oratorio
A large-scale musical work for orchestra, choir, and soloists, usually on a sacred text.
In Depth
An oratorio is a large-scale musical work for orchestra, choir, and vocal soloists, similar in structure to opera but performed without staging, costumes, or acting. The texts are usually drawn from religious scripture or sacred subjects, though secular oratorios exist.
Handel's Messiah is by far the most famous oratorio, performed thousands of times annually around the world. Bach's Christmas Oratorio and Passions (St. Matthew and St. John) are also central to the repertoire. The oratorio flourished in the Baroque era but continued through the Romantic period with works like Mendelssohn's Elijah and Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius.
Handel composed Messiah in just 24 days — averaging roughly 10 pages of orchestral score per day. He reportedly told his servant that while writing the Hallelujah Chorus, he saw heaven opened before him.