Five Tudor Portraits (1936 ...
... Cantata Nigra (1973), Jeremiada (1979), Orbis Pictus (1979), Aeternitas temporia (1988), Leben-Natur-Liebe (1988), Palme (1990), Széchenyi Miniatures (1991), Sopron aquarels (1976) ...
... Femio, ossia La musica custode della fede maritale, cantata for three voices and orchestra, text by Francesco Boaretti, Venice, 1791 Ero, cantata for voice and orchestra, text by ... Arici, Brescia, 1816 Annibale, cantata for tenor and orchestra, Bergamo, 1816 Lo spavento, cantata for tenor and orchestra, Bergamo, 1816 La tempesta, cantata for tenor and ...