The Cantata

Paper Summary:

This paper describes the cantata's compositional music form and its function within Lutheran services. The author points out that the cantata was an extremely popular music format for famous composers, such as Bach, Haydn and others whose works were performed for large congregations. The paper relates that the rising popularity of the cantata made it possible for Lutheran churches to use music effectively as a part of worship, especially during those times of holiday.

From the Paper:

"This study seeks to define the musical form of the `cantata' in the Lutheran Church Service of the 18th century. This form of composition arises from the Italian choral structures that eventually found Germanic roots in many of the popular European composers. In this manner, the history of cantata in the 18th century provides religious roots within its compositional form and the evolution that brought it into the Baroque music milieu of the times. The word Cantata means `to sing' in the format that was provided for its growing popularity in the Lutheran Church service. The meaning of the word also is derivative of the Latin word `canticle', which also is a song that is to be sung in a religious context.

More papers on The Cantata:

• Essay # 43680 : "The Chorale Cantata"
• Term Paper # 144081 : "Bach and the Baroque Period"
• Essay # 50350 : "Carl Orff"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: