Handel's Messiah

Contents

Introduction2

Discussion3

Background3

Messiah-structure and form4

Reception of the Messiah7

Conclusion8

Introduction

The Messiah was an oratorio in English language, composed by Georgel Frideric Handel in the year 1741. Its scriptural text was taken from the King James Bible, the Psalms and the Book of Common Prayers and was compiled by Charles Jennens. The Messiah was initially performed on April 13th 1742 in Dublin and was later premiered in London almost a year afterwards. Soon after the initial public reception in Dublin, the oratorio soon started to gain popularity and eventually become one of the most well known and frequently performed choral works within the Western Music.

Discussion

Background

George Frideric Handel, a British German baroque composer was born in February 1685 and lived until April 1759. Handel is well known even today for his operas, organ concerts, oratorios and anthems. As a child George Handel was known to be somewhat indifferent to music. However, he later received critical musical training in Halle, Hamburg and Italy before he finally settled in London in the year 1712. By 1727, George Handel was a naturalized British subject and was strongly under the influence of legendary and eminent composers of both the middle German polyphonic choral tradition and the Italian Baroque.

Within just a short span of fifteen years, George Handel transformed himself dramatically into a genius and started three different commercial opera companies in London in order to spread the Italian opera amongst the English nobles. However, the public receptors seemed to have been more interested in the vocal bravura of George Handel rather than the music. Subsequently by the year 1737, George Handel had somewhat of a physical breakdown and completely changed paths and started addressing the middle class audience instead. He soon, over the course of time transitioned to the English choral works. Moreover, after Handel's remarkable success with Messiah in 1742, he never looked back towards the Italian opera or considered performing in it. During this time, many critics claimed that the reason behind Handel's success in his performances of the English Oratorio was as a result of focusing too much on the biblical and the mythical themes however, in 1750 when he arranged a performance of his Messiah for the benefit of the Foundling Hospitals, his critiques soon came to rest. Moreover, after Handel's remarkable success with Messiah in 1742, he never looked back towards the Italian opera or considered performing in it. During this time, many critics claimed that the reason behind Handel's success in his performances of the English Oratorio was as a result of focusing too much on the biblical and the mythical themes however, in 1750 when he arranged a performance of his Messiah for the benefit of the Foundling Hospitals, his critiques soon came to rest.

Even till today, George Handel is known as one of the most greatest composers of all time with illustrious and prominent works such as the Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks to his credit. During his life time George Handel composed more than forty operas within a ...