HANDEL’S “MESSIAH”

Putaruru Press, Volume XX, Issue 1209, 21 November 1946, Page 2

HANDEL’S “MESSIAH”

NOTES ON COMPOSER Naturalised British Subject In view of the ambitious decision to produce Handel’s "Messiah”, in the Matamata district, the following notes on the life of this great composer should be of interest. George Frederic Handel was born at Halle, in Saxony, the son of a surgeon-barber, in February, 1685. At an early age he revealed! great musical gifts, but received no encouragement from his father. After spending some time in Berlin, in 170® he played in an orchestra in the Opera House, Hamburg. His first opera, Almivra, was produced! in 1705, when he- was 20 years of age. Later, three years in Italy followed, during which time he produced: several operas with great success, and in 17il0 he was appointed chapeomaster” to the elector of Hanover, afterwards George I. of England Handel introduced himself to English audiences with the opera “Rinaldo,’’ which aroused great enthusiasm. His many operas are now known only by name, and by a few isolated songs, but on the other hand his finest oratorios are universal favourites, the grandeur of their choruses being unequalled. *

Handel eventually settled in London and became a naturalised British subject. It was there that he wrote his great oratorios, and it is by this music and. particularly the ever-opular “Messiah” that he is remembered - to-day. He is considered the master of oratorio. There is no work that has been so consistently performed as the “Messiah,” and throughout the English-speaking world it is looked upon as a regular Christmas festival. This g'eat work lends itself to complete partial performance by any good choir. It was first sung in (London on April 18, 1742, before King George 11.

The work itself can hi divided into six parts: (1) The promise of the Messiah as portrayed in the Old Testament prophecies; (2) the coming of the Messiah. Here we have in choral form the Christmas story, “Unto Us a Child is Born,” the shepherds in the fields, the angel’s message and the heavenly choir. -Part three deals with the life of the Messiah, His sinless life, the healer of the blind, the deaf, the dumb, and the sick, the shepherd and tho burden bearer. (4) The death of the Messiah, telling the story of His suffering, rejection and scourging, bearing our grief and sins. ,

In part five there follows the triumphal solos and choruses of the Resurrection, culminating in the majestic “Hallelujah Chorus,” to whose majesty-'every audience still rises spontaneously, a tradition established by, King George 11. Tlhe final part (6) is Short, but commences with the beautiful “I Know That My •’Redeemer Liveth,” end ends with' the two great choruses, “Worthy is the Lamb,” and the final “Amen-” built up into a tremendous fugue. There is no likelihood that such music as the “Messiah” will ever be forgotten. Handel’s masterpiece has become almost a religion in itself, and music-lovers never tire of singing and listenng to its thrilling melodies.