The History of Choral Music and Oratorio
Cathedral choirs, Handel's Messiah and the great British choral tradition.
Few countries love choral singing as much as Britain. From medieval cathedral choirs to amateur choral societies and Christmas carols, this is the story of singing together – and the words you need if you sing in a choir yourself.
The Story
Choirs have sung in British cathedrals since the Middle Ages. Many still have boy and girl choristers who sing services every day, including Evensong, the evening service. This tradition produced a huge amount of church music, from simple hymns to complex anthems.
An oratorio is a large work for choir, soloists and orchestra, usually on a religious subject and performed in a concert, not acted on stage. The most famous is Handel's "Messiah", first performed in Dublin in 1742. In many countries, audiences still stand up for the "Hallelujah" chorus – according to legend, because King George II once stood up during it.
In the 19th century, amateur choral societies were founded all over Britain – the Huddersfield Choral Society dates from 1836 – and Welsh mining communities became famous for their male voice choirs. Elgar's oratorio "The Dream of Gerontius" had its premiere in 1900, and since 1918 King's College, Cambridge, has held its Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, broadcast on Christmas Eve to millions of listeners.
Timeline
The key dates at a glance.
- Middle AgesCathedral choirs begin a tradition that continues today.
- 1742Handel's "Messiah" is first performed in Dublin.
- 1836The Huddersfield Choral Society is founded.
- 19th centuryWelsh male voice choirs grow in mining communities.
- 1900Elgar's "The Dream of Gerontius" has its premiere in Birmingham.
- 1918King's College, Cambridge, holds its first Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.
- 1928The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is first broadcast on the radio.
Key People
The musicians who shaped this story.
George Frideric Handel
1685–1759Composer of "Messiah" and many other oratorios.
Edward Elgar
1857–1934Wrote "The Dream of Gerontius".
Ralph Vaughan Williams
1872–1958Edited a famous hymn book and wrote much choral music.
John Rutter
born 1945Composer of carols and choral music sung around the world.
Key Words
Ten essential words with their German meaning and an example sentence.
| English | German | Example |
|---|---|---|
| oratorio | Oratorium | "Messiah" is Handel's most famous oratorio. |
| cathedral | Kathedrale, Dom | The cathedral choir sings every evening. |
| chorister | Chorknabe, Chorsänger(in) | The choristers are aged between eight and thirteen. |
| Evensong | Evensong (Abendgottesdienst) | Visitors are welcome at Evensong. |
| anthem | Anthem (Chorwerk), Hymne | The choir sang an anthem by Purcell. |
| hymn | Kirchenlied | The congregation joined in the final hymn. |
| carol | Weihnachtslied | We sing carols on Christmas Eve. |
| choral society | Chorverein | She has sung in the choral society for twenty years. |
| male voice choir | Männerchor | Welsh male voice choirs are world-famous. |
| soloist | Solist(in) | The four soloists stood in front of the choir. |
Useful Phrases
Language for talking about music and its history.
Talking about choral music
- It's written for choir, soloists and orchestra.
- It's performed in concert, not on stage.
- The audience stands for the "Hallelujah" chorus.
- It's broadcast every Christmas Eve.
Talking about your choir
- I've sung in a choir for years.
- We're rehearsing "Messiah" for Christmas.
- We perform twice a year.
- We're always looking for tenors!
Talk About It
Answer these questions aloud, write a short paragraph, or discuss them with a partner.
- Do you sing in a choir, or have you ever sung in one?
- Why do you think choral singing is so popular in Britain?
- Have you heard "Messiah" or another oratorio? What did you think?
- What Christmas music traditions do you know from Germany?
Test Yourself
Click a question to see the answer.
1. What is an oratorio?
A large work for choir, soloists and orchestra, usually religious, performed in concert.
2. Where was "Messiah" first performed?
In Dublin, in 1742.
3. What is "Weihnachtslied" in English?
A carol (Christmas carol).
Explore More
More from the Music History series.
Every song has a history.
Learn the story, learn the words – and share what you discover in English.
Many voices. One sound.