apr 13, 1742 - George Frideric Handel - Messiah, HWV 56
Description:
Messiah, or HWV 56, was an oratorio composed by the German composer George Frideric Handel in 1741 during the Baroque Era. It was made for choir, soloists, and orchestra, and is one of, if not his best known works. It is unique since it uses a libretto based on sacred biblical texts, made by author Charles Jennens. Debuted in 1742 in Dublin, "Messiah was born when Handel’s experimental nature was confronted with the fickle, changing tastes of London audiences and the politics of the English church. Italian opera was losing popularity fast, but the public still loved a good biblical story. The Bishop of London had forbidden performances of works with religious overtones on London stages so Handel decided to write a work for concert performance in a church" (Mellor, Andrew. “‘Messiah’: The Story behind Handel’s Masterpiece.” uDiscover Music, 21 Dec. 2023). Messiah tells the story of Jesus Christ's birth, crucifixition, and resurrection, where the chorus is the highlight of each part. The most well-known and memorable moment in Messiah is the Hallelujah chorus, which is made up of powerful dynamics from the choir and orchestra. Messiah is performed frequently during Easter and Christmas, and reflects the expressive power and grandeur of the Baroque Era.Added to timeline:
Date:
apr 13, 1742
Now
~ 283 years ago