Getting a Handel on "Messiah"
It's safe to say that literally millions of words have already been written about Georg Friedrich Handel's most recognizable work, so what few additional comments I may make are only to benefit those who have never heard a performance of the entire piece, and who therefore don't know what to expect. At around three full hours in length, this is a musical juggernaut for orchestra, chorus and audience alike, and can be pretty intimidating to the unitiated, so a little introduction may prove useful to you.
Composed in 1742, Handel's "Messiah" takes various passages from both the Old and New Testaments of the bible relating to the life of Christ and sets them to music in a more or less chronological order. That being said, it does not tell a story in the traditional sense, and thus differs from the oratorios of Handel's day, but still shows his mastery of operatic composition and theatrical aesthetics.
In a way, this actually led to some problems for Handel. In mid-18th Century England, the theater was viewed by some ecclisiastics to be profane and even subversive to proper society, and much of Handel's more operatic works were derided as nonsense at best and possibly obscene at worst. Since many of the talented singers available to Handel were choristers from the local church, his use of them in purely secular, non-church-related music often made him the target of conservatives and church leaders. So some may have questioned his decision to write a rather lengthy piece on the life of Jesus, suspecting he might nto treat the subject with the deference and respect He is due -- as though the posters for the premiere might read, "One night only -- soprano Cecelia Evans and tenor Bartholemew Vivers in hot choral action!"
Because of his reluctance to premiere "Messiah" in London for these reasons, Handel chose instead to take the work on the road and premiered it in Dublin at Easter in 1742, and when it did premiere in London a year later, he added the subtitle "A Sacred Oratorio" to assure the audeince and his critics that he did not intend to blaspheme his subject.
The libretto was selected from the Old and New Testaments by Charles Jennens (1700-1773), and clearly sectioned the piece into three distinct parts:
A section dealing with the prophecy of Christ's birth, his life and works on Earth,
The crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, and the call to spread the word, and
What it all means: redemption, the glory of God, and life everlasting following the Day of Judgement.
The selection and organization of "Messiah" from scattered books of the Bible makes sense out of different perspectives of the life of Jesus and reconciles apparent paradoxes in the scripture. In this way, it makes the Christ story more accessible to the common audience, especially beginning in the Victorian era of the early 1800's, when special bargain performances were offered to target the less affluent for this very purpose (symphonic and operatic performances had previously been mostly intended for the upper classes, but by the mid-1800's, a shift in attitudes emphasized making the arts accessible to the common man as well)
Musically, "Messiah" is a fascinating study in style and composition. Numerous sections of the score are notable for Handel's use of tone painting -- making the music itself do what is being sung in the libretto, with descriptions of mountains sung at the top of a singer's range, hills described at a slightly lower tone, and valleys as low as he or she can go. Emphasis is placed on significant themes, switching to minor keys and heavier sounds for dramatic events, while sung lightly, almost trippingly during the beginning and end parts dealing with the virgin birth and the miracle of the resurrection.
I have to note that you will probably never hear a performance of the original, untouched version of Handel's "Messiah," because the piece has been tinkered with many times over the past 250 years or so. Handel himself re-wrote some of the solos to accommodate the soloists he had on hand -- several sections were actually written with a castrato in mind to sing the alto part, but when he didn't even have an alto available, he adapted the part for a soprano, or in a few cases, even for a bass. In the century following it's premiere, the piece was "improved" by various composers for various reasons, most notably by Mozart, who was commissioned to translate it into German and modify it to appeal to a more elite audience, and because much of Handel's style was already considered rather archaic, just fifty years after he originally wrote it. As music became a sort of populist vogue, the piece progressively shifted further away from the original score and modest chorus of thirty young male singers, by adding new instruments and ever larger choruses, peaking at over 3000 singers and musicians in the elaborate festivals held at the Crystal Palace)
A move toward a more authentic version of Messiah began in the late 1800's beginning with Sir George Grove, who discarded the additions made by Mozart and others as well as the changes in orchestration. Today, while there is still some debate about just how close to the original score a symphony may want to perform, there is usually what is considered to be a happy medium, with a chorus of around 100 singers and much of the Mozart-influenced changes removed.
As for the performance itself, from what I've seen, there is usually an intermission either in the middle or end of the second part. It has become tradition to stand for the "Hallelujah" chorus, and applause at the end of the chorus is also customary (the story goes that King George II was so moved by that particular section that he stood for it, and as was custom, when the king stood, so did you). As I've noted elsewhere, it's becoming more acceptable to applaud at other parts of a performance as well, though I'd personally discourage it. The only exception I think I'd allow is for notable performances by the soloists. If you're simply overcome with emotion and begin applauding, though, I'm pretty sure no one will fault you for it.
Whether you are a devout Christian, an Easter-and-Christmas Catholic, or a simply a lover of great music, "Messiah" is sure to please. With its depth of color in composition, variety of thematic elements and strong sense of purpose, it's no wonder that it has become one of the most cherished and celebrated works of music in the English-speaking world and a perennial crowd-pleaser. If you haven't had an opportunity before now to hear it in person, I strongly recommend doing so first chance you get. Even for an old agnostic like me, it's inspiring and quite enjoyable to perform, a joy to hear when done well.
Sources: Messiah: A Sacred Oratorio David Vickers
Handel's Messiah Through the Centuries Patrick N. Findlay
Wikipedia
Reviews:
Sure hand at helm of triumphant "Messiah" Melinda Bargreen, Seattle Times, Dec. 14, 2007
'Messiah' brings out the best in SSO R.M. Campbell, Seattle PI, Dec. 14, 2007
Handel's "Messiah" is ever powerful Melinda Bargreen, Seattle Times, Dec. 16, 2006
Guest conductor packs a punch Melinda Bargreen, Seattle Times, Dec. 17, 2005
Updated: Jan. 19, 2007
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