HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1986-12-23, Page 39Music of Han del adds joy
to our holiday season
The music of Christmas is part of
the season’s charm, and of all the
musical works associated with
Christmas, perhaps none is as
beloved as George Frederic Han
del’s masterpiece, Messiah.
As a young man, Handel was
appointed conductor to the Elector
of Hanover, in his native country.
During the autumn of 1710, he
visited London, where he met with
great success. A year later, Handel
returned to London and after being
presented with a pension by the
reigning Queen Anne, he decided
not to return to his homeland.
However, Anne died and in a
uniqueturnofevents, Handel’s old
master, the Elector of Hanover,
now George 1, ascended the throne
of England.
Fortunately, the new king was a
true music lover, andheretored
Handel to favor. Handel soon
occupied a key position in the
artistic life of England, writing,
producing and directing operas.
Eventually he turned from opera
to the oratorio form, reaching the
mass audience of his day. His
oratorioswerechoral dramas of
great vitality and grandeur, ideally
suited to the middle class of
England.
Messiah is the crowning work of
Handel. Written in just 24 days, it
was performed for the first time in
1742. It expressed the faith of the
man who was Handel, the man who
exclaimed to his servant, upon
completing the oratorio, “I did
think I did see all heaven before
me, and the great God Himself!”
The libertto is a compilation of
verses from the Bible. Although
the libertto is generally attributed
to Charles Jennens, a wealth
patron of the arts, there is reason to
believe the Jennen’s chaplain was
more than partially responsible for
it.
In the first part of the oratorio,
the prophecies of the coming of
Christ and His birth are treated;
this is the portion most frequently
performed at Christmas time. The
verses are drawn from the pro
phets of the Old Testament, the
Psalms, the Evangelists and the
letters of St. Paul.
The second part of the oratorio
concludes with the famed Hallelu
jah Chorus. So moved was King
George upon hearing this chorus,
tradition says, he spontaneously
rose to his feet. Today, audiences
still stand during the Hallelujah
Chorus in tribute to this great
work.
THURS., FRI., SAT
5P.M.-12A.M.
THE CITIZEN, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1986. PAGE 39.
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