Hypertext Webster Gateway: "oratorio"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Oratorio \Or`a*to"ri*o\, n. [It., fr. L. oratorius belonging to
praying. See {Orator}, and cf. {Oratory}.]
1. (Mus.) A more or less dramatic text or poem, founded on
some Scripture nerrative, or great divine event,
elaborately set to music, in recitative, arias, grand
choruses, etc., to be sung with an orchestral
accompaniment, but without action, scenery, or costume,
although the oratorio grew out of the Mysteries and the
Miracle and Passion plays, which were acted.
Note: There are instances of secular and mythological
subjects treated in the form of the oratorios, and
called oratorios by their composers; as Haydn's
``Seasons,'' Handel's ``Semele,'' etc.
2. Performance or rendering of such a composition.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
oratorio
n : a musical composition for voices and orchestra based on a
religious text [syn: {cantata}]
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.