| Summary: | The figure of Judith has been used throughout the Christian era as an inspiration for writers, artists, and musicians. She is the heroine of epics, plays, and Jesuit dramas. Nowhere had this story greater impact than in the world of oratorio. Judith became the central figure of eighty oratorios written from 1621 to 1888, concentrated in the eighteenth century. === One reason for the popularity of Judith as an oratorio heroine lay in Maria Theresa, who was connected to the apochryphal heroine. She did not sponsor this connection, but an extensive allegory can be developed between the two, showing that the validity of the analogy can, in retrospect, be carried far beyond the usually superficial level of such allegories. There are obvious surface parallels, but the achievements of Maria Theresa make her the preserver and liberator of her people, as Judith was for the Betulians. === The other reason for Judith's popularity in oratorio was Betulia liberata, a libretto by Pietro Metastasio. Metastasio wrote six other oratorios in Vienna, but Betulia liberata remains his most interesting and most dramatic, demonstrating his interest in Cartesian dialogue and his willingness to break from the strict Aristotelian principles of his day. === The first setting of Betulia liberata was done by Georg Reutter, a Viennese composer, who designed it as part of Lenten religious services. He was not an original composer but did an acceptable job. He set the work for string orchestra and continuo and made subtle use of the Doctrine of the Affections, which would have been accessible to the musically aware court. === By 1772 the musical scene in Vienna had changed, and Florian Gassmann's setting of Betulia liberata reflects this. As the inaugural concert for the Tonkunstler-Sozietat, it needed to appeal to a bourgeois audience made up primarily of music-lovers, not musicians. The orchestra was huge, the writing full of obvious effects, the vocal requirements extensive, and the influence of Gluck seen throughout. === Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-08, Section: A, page: 2119. === Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.
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