Vocal Music

Vocal music has been written throughout every period of music history. It includes any works that feature singing, from short songs to large-scale pieces for large choirs, with or without accompaniment. For your GCSE exam, the focus is on songs for one or more solo voices with instrumental accompaniment.

The timeline below shows that the set work by Queen was written more than 250 years later that the song by Purcell. As mentioned in the introduction to Area of Study 1, it is important not to imagine that Baroque music was the pop music of its day. Before 1800 most music was composed for the church, for private performance in the palaces and mansion of the nobility, or for relatively new middle-class audiences who had the time and wealth to go to theatres, opera houses and concerts.

It was not until the 19th century, after the industrial revolution had led to a reduction in hours and an increase in pay for workers, that a commercial market for popular music began to develop. At first this was through professional entertainers in music halls, and through the development of music in the home, encouraged by the advent of cheap music printing, affordable pianos and, in the 20th century by broadcasting and recordings.

1692 - Music For A While by Purcell (Set work)

1718 - Weichet nur betrubte Schatten and Sehet in Zufriedenheit from the Wadding Cantata by J.S. Bach

1741 - The Trumpet Shall Sound, Rejoice Greatly, Every Valley from Messiah by Handel

1966 - God Only Knows by Beach Boys

1974 - Killer Queen by Queen (Set work)

2003 - If I Aint Got You and Dragon Days by Alicia Keys