Sergio Siminovich, Rodrigo de Caso Baroque Possibilities. How to prepare an 18th century oratorio

We have called our book Baroque Possibilities, because the true nature of the Baroque is great Flexibility of interpretation: this period allows the co-existence of different versions, both that of the musical score and of its performance. If we begin with the notation we can already see that it was "approximate", a sort of aide memoire acting as a suggestion for extemporization. It is in a similar spirit of improvisation that we must approach these works, obviously within certain limits, without exceeding the confines of the harmonic and stylistic language of the period.The objective of this book is to provide a practical guide to preparing an oratorio, the highest form of Baroque music, rich in possibilities (its major virtue) and in...dilemmas!The oratorio, indeed, is the most complete musical form of this period, but paradoxically it is performed less frequently than other forms because of an infinite number of obstacles, organizational and economical. It is our hope that this book will help to simplify certain aspects, and stimulate the enthusiasm that similar great works deserve. The book is aimed at:- Choral directors who would like to lose the "sociological" panic of conducting instrumentalists- Orchestral directors who wish to discover the treasures hidden in the choral texts- Vocal soloists who want to be more at ease with these epic works- Instrumentalists who would like to learn more about period practice, or those who are already familiar with it ...