Messiah (1741, first performed: Dublin, April 13, 1742)
Article: The Glorious History of Handel's Messiah
Article: John Newton on Handel's Messiah
The Messiah's Libretto
A 1754 performance at the London Foundling's hospital is the first for which full
details of the orchestral and vocal forces survive. The orchestra included fifteen
violins, five violas, three cellos, two double-basses, four bassoons, four oboes, two
trumpets, two horns and drums. There were 19 singers.
Handel - Messiah - London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis, cond. (2 hr, 38 min)
Messiah is in three acts and takes between 2 hours and 20 minutes to 2 hours and 35 minutes to perform.
Handel - Messiah - London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis, cond. (2 hr, 38 min)
Messiah is in three acts and takes between 2 hours and 20 minutes to 2 hours and 35 minutes to perform.
Part I
Scene 1: Isaiah's prophecy of salvation
1. Sinfony (instrumental)
2. Comfort ye my people (tenor)
3. Ev'ry valley shall be exalted (tenor)
4. The Glory of the Lord (chorus)
Scene 2: The coming judgment
5. Thus saith the Lord of hosts (bass)
6. But who may abide the day of His coming (alto)
Scene 2: The coming judgment
5. Thus saith the Lord of hosts (bass)
6. But who may abide the day of His coming (alto)
The Air as a human reaction to the words of God, shows the trembling in the expectation of the Lord's appearance twofold in a dramatic scene. The Air begins with the pensive question "But who may abide" and continues, in a sharp shift of time and tempo "Prestissimo", with the statement "For He is like a refiner's fire". Forceful downward runs, leaps and trills of the voice are accompanied by fiery figuration in the strings.
7. And he shall purify the sons of Levi (chorus)
The chorus picks up the idea in the fugue "And he shall purify", with coloraturas on "purify", which may stand for a purifying fire.
Scene 3: The prophecy of Christ's birth
8. Behold, a virgin shall conceive (alto)
9. O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion (alto and chorus)
10. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth (bass)
11. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light (bass)
12. For unto us a child is born (chorus)
The choir concludes the scene, telling the news of Christmas, the birth of a son, "For unto us a Child is born", in Isaiah's words (Isaiah 9:6). Marked piano, the sopranos enter a fugue first, singing a delicate theme with many rests. Their countersubject to the tenors' entry is a shimmering coloratura for more than three measures.
Scene 4: The annunciation to the shepherds
13. Pifa ("pastoral symphony": instrumental)
14a. There were shepherds abiding in the fields (soprano)
14b. And lo, the angel of the Lord (soprano)
15. And the angel said unto them (soprano)
16. And suddenly there was with the angel (soprano)
17. Glory to God in the highest (chorus) - Like a Gloria in a mass
Handel waited until the angels' song "Glory to God" to introduce the trumpets. He marked them as "da lontano e un poco piano" (from afar and somewhat quietly).
Handel's setting of the famous words is strikingly simple and effective: "Glory to God, glory to God in the highest" is sung by the high voices (soprano, alto and tenor), whereas "and peace on earth" is given to the low voices of tenor and bass in unison, with the bass dropping an octave for "on earth." In great contrast, "goodwill towards men" is sung in a fast sequence of entries in imitation, with the word "goodwill" on another upward fourth.
Scene 5: Christ's healing and redemption
18. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion (soprano)
19. Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened (soprano)
20. He shall feed His flock like a shepherd (alto and soprano)
21. His yoke is easy (chorus)
Part II
Scene 1: Christ's Passion
22. Behold the Lamb of God (chorus)
23. He was despised and rejected of men (alto)
24. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows (chorus)
25. And with his stripes we are healed (chorus)
26. All we like sheep have gone astray (chorus)
27. All they that see him laugh him to scorn (tenor)
28. He trusted in God that he would deliver him (chorus)
The thought "All they that see Him, laugh Him to scorn" is taken from Psalms 22:7, the psalm from which Jesus quoted on the cross. Handel uses the key of Bb minor to make it ominous The strings through in violent figures after "laugh Him to scorn" and "shoot out their lips", similar to an outburst of laughter.
29. Thy rebuke hath broken his heart (tenor or soprano)
30. Behold and see if there be any sorrow (tenor or soprano)
Scene 2: Christ's Death and Resurrection
31. He was cut off (tenor or soprano)
32. But thou didst not leave his soul in hell (tenor or soprano)
Scene 3: Christ's Ascension
33. Lift up your heads, O ye gates (chorus)
Scene 4: Christ's reception in Heaven
34. Unto which of the angels (tenor)
35. Let all the angels of God worship Him (chorus)
Scene 5: The beginnings of Gospel preaching
36. Thou art gone up on high (soprano)
37. The Lord Gave The Word (chorus)
38. How beautiful are the feet (soprano)
39. Their sound is gone out (chorus)
Scene 6: The world's rejection of the Gospel
40. Why do the nations so furiously rage together (bass)
41. Let us break their bonds asunder (chorus)
42. He that dwelleth in heaven (tenor)
Scene 7: God's ultimate victory
43. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron (tenor)
44. Hallelujah (chorus)
Part II closes with the chorus Hallelujah, in the key of D major with trumpets and timpani. The choir introduces in homophony a characteristic simple motif on the word, playing with the interval of a second, which re-appears throughout the piece. Several lines from the Book of Revelation (Revelation 19:6,16, Revelation 11:15) are treated differently, as in a motet, but unified by "Hallelujah" as a conclusion or as a countersubject in a fugal section. The line "for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth" is sung by all voices, first in unison, then in imitation with Hallelujah-exclamations interspersed. The second line "The kingdom of this world is become" is sung in a four-part setting like a chorale. The third idea "and he shall reign for ever and ever" starts as a fugue on a theme with bold leaps, reminiscent in sequence of Philipp Nicolai's Lutheran chorale "Wachet auf". As a countersubject, the words "for ever – and ever" assume the rhythm of the Hallelujah-motif. The final acclamation "King of Kings...and Lord of Lords" is sung on one note, energized by repeated calls "Hallelujah" and "for ever – and ever", raised higher and higher (the sopranos and the trumpets part), up to a rest full of tension and a final solemn "Hallelujah".
Scene 1: The promise of eternal life
45. I know that my Redeemer liveth (soprano)
46. Since by man came death (chorus)
Scene 2: The Day of Judgment
47. Behold, I tell you a mystery (bass)
48. The trumpet shall sound (bass)
Scene 3: The final conquest of sin
49. Then shall be brought to pass (alto)
50. O death, where is thy sting (alto and tenor)
51. But thanks be to God (chorus)
52. If God be for us, who can be against us (soprano)
Scene 4: The acclamation of the Messiah
53. Worthy is the Lamb (chorus) Amen (chorus)
Scene 2: Christ's Death and Resurrection
31. He was cut off (tenor or soprano)
32. But thou didst not leave his soul in hell (tenor or soprano)
Scene 3: Christ's Ascension
33. Lift up your heads, O ye gates (chorus)
Scene 4: Christ's reception in Heaven
34. Unto which of the angels (tenor)
35. Let all the angels of God worship Him (chorus)
Scene 5: The beginnings of Gospel preaching
36. Thou art gone up on high (soprano)
37. The Lord Gave The Word (chorus)
38. How beautiful are the feet (soprano)
39. Their sound is gone out (chorus)
Scene 6: The world's rejection of the Gospel
40. Why do the nations so furiously rage together (bass)
41. Let us break their bonds asunder (chorus)
42. He that dwelleth in heaven (tenor)
Scene 7: God's ultimate victory
43. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron (tenor)
44. Hallelujah (chorus)
Part II closes with the chorus Hallelujah, in the key of D major with trumpets and timpani. The choir introduces in homophony a characteristic simple motif on the word, playing with the interval of a second, which re-appears throughout the piece. Several lines from the Book of Revelation (Revelation 19:6,16, Revelation 11:15) are treated differently, as in a motet, but unified by "Hallelujah" as a conclusion or as a countersubject in a fugal section. The line "for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth" is sung by all voices, first in unison, then in imitation with Hallelujah-exclamations interspersed. The second line "The kingdom of this world is become" is sung in a four-part setting like a chorale. The third idea "and he shall reign for ever and ever" starts as a fugue on a theme with bold leaps, reminiscent in sequence of Philipp Nicolai's Lutheran chorale "Wachet auf". As a countersubject, the words "for ever – and ever" assume the rhythm of the Hallelujah-motif. The final acclamation "King of Kings...and Lord of Lords" is sung on one note, energized by repeated calls "Hallelujah" and "for ever – and ever", raised higher and higher (the sopranos and the trumpets part), up to a rest full of tension and a final solemn "Hallelujah".
Part III
Scene 1: The promise of eternal life
45. I know that my Redeemer liveth (soprano)
46. Since by man came death (chorus)
Scene 2: The Day of Judgment
47. Behold, I tell you a mystery (bass)
48. The trumpet shall sound (bass)
Scene 3: The final conquest of sin
49. Then shall be brought to pass (alto)
50. O death, where is thy sting (alto and tenor)
51. But thanks be to God (chorus)
52. If God be for us, who can be against us (soprano)
Scene 4: The acclamation of the Messiah
53. Worthy is the Lamb (chorus) Amen (chorus)
No comments:
Post a Comment