MCO’s Handel’s Messiah can be heard on Thursday 21 November 7:30pm and Sunday 24 November 2:30pm at Melbourne Recital Centre.
GF Handel (1685–1759) and Charles Jennens (1700–73)
Messiah: A Sacred Oratorio HMV 56
Part One: The prophesy and realisation of God’s plan to redeem mankind by the coming of the Messiah
Scene 1: Isaiah’s prophecy of salvation
I. Sinfonia (Overture)
II. Comfort Ye (Accompagnato, Tenor)
III. Ev’ry valley (Air, Tenor)
IV. And the Glory of the Lord (Chorus)
Scene 2: The coming judgment
V. Thus Saith the Lord (Accompagnato, Bass)
VI. But Who May Abide (Air, Alto)
VII. And He Shall Purify (Chorus) / Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive (Recitative, Alto)
Scene 3: The prophecy of Christ’s birth
VIII. O! Thou that Tellest Good Tidings (Air, Alto, and Chorus)
IX. For behold! Darkness Shall Cover the Earth (Accompagnato, Bass)
X. The People that Walked in Darkness (Air, Bass)
XI. For unto Us A Child is Born (Chorus)
Scene 4: The annunciation to the shepherds
XII. Pifa (Sinfonia pastorale) / There Were Shepherds (Recitative, Soprano)
XIII. And Lo! The Angel of the Lord (Accompagnato, Soprano / Recitative, Soprano) / And the Angel Said unto Them (Recitative, Soprano)
XIV. And Suddenly There Was with the Angel (Accompagnato, Soprano)
XV. Glory to God (Chorus)
Scene 5: Christ’s healing and redemption
XVI. Rejoice Greatly (Air, Soprano) / Then Shall the Eyes of the Blind (Recitative, Soprano)
XVII. He Shall Feed His Flock (Duet, Soprano/Alto)
XVIII. His Yoke Is Easy (Chorus)
INTERVAL
Part Two: The accomplishment of redemption by the sacrifice of Jesus, mankind’s rejection of God’s offer, and mankind’s utter defeat when trying to oppose the power of the Almighty
Scene 1: Christ’s Passion
XIX. Behold the Lamb of God (Chorus)
XX. He Was Despised (Air, Alto)
XXI. Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs (Chorus)
XXII. And with His Stripes (Chorus)
XXIII. All We Like Sheep (Chorus)
Scene 5: The beginnings of Gospel preaching
XXXIVa. How Beautiful Are the Feet (Air, Soprano)
Scene 6: The world’s rejection of the Gospel
XXXVI. Why Do the Nations (Air, Bass)
XXXVII. Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder (Chorus) / He That Dwelleth in Heaven (Recitative, Tenor)
Scene 7: God’s ultimate victory
XXXVIII. Thou Shalt Break Them (Air, Tenor)
XXXIX. Hallelujah (Chorus)
Part Three: A Hymn of Thanksgiving for the final overthrow of Death
Scene 1: The promise of eternal life
XL. I Know that my Redeemer Liveth (Air, Soprano)
XLI. Since by Man Came Death (Chorus)
Scene 2: The Day of Judgement
XLII. Behold, I Tell You A Mystery (Accompagnato, Bass / Recitative)
XLIII. The Trumpet Shall Sound (Air, Bass)
Scene 4: The acclamation of the Messiah
XLVII. Worthy Is the Lamb (Chorus) / Amen (Chorus)
*****
George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) was born in Halle, Germany, where he spent his early years. After spending a few of his early adult years in Italy, he travelled to London in 1711, where he lived and worked for most of his life. In addition to being one of the most admired composers of his time, he was a successful entrepreneur and impresario. He composed for many instrumental and vocal genres, particularly, opera and oratorio, but also several concerti grossi. Significant works included the Coronation Anthems, Water Music (1717) and The Music for the Royal Fireworks (1749), among others.
The early part of Handel’s life was dominated by opera, as evidenced by the more than 40 Italian operas composed for the London theatres. These included Rinaldo (1711), Giulio Cesare (1724), Tamerlano (1724), Rodelinda (1725), Orlando (1733), Alcina (1735), and Serse (1738).
From 1741 his attention was directed to the oratorio and concert works. An oratorio is an extended musical setting of a sacred text for soloists, ensembles and chorus. Although normally performed in a concert setting, it includes dramatic, narrative and contemplative elements. Antony Hicks in Grove Online commented that Handel “found a more individual outlet in English oratorio, a genre that he invented and established.” Handel’s oratorios follow the three-act Italian opera tradition. His 29 oratorios include Israel in Egypt (1738), Saul (1738), Samson (1743), Semele (1743), Hercules (1734), Belshazzar (1734), Judas Maccabeus (1747), Joshua (1748), Solomon (1748), Theodora (1750), and Jephtha (1751).
Messiah was composed in 24 days from 22 August 1741. The first performance was in Dublin on 13 April 1742 and it received its London premiere the following year.
The wealthy Englishman and literary scholar Charles Jennens (1700–73) who wrote the librettos of Saul and Belshazzar, provided Handel with the idea for Messiah and compiled the text from the King James Bible. The libretto is conceived operatically with the texts arranged in the forms of recitative and aria, choruses, with two orchestral sections in Part 1. Much has been written on the selection of text that does not tell the story of Jesus as a narrative but presents the significance of the Christian Messiah as a theological idea.
The program of the first performance included Jennens’s organisation of the libretto:
Part I (i) The prophecy of Salvation; (ii) the prophecy of the coming of Messiah and the question … of what this may portend for the World; (iii) the prophecy of the Virgin Birth; (iv) the appearance of the Angels to the Shepherds; (v) Christ’s redemptive miracles on earth.
Part II (i) The redemptive sacrifice, the scourging and the agony on the cross; (ii) His sacrificial death, His passage through Hell and Resurrection; (iii) His Ascension; (iv) God discloses his identity in Heaven; (v) Whitsun, the gift of tongues, the beginning of evangelism; (vi) the world and its rulers reject the Gospel; (vii) God’s triumph.
Part III (i) The promise of bodily resurrection and redemption from Adam’s fall; (ii) the Day of Judgement and general Resurrection; (iii) the victory over death and sin; (iv) the glorification of the Messianic victim.
In essence the overall three-part structure of Messiah is the Promise of the “Messiah” and the birth of Christ; the Passion; and Redemption of the world and the overcoming of death.
Over the centuries, since the first Dublin and London performances, the work has amassed a remarkable performance history, giving a sense of the style and changing tastes in different contexts through time. We see this from the intimacy of an orchestra and choir of one or two performers per part, through to the massed choral and orchestral performances that have emerged through history. Each has its place in the presentation of this work.
Luke Howard writing in Messiah-guide.com states: “Messiah stands alone as the most popular work in the choral and orchestral repertoire today. It is the first “classic” in the musical canon—the oldest composition to have never fallen out of favor—and has remained part of the performing repertoire continuously from Handel’s day to our own. It is without peer or precedent.”
Program Notes: David Forrest