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Messiah

Handel / Jennens

Testimony of Jesus Christ Mostly Sung During Christmas Composition and premiere Music often simplified to be playable for others

Texts and structure
The libretto (text) was compiled by Charles Jennens and consists of fragments of verses mostly from the King James Bible.

Almost word for word to a King James Bible
Words of Christ in the KJB when Christ is speaking of himself are changed to he, him, etc.
It is in a third person narration
There are a few paraphrased words & verses, ie. Allelujah changed to Hallelujah


Part I: The Birth

        Scene 1: The prophecy of Salvation
        Scene 2: The prophecy of the coming of the Messiah
        Scene 3: The importance to the world at large
        Scene 4: Prophecy of the Virgin Birth
        Scene 5: The appearance of the Angel to the shepherds
        Scene 6: Christ's miracles

Part II: The Crucifixion

        Scene 1: The sacrifice, the scourging and agony on the cross
        Scene 2: His death, His passing through Hell, and His resurrection
        Scene 3: His Ascension
        Scene 4: God discloses His identity in Heaven
        Scene 5: The beginning of evangelism
        Scene 6: The world and its rulers reject the Gospel
        Scene 7: God's triumph

Part III: The Aftermath

        Scene 1: The promise of redemption from Adam's fall
        Scene 2: Judgment Day
        Scene 3: The victory over death and sin
        Scene 4: The glorification of Christ


Scriptural Texts

For the Musicians in our Web Family

Messiah is scored for SATB soloists, SATB chorus, 2 oboes, bassoon, 2 trumpets, timpani, strings, and basso continuo. The Mozart arrangement expands the orchestra to 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, strings, and organ. In 1959, Sir Thomas Beecham conducted a larger arrangement by Eugene Goossens for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra which expands the instrumentation to 3 flutes (one doubling on piccolo), 4 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, and strings; this edition is most often heard today in recordings.

Aria - a solo vocal piece with instrumental accompaniment.
Recitative - a narrative passage in an oratorio, reflecting the natural rhythms of speech.
Melisma - an expressive vocal phrase or passage consisting of several notes sung to one syllable

Text-painting

Suffix Self-plagiarzing

Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah

The most famous movement is the "Hallelujah" chorus, which concludes the second of the three parts.

Tradition of Standing During the Hallelujah Chorus

Messiah
George Frederic Handel  (1695-1759)

Titles and Scripture References

Part I

(1) Overture

(2) Comfort Ye
Isaiah 40:1-3

(3) Every Valley
Isaiah 40:4

(4) And the Glory of the Lord
Isaiah 40:5

(5) Thus saith the Lord
Haggai 2:6,7
Malachi 3:11

(6) But who may abide the Day of His Coming?
Malachi 3:2

(7) And He shall Purify
Malachi 3:3

(8) Behold A Virgin Shall Conceive
Isaiah 7:14 (Matthew 1:23)

(9) O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion
Isaiah 40:9
Isaiah 60:1

(10) For behold, darkness shall cover the earth
Isaiah 60:2,3

(11) The people that walked in darkness
Isaiah 9:2 (Matthew 3:16)

For unto Us a Child is born
Isaiah 9:6

(13) Pastoral Symphony

(14) There were shepherds abiding in the field
Luke 2:8
Luke 2:9

(15) And the Angel said unto them
Luke 2:10,11

(16) And suddenly there was with the Angel
Luke 2:13

(17) Glory to God
Luke 2:14

(18) Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion
Zechariah 9:9,10 (Matthew 21:5)

(19) Then shall the eyes of the blind
Isaiah 35:5,6

(20) He shall feed his flock like a shepherd
Isaiah 40:11
Matthew 11:28, 29 28

(21) His yoke is easy
Matthew 11:30


Part II

(22) Behold the lamb of God
John 1:29

(23) He was despised
Isaiah 53:3

(24) Surely He hath borne our griefs
Isaiah 53:4,5

(25) And with His stripes we are healed
Isaiah 53:5b

(26) All we like sheep have gone astray
Isaiah 53:6

(27) All they that see him laugh him to scorn
Psalm 22:7

(28) He trusted in God
Psalm 22:8 (Matthew 27:43)

(29) Thy rebuke hath broken His heart
Psalm 69:20

(30) Behold, and see if there be any sorrow
Lamentations 1:12

(31) He was cut off out of the land of the living
Isaiah 53:8b

(32) But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell
Psalm 16:10 (Acts 2:27)

(33) Lift up your heads, O ye gates
Psalm 24:7-10

(34) Unto which of the angels said He at any time
Hebrews 1:5 (Psalm 2:7)

(35) Let all the angels of God worship Him
Hebrews 1:6b

(36) Thou art gone up on high
Psalm 68:18 (Ephesians 4:8)

(37) The Lord gave the word
Psalm 68:11

(38) How beautiful are the feet
Romans 10:15 (Isaiah 52:7)

(39) Their sound is gone out
Romans 10:18 (Psalm 19:4)

(40) Why do the nations so furiously rage together?
Psalm 2:1,2 (Acts 4:25-26)

(41) Let us break their bonds asunder
Psalm 2:3

(42) He that dwelleth in heaven
Psalm 2:4

(43) Thou shalt break them
Psalm 2:9

(44) Hallelujah
Revelation 19:6


Part III

(45) I know that my redeemer liveth
Job 19:25, 26

(46) Since by man came death
I Corinthians 15:21,22

(47) Behold I tell you a mystery
I Corinthians 15:51,52

(48) The trumpet shall sound
I Corinthians 15:52b-53

(49) Then shall be brought to pass
I Corinthians 15:54b (Isaiah 25:8)

(50) O death where is thy sting?
I Corinthians 15:55-56 (Hosea 13:14)

(51) But thanks be to God
1 Corinthians 15:57 57

(52) If God be for us
Romans 8:31, 33, 34

(53) Worthy is the Lamb
Revelation 5:12, 13


Scriptures Only
Part II Part III
Amen