The "Messiah" represents
the ripened product of Handel's
genius, and reflects the noblest aspirations
and most exalted devotion of mankind. Among all his oratorios it retains its
original freshness, vigor, and beauty in the highest degree, in that it appeals
to the loftiest sentiment and to universal religious devotion, and is based
upon the most harmonious, symmetrical, and enduring forms of the art.
It's composition was begun on the 22d day of August, 1741.
The
first part was concluded August 28, the second, September 6, the third,
September 12, and the instrumentation, September 14, and it was "For
the Relief of the Prisoners in the several Gaols, and for the Support of
Mercer's Hospital, in Stephen's Street, and of the Charitable Infirmary on the
Inn's Quay"
The
"Messiah" was performed thirty-four times during the composer's life,
but never upon a scale commensurate with its merits until the Handel
Commemoration at Westminster Abbey in 1784, when the largest choir and band
that had ever assembled before, with the renowned Madame Mara at the head of
the soloists, first gave the "Messiah" to the world in accordance
with the grand ideal of the composer. The orchestra was composed as follows:
First violins, 40; second violins, 47; tenors, 26; first oboes, 13; second
oboes, 13; flutes, 6; violoncellos, 21; double-basses, 15; bassoons, 26;
double-bassoon, 1; trumpets, 12; trombones, 6; horns, 12; kettledrums, 3;
double-kettledrum, 1: total, 242. The choir was made up as follows: Sopranos,
60, of whom 45 were choir-boys; counter-tenors (altos), 40; tenors, 83; basses,
84: making the entire number of singers 267.
The oratorio is divided into three
parts. The first illustrates the longing of the world for the Messiah,
prophesies his coming, and announces his birth; the second part is devoted to
the sufferings, death, and exaltation of Christ, and develops the spread and
ultimate triumph of the Gospel; while the third is occupied with the
declaration of the highest truths of doctrine,--faith in the existence of God,
the surety of immortal life, the resurrection, and the attainment of an
eternity of happiness.
The first part opens with an
overture, or rather orchestral prelude, of majestic chords, leading to a short
fugue, developed with severe simplicity and preparing the way for the
accompanied recitative, "Comfort ye My People," and the aria for
tenor, "Every Valley shall be exalted," which in turn leads to the
full, strong chorus, "And the Glory of the Lord shall be revealed,"--the
three numbers in reality forming one. The prophecy is announced, only to be
followed by the human apprehension in the great aria for bass ("But who
may abide the Day of His coming"), written in the Sicilian pastoral
style,--a form of which, Burney affirms, Handel was very fond. The aria leads
to the exquisitely constructed number, "And He shall purify," a
fugued chorus closing in simple harmony. Once more the prophet announces,
"Behold, a Virgin shall conceive," followed by the alto solo, "O
Thou that tellest," which preludes a chorus in the same tempo. The next
aria ("The People that walked in Darkness"), with its curious but
characteristic modulations, leads to one of the most graphic fugued choruses in
the whole work ("For unto us a Child is born"), elegantly interwoven
with the violin parts, and emphasized with sublime announcements of the names
of the Messiah in full harmony and with the strongest choral power. The
grand burst of sound dies away, there is a significant pause, and then follows
a short but exquisite Pastoral Symphony for the strings, which with the four
succeeding bits of recitative tells the message of the Angels to the Shepherds
on the plains of Bethlehem. Suddenly follows the chorus of the heavenly hosts
("Glory to God"), which is remarkably expressive, and affords sharp
contrasts in the successive clear responses to the fugue. The difficult but
very brilliant aria for soprano, "Rejoice greatly," the lovely aria,
"He shall feed His Flock," originally written entire for soprano, in
which Handel returns again to the pastoral style, and a short chorus ("His
Yoke is easy"), close the first part.
The second part is the most
impressive portion of the work. It begins with a majestic and solemn chorus
("Behold the Lamb of God"), which is followed by the aria for alto,
"He was despised,"--one of the most pathetic and deeply expressive
songs ever written, in which the very key-note of sorrow is struck. Two
choruses--"Surely He hath borne our Griefs," rather intricate in
harmony, and "With His Stripes we are healed," a fugued chorus
written a capella upon an admirable subject--lead to the spirited and
thoroughly interesting chorus, "All we like Sheep have gone astray,"
closing with an adagio of great beauty ("And the Lord hath laid on Him the
Iniquity of us all"). This is followed by several short numbers,--a choral
fugue ("He trusted in God"), the accompanied recitative
("Thy Rebuke hath broken His Heart"), a short but very pathetic aria
for tenor ("Behold and see if there be any Sorrow"), and an aria for
soprano ("But Thou didst not leave His Soul in Hell"),--all of which
are remarkable instances of the musical expression of sorrow and pity. These
numbers lead to a triumphal shout in the chorus and semi-choruses, "Lift
up your Heads, O ye Gates," which reach a climax of magnificent power and
strongly contrasted effects. After the chorus, "Let all the Angels of God
worship Him," a fugue constructed upon two subjects, the aria, "Thou
art gone up on high," and the chorus, "The Lord gave the Word,"
we reach another pastoral aria of great beauty, "How beautiful are the
Feet." This is followed by a powerfully descriptive chorus ("Their
Sound is gone out into all Lands"), a massive aria for bass ("Why do
the Nations"), the chorus, "Let us break their Bonds asunder,"
and the aria, "Thou shalt break them," leading directly to the great
Hallelujah Chorus, which is the triumph of the work and its real climax. It
opens with exultant shouts of "Hallelujah." Then ensue three simple
phrases, the middle one in plain counterpoint, which form the groundwork for
the "Hallelujah." These phrases, seemingly growing out of each other,
and reiterated with constantly increasing power, interweaving with and
sustaining the "Hallelujah" with wonderful harmonic effects, make up
a chorus that has never been excelled, not only in musical skill, but
also in grandeur and sublimity. After listening to its performance, one can
understand Handel's words: "I did think I did see all heaven before me,
and the great God himself." This number closes the second part. It is
worthy of note in this connection that when the oratorio was first performed at
Covent Garden, London, in 1743, the whole audience, with the King at its head,
arose during the singing of the "Hallelujah" and remained standing
until it was finished,--a custom which is still observed, not only in England,
but also in this country.
If the oratorio had closed at this
point it would not have disturbed the unities; but Handel carried it into a
third part with undiminished interest, opening it with that sublime confession
of faith, "I know that my Redeemer liveth,"--an aria which will never
be lost. It is followed by two quartets in plain counterpoint with choral
responses, "Since by Man came Death," and "For as in Adam all
die," in which the effects of contrast are very forcibly brought out. The
last important aria in the work ("The Trumpet shall sound"), for bass
with trumpet obligato, will always be admired for its beauty and stirring
effect. The oratorio closes with three choruses, all in the same key and of the
same general sentiment,--"Worthy is the Lamb," a piece of smooth,
flowing harmony; "Blessing and Honor," a fugue led off by the tenors
and bassos in unison, and repeated by the sopranos and altos on the octave,
closing with full harmony on the words "for ever and ever"
several times reiterated; and the final, "Amen" chorus, which is
treated in the severest style, and in which the composer evidently gave free
rein to his genius, not being hampered with the trammels of words.
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