Messiah
MESSIAH
In 1741, at the age of 56, following a disastrous opera season, G. F. Handel finally turned his back on opera and concentrated on the composition of oratorio. Diedamia, his final opera, had failed after a handful of performances and he found himself bankrupt and almost friendless. It was his custom to work each summer composing the scores for the next season and the summer of 1741 was no different but the works upon which he occupied himself were to English rather than Italian texts. MESSIAH, composed between August 22nd and September 14th, was to establish his fame in Ireland and Samson re-established his fortune in England.
Having received an invitation to visit Dublin from William Cavendish, Third Duke of Devonshire, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, to come and present a season of music for the nobility and gentry of the city, Handel set out in November 1741 with the score of his new work in reserve. It was some two hundred and sixty five hand-written pages, showing little or no sign of correction or indecision. Handel eventually arrived in Dublin on November 18th and stayed in Abbey Street, near Liffey Street. A concert season was announced for Mr. Neil’s New Musick Hall in Fishamble Street, which had been opened on October 2nd that same year. This season of concerts commenced on December 23rd and was such a success, that a second season was quickly arranged. Yet there was no mention of the new work in either season, but finally on March 27th 1742, the first advertisement for MESSIAH appeared in the Dublin Journal as follows:
‘For the relief of the prisoners in the several Gaols and for the Support of Mercer’s Hospital in Stephen’s Street and of the Charitable Infirmary on the Inn’s Quay, on Monday 12th April will be performed at the Musick Hall in Fishamble Street, Mr. Handel’s new Grand Oratorio called the MESSIAH…’
The performance took place on April 13th, one day later than advertised, to a capacity audience of 700 in a room designed to hold only 600. This was achieved by requesting the ladies attending not to wear hoops in their skirts and the gentlemen were similarly asked not to bring their swords. The newspapers went into raptures over the work and over the fact that all involved gave their services freely to assist the charities. Almost £400 was raised for the charities and so MESSIAH’S first great triumph was complete and the long and illustrious history of what is the world’s most popular oratorio was duly launched. This performance of MESSIAH was to establish Ireland and Dublin’s place in particular in the music history books for all time.
The last concert Handel gave in Dublin, before his return to London, was on June 3rd 1742, and it was a repeat performance of MESSIAH, which was as successful as the original and the work was presented annually in Dublin thereafter.
MESSIAH has offered much spiritual consolation to a great number of people and so it continues to do in our own time. MESSIAH draws its text from the Scriptures alone. The music of MESSIAH falls into three parts or Acts – Part One deals with the Old Testament prophecies leading to the birth of Christ and the rejoicing thereat; Part Two depicts the Passion and Second Coming and is more contemplative, leading to the glorious Hallelujah Chorus at Christ’s victory over sin and death. It is said that Handel having finished this chorus, was discovered by his servant sitting at his desk staring into space and whispering to himself: “I did think I did see all Heaven before me and the Great God Himself.” Part Three is a celebration of Christ’s work as Redeemer, of the spread of the Gospel and the final Adoration of the Lamb by the Church in Heaven at the Redemption of the human race. The text can be summed up in the quotation from St. Paul’s First Letter to Timothy, 3:16; which Jennens placed on the cover of the textbook: “And without controversy, great is the mystery of Godliness; God was manifested in the Flesh, justified by the Spirit, seen by the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in Glory. In whom are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge”. The text presents the eternal truths of our faith, with Handel’s music adding a wealth of spiritual experience to the words with many examples of perfectly applied musical illustration, for he was deeply conscious of the spiritual as well as musical value of his masterpiece, and when complimented on presenting ‘a splendid entertainment’ he replied: “I would be sorry if I only entertained them; I wished to make them better”.
Notes © Paul Kenny, 2009