Music in which the leading role belongs to the voice is called vocal. It can be written for one, two or many performers, both with accompaniment and without it. The genres of vocal music, as well as instrumental, having traveled a long development path, were formed under the influence of the social functions of art.
So there were cult, ritual, labor, domestic chants. Over time, this concept began to be applied more broadly and generally. In this article we will consider what
genres of music are.Song
Appeared in time immemorial. It combines literary text with a fairly simple catchy melody. This most ancient and primary genre, during its evolution, was widely differentiated. The first songs created by the people conveyed the whole diversity of rural life (calendar-ritual, family-household, round dance and dance). Over time, more professional authoring works appear.
Renaissance Vocal Genres: Mass
This is the name of the composition written for the cult ritual. The chants are based on texts taken from the liturgy of the Latin rite and put on music. In this genre, composers of the late Renaissance wrote: Lasso, Palestrina. The Mass traditionally consists of five parts: Kirie, Credo, Gloria, Agnus Dei and Sanctus.
Until the nineteenth century, works of this genre were created exclusively for the male choir, and the boys sang the soprano.
Motet
Appeared in France in the mid-seventeenth century. Many genres of vocal music of this period were written in polyphonic style. A prime example of this is motet. He combined several melodies with various texts. Moreover, the lower voice (tenor) performed the chant in Latin, and the rest (motetus, triplum, duplum) - parts in French. The content of the texts was humorous or amorous. Motets for a choir with instrumental accompaniment and a chapel were written. This genre was addressed by Palestrina, J. Depré, G. Dufay, and later by V. Mozart, G. Handel, A Bruckner, I. Brahms.
Madrigal
This genre originated in Italy in the mid-sixteenth century. At that time, the madrigal was the name for a multi-voice art song without accompaniment. As a rule, she wore secular, to some extent, even love content. A distinctive feature of the chants of this genre is a skillful texture.
Vilanella
It is the forerunner of madrigal. Literally, the name "Vilanella" is translated as a village song. The works of this genre, written in verse and stanza form, were intended for
For the performance of three to four voices. The warehouse of vilanella is usually polyphonic, the content is comic or pastoral. The main melody of the song (upper voice) was performed by the soloist, and the rest of the parts played the role of accompaniment. Over time, this function was entrusted to musical instruments.
Romance
This genre of chamber vocal music was formed in the second half of the nineteenth century. Romance is a piece of music written for voice with accompaniment (harp, piano, guitar). In this case, the task of accompaniment is to more fully disclose the content of the composition, which conveys the author’s deeply lyrical and subtle experiences. Such famous composers as P. Tchaikovsky, M. Mussorgsky, A. Alyabyev, M. Glinka, S. Rachmaninov and others addressed this genre.
Ballad
This is the name of a piece of music written in a legendary or historical plot. It carries a narrative, epic and at the same time lyrical beginning. The first musical ballads appeared in Scotland and England. They were performed by a soloist accompanied by a choir, telling about various historical, satirical or dramatic events. The founder of this genre in vocal art is F. Schubert.
Serenade
In the old days this was the name of the troubadour song. In the era of the Renaissance and the Middle Ages, this genre takes on a new meaning. Now, this name means a love song that the gentleman performs in the evening under the window of his beloved. At the same time, the singer accompanies himself on a guitar, mandolin or lute.
Choral genres of vocal music
They occupy a special place in art. These works, written for the choir, are distinguished by freedom of construction and a rare appeal to the couplet form. They are characterized by the maximum correspondence of musical material to words. A special, but more complex genre is the vocal cycle. It is formed by several independent works united by a common artistic meaning. Many composers have approached vocal cycles. Among them are Schumann, Glinka, Shostakovich, Mussorgsky, Schubert.
Cyclical genres of vocal works
They differ in larger forms. They consist of several separate independent parts, revealing the general meaning of the composition. The construction of musical works of this form is based on the principle of contrast, mainly tempo. These include oratorios, masses, suites and, to some extent, operas.
Cantata
This is the name of the cyclic complex work of lyric - epic or solemn content.
It is small in size and may include solo vocal numbers, choral parts, ensembles and orchestral episodes. The sections of the cantata, united by a common theme, are independent. Therefore, they are very often performed in concert programs as separate numbers. Separate parts of this genre convey various
images (lyrical, dramatic, contemplative): S. Prokofiev “Alexander Nevsky”.
Oratorio
Compositionally detailed work of a large scale, which is based on a pronounced heroic-dramatic plot. To clarify it, a narrator or reader is often introduced into the cast. This work is usually written for the choir, soloists and orchestra. Many composers worked in this genre: I. S. Bach “Passion for John”, C. Saint-Saens “Samson and Delilah”, I. Stravinsky “Oedipus Rex”.
Suite for choir
This is a cycle consisting of independent themes related to a common idea. At the same time, each individual piece is called to shade or highlight the various facets of the core idea. A vivid example of such a cycle is the suite “Five Characteristic Pictures”. Musical numbers in it, which are brightly different from each other, paint colorful pictures of certain images ("Peasant Revel", "Mermaids", "The Approach of Spring").
Opera
This large-scale dramatic work combines the genres of instrumental and vocal music, as well as choreographic art and painting. It was written for performance by an orchestra, choir and soloists. The main role here is given to individual solo numbers (Aryans, Ariosos and Ariettos), transmitting the images and mood of the main characters.
Liturgical genres of vocal music
They occupy a considerable place in concert practice. Moreover, both Orthodox chants (“Vespers” Rachmaninov, “Liturgy” by Grechaninov and Tchaikovsky) and Catholic ones (“Requiem” by Verdi, Mozart) are very popular. During religious ceremonies, these works are supplemented by ritual activities, prayers and processions. And on concert stages, they are more reminiscent of a cantata or oratorio, consisting of separate parts-ensembles, choirs, arias. At the end of the twentieth century, liturgical genres acquire secular features. A vivid example of this is “Requiem” by Kabalevsky and Britten, as well as Shchedrin's work “The Sealed Angel”.