The "Messiah" (HWV 56) is an English-language oratorio
composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, with a
scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from the
King James Bible, and from the Psalms included with the
Book of Common Prayer (which are worded slightly
differently from their King James counterparts). It was
first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742, and
received its London premiere nearly a year later. After
an initially modest public reception, the oratorio
gained in popularity, eve...(+)
The "Messiah" (HWV 56) is an English-language oratorio
composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, with a
scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from the
King James Bible, and from the Psalms included with the
Book of Common Prayer (which are worded slightly
differently from their King James counterparts). It was
first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742, and
received its London premiere nearly a year later. After
an initially modest public reception, the oratorio
gained in popularity, eventually becoming one of the
best-known and most frequently performed choral works
in Western music.
Handel's reputation in England, where he had lived
since 1713, had been established through his
compositions of Italian opera. He turned to English
oratorio in the 1730s, in response to changes in public
taste; Messiah was his sixth work in this genre.
Although its structure resembles that of conventional
opera, it is not in dramatic form; there are no
impersonations of characters and very little direct
speech. Instead, Jennens's text is an extended
reflection on Jesus Christ as Messiah, moving from the
prophetic phrases of Isaiah and others, through the
Incarnation, Passion and Resurrection of Christ to his
ultimate glorification in heaven.
Handel wrote Messiah for modest vocal and instrumental
forces, with optional settings for many of the
individual numbers. In the years after his death, the
work was adapted for performance on a much larger
scale, with giant orchestras and choirs. In other
efforts to update it, its orchestration was revised and
amplified by (among others) Mozart. In the late 20th
and early 21st centuries the trend has been towards
authenticity; most contemporary performances show a
greater fidelity towards Handel's original intentions,
although "big Messiah" productions continue to be
mounted.
The final recitative of this section is in D major and
heralds the affirmative chorus "Glory to God". where,
Handel marked the entry of the trumpets as da lontano e
un poco piano, meaning "quietly, from afar"; his
original intention had been to place the brass offstage
(in disparte) at this point, to highlight the effect of
distance. In this initial appearance the trumpets lack
the expected drum accompaniment, "a deliberate
withholding of effect, leaving something in reserve for
Parts II and III" according to Luckett.
Although originally written for Opera, I created this
arrangement for Small (Chamber) Orchestra (Wind &
Strings).
