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OVERVIEW The name of the oratorio is taken from Judaism and Christianity 's concept of the Messiah ("the anointed one"). In Christianity, the Messiah is Jesus . Handel himself was a devout Christian, and the work is a presentation of Jesus's life and its significance according to Christian doctrine, with the text of the oratorio taken from the King James Bible . ''Messiah'' is Handel's most famous work (approached only by his '' Water Music '') and remains immensely popular among concert-goers in the English-speaking world. Although Handel called his oratorio simply "Messiah" (without "The"), the work is also widely but incorrectly referred to as ''The Messiah''. This folk-title is so common that, to many ears, the correct version actually sounds wrong. Although the work was conceived and first performed for Easter , it has become traditional since Handel's death to perform the ''Messiah'' oratorio during Advent , the preparatory period of the Christmas season, rather than at Easter. Christmas concerts often feature only the first section of ''Messiah'' plus the "'' Hallelujah ''" Chorus, although some ensembles like the Montréal Symphony Orchestra , Boston's Handel And Haydn Society , and New York's ''Musica Sacra'' feature the entire work as a Christmas concert. The work is also heard at Eastertide, and selections containing resurrection themes are often included in Easter services. The Soprano Aria ''I know that my Redeemer liveth'' is frequently heard at Christian Funeral s. See also: Scratch Messiah STRUCTURE Surprisingly for a work of this title, much of the '' (''I know that my Redeemer liveth''), the rest primarily from '' First Corinthians ''. Interesting, too, is the interpolation of choruses from Revelation . The well-known ''Hallelujah'' chorus forms the end of Part II, and the finale chorus and Amen ''Worthy is the Lamb that was slain'' are both taken from Revelation -- the only book of prophecies in the New Testament . The libretto was compiled by Charles Jennens and consists of fragments of verses from the King James Bible. Jennens conceived of the work much as an opera with three acts, each comprised of several scenes: :I -- The Birth ::i -- The prophecy of Salvation ::ii -- The prophecy of the coming of the Messiah ::iii -- Portends to the world at large ::iv -- Prophecy of the Virgin Birth ::v -- The appearance of the Angel to the shepherds ::vi -- Christ's Miracle s :II -- The Passion ::i -- The sacrifice, the scourging and agony on the cross ::ii -- His death, His passing through Hell , and His Resurrection ::iii -- His Ascension ::iv -- God discloses His identity in Heaven ::v -- The beginning of evangelism ::vi -- The world and its rulers reject the Gospel ::vii -- God's triumph :III -- The Aftermath ::i -- The promise of redemption from Adam 's fall ::ii -- Judgement Day ::iii -- The victory over death and sin ::iv -- The glorification of Christ Looking at this breakdown, it becomes easy to determine which sections are deemed appropriate for Christmas, and which for Easter. Part I, numbers 1-18 correspond to scenes I i-v, and are primarily considered Christmas movements. Part I, numbers 19-20 and Part II, number 22 can be considered cross-over movements, with the rest being considered appropriate for Easter. In this schema, the ''Hallelujah'' chorus, considered by many to be a Christmas song, is firmly part of the Easter section. However, many choral societies perform the entire work at either time of year, much to the enjoyment of audiences. COMPOSITION AND PREMIERE In the summer of 1741 Handel, at the peak of his musical powers but depressed and in debt, began setting Charles Jennens' Biblical libretto to music at his usual breakneck speed. In just 24 days, ''Messiah'' was complete. However it was not first performed until 1742 , at a charity concert on Fishamble Street near Dublin 's Temple Bar district on 13 April after production difficulties and last-minute rearrangements of the score. As Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral , Jonathan Swift placed some pressure on the premiere and had it cancelled entirely for a period. He demanded that it be retitled ''A Sacred Oratorio'' and that revenue from the concert be promised to local hospitals for the mentally ill. Like many of Handel's compositions, it borrows liberally from earlier works, both his own and those of others. It is said that while Handel was writing the ''Messiah'', his Valet would often find him weeping silently at his desk, overcome by the beauty and majesty of the music that was flowing from his pen. The secondary source of this story is a pamphlet of the Choral Society at Trinity College Dublin . The original source is not known to this author. The premiere of Messiah took place at the Music Hall in Dublin on 13 April 1742 . Handel led the performance from the Harpsichord , and Matthew Dubourg conducted the orchestra. Dubourg was an Irish Violin ist, Conductor and Composer . He had worked with Handel as early as 1719 in London. Handel conducted ''Messiah'' many times, often altering it to suit the needs of the moment. In consequence no single version can be regarded as the "authentic" one, and many more variations and rearrangements were added in subsequent centuries — a notable arrangement was one by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , translated into German . Most modern performances employ orchestra, chorus, and four soloists: bass, tenor, contralto or counter-tenor, and soprano. The house where Handel wrote ''Messiah'' is now open to the public as the ''Handel House Museum'' . LANGUAGE Handel is famous for employing Tone Painting -- the musical technique of having the Melody mimic its Lyrics -- in many of his works. Perhaps the most famous and oft-quoted example of the technique is in ''Every valley shall be exalted'', the Tenor Aria early in Part I of ''Messiah''. On the lyric "...and every mountain and hill made low; the crooked straight and the rough places plain", Handel composes it thus: The notes rise to the high F♯on the first syllable of ''mountain'' to drop an (semiquaver) Melisma s and two leaps to a high E: As was common in English-language poetry at the time, the suffix ''-ed'' of the past tense and past participle of weak verbs was often pronounced as a separate syllable as in this passage from ''And the glory of the Lord'': The word ''revealed'' would thus be pronounced in three syllables: . In many published editions, an ''e'' that is silent in speech but is to be sung as a separate syllable is marked with a grave accent, thus: ''revealèd''. ''HALLELUJAH'' The most famous movement is the ''Hallelujah'' chorus, which concludes the second of the three parts. The text is drawn from three passages in the New Testament book of Revelation : :And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, ''Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.'' ( Revelation 19:6 ) :And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, ''The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.'' ( Revelation 11:15 ) :And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, ''KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.'' ( Revelation 19:16 ) In many parts of the world, it is the accepted practice for the audience to stand for this section of the performance. Tradition has it that on first hearing the chorus, King George II was so moved that he rose to his feet. As is true today, when the King stands, so do all subjects also rise; thus engendering the tradition. However, modern scholarship holds its origins in doubt: the King may not have even been present at the premiere. Occasionally, people unfamiliar with the work have been known to leave after this movement, assuming this to be the end of the oratorio when this is, as noted above, merely the conclusion of the second of the three parts. It is also interesting to note that here, again, is seen a common titling mistake. The name of the chorus is ''Hallelujah'', not "The Hallelujah Chorus". The word "chorus" simply refers to the ''type'' of movement and is not part of the title. It is not incorrect to refer to it as "the ''Hallelujah'' chorus"; it is, however, incorrect to title it as such. MOVEMENT LISTING AND MEDIA Handel's Messiah, as sung by the MIT Concert Choir: (NOTE: As is mentioned above, Handel himself frequently changed the forces used in his oratorios. Today, most choruses use the 1912 version edited by T. Tertius Noble , and the voicings and lyrics that follow are from this version. However, it is not uncommon for different voices to sing certain arias, for arias to be cut for time and difficulty constraints, and for some sections to be omitted entirely. This listing is by no means "official", simply that which is most commonly used today.) ::Isaiah 40:1-3 :::''Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God; speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplishèd, that her iniquity is pardoned.'' :::''The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'' ::Isaiah 40:4 :::''Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low; the crooked straight, and the rough places plain.'' ::Isaiah 40:5 :::''And the glory of the Lord shall be revealèd, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.'' ::Haggai 2:6, 7 :::''Thus saith the Lord of Hosts: --Yet once a little while and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come.'' ::Malachi 3:1 :::''The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in; Behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts.'' ::Malachi 3:2 :::''But who may abide the day of His coming, and who shall stand when He appeareth?'' :::''For He is like a refiner's fire.'' ::Malachi 3:3 :::''And He shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.'' ::Isaiah 7:14 -- Matthew 1:23 :::''Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name EMMANUEL, God with us.'' ::Isaiah 40:9 :::''O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!'' :::''Arise, shine, for thy Light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.'' ::Isaiah 60:2, 3 :::''For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee, and the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.'' ::Isaiah 9:2 :::''The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.'' ::Isaiah 9:6 :::''For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be callèd Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.'' ::Luke 2:8 :::''There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night.'' ::Luke 2:9 :::''And lo! the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.'' ::Luke 2:10, 11 :::''And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.'' :::''For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.'' ::Luke 2:13 :::''And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying:'' ::Luke 2:14 :::''Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, good will towards men.'' ::Zechariah 9:9, 10 :::''Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy king cometh unto thee.'' :::''He is the righteous Saviour, and He shall speak peace unto the heathen.'' ::Isaiah 35:5, 6 :::''Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstoppèd; then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing.'' ::Isaiah 40:11 :::Alto:''He shall feed His flock like a shepherd; and He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.'' ::Matthew 11:28, 29 :::Soprano:''Come unto Him, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and He shall give you rest.'' :::''Take His yoke upon you, and learn of Him for He is meek and lowly of heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.'' ::Matthew 11:30 :::''His yoke is easy and His burthen is light.'' ::John 1:29 :::''Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.'' ::Isaiah 53:3 :::''He was despisèd and rejected of men: a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.'' ::Isaiah 50:6 :::''He gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: He hid not His face from shame and spitting.'' ::Isaiah 53:4, 5 :::''Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; He was wounded for our trangressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him.'' ::Isaiah 53:5 :::''And with His stripes we are healèd.'' ::Isaiah 53:6 :::''All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turnèd every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.'' ::Psalm 22:7 :::''All they that see Him, laugh Him to scorn, they shoot out their lips, and shake their heads saying,:'' ::Psalm 22:8 :::''He trusted in God that He would deliver Him; let Him deliver Him, if He delight in Him.'' ::Psalm 69:20 :::''Thy rebuke hath broken His heart; He is full of heaviness. He looked for some to have pity on Him, but there was no man; neither found He any to comfort Him.'' ::Lamentations 1:12 :::''Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow.'' ::Isaiah 53:8 :::''He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of Thy people was He stricken.'' ::Psalm 16:10 :::''But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell; nor didst Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption.'' ::Psalm 24:7-10 :::''Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.'' :::''Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.'' :::''Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.'' :::''Who is the King of glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory.'' ::Hebrews 1:5 :::''Unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten Thee?'' ::Hebrews 1:6 :::''Let all the angels of God worship Him.'' ::Psalm 68:18 :::''Thou art gone up on high, Thou hast led captivity captive, and receivèd gifts for men; yea, even for Thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them.'' ::Psalm 68:11 :::''The Lord gave the word: great was the company of the preachers.'' ::Romans 10:15 :::''How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things.'' ::Romans 10:18 :::''Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words unto the ends of the world.'' ::Psalm 2:1, 2 :::''Why do the nations so furiously rage together? {Link without Title} why do the people imagine a vain thing?'' :::''The kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take consel together against the Lord, and against His Annointed.'' ::Psalm 2:3 :::''Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us.'' ::Psalm 2:4 :::''He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision.'' ::Psalm 2:9 :::''Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.'' ::Revelations 19:6; 11:15; 19:16 :::''HALLELUJAH! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.'' :::''The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ: and He shall reign for ever and ever.'' :::''KING OF KINGS, and LORD OF LORDS, HALLELUJAH!'' :No. 45. Air (''Soprano''): ''I know that my Redeemer liveth'' ::Job 19:25, 26 :::''I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:'' :::''And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.'' ::I Corinthians 15:20 :::''For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first-fruits of them that sleep.'' :No. 46. Chorus: ''Since by man came death'' ::I Corinthians 15:21 :::''Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.'' :No. 47. Recit. accompanied (''Bass''): ''Behold, I tell you a mystery'' ::I Corinthians 15:51, 52 :::''Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep; but we shall all be changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.'' :No. 48. Air (''Bass''): ''The trumpet shall sound'' ::I Corinthians 15:52, 53 :::''The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised in corruptible, and we shall be changed.'' :::''For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.'' :No. 49. Recitative (''Alto''): ''Then shall be brought to pass'' ::I Corinthians 15:54 :::''Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory.'' :No. 50. Duet (''Alto and Tenor''): ''O death, where is thy sting?'' ::I Corinthians 15:55, 56 :::''O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.'' :No. 51. Chorus: ''But thanks be to God'' ::I Corinthians 15:57 :::''But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.'' :No. 52. Air (''Soprano''): ''If God be for us, who can be against us?'' ::Romans 8:31, 33, 34 :::''If God be for us, who can be against us? who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth?'' :::''It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is at the right hand of God, who makes intercession for us.'' :No. 53. Chorus: ''Worthy is the Lamb that was slain'' ::Revelation 5:12, 13 :::''Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.'' :::''Blessing and honour, glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.'' :::''Amen.'' EXTERNAL LINKS
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