This paper analyzes Handel's Messiah in a deep descriptive fashion. The focus of the paper is to understand why and how this work was composed. At the same time there is a description of each passage of this masterwork.
This paper was written by Katerina Kakantoussis as part of The Oratorio class at Hunter College, 2014.
This paper analyzes Handel's Messiah in a deep descriptive fashion. The focus of the paper is to understand why and how this work was composed. At the same time there is a description of each passage of this masterwork.
This paper was written by Katerina Kakantoussis as part of The Oratorio class at Hunter College, 2014.
This paper analyzes Handel's Messiah in a deep descriptive fashion. The focus of the paper is to understand why and how this work was composed. At the same time there is a description of each passage of this masterwork.
This paper was written by Katerina Kakantoussis as part of The Oratorio class at Hunter College, 2014.
Class: The ratorio !ro"essor: Michele Cabrini George Friedrich Handel #as born on February $%rd &'() and died on *+ril &,th &-)./ He #as a German com+oser #ho accom+lished great success in England/ Handel com+osed 0arious di""erent "orms o" orchestral #orks1 o+eras1 organ concertos1 anthems and oratorios/ & 2orn in Halle1 in a "amily #ith no musical roots1 Handel reali3ed his +assion "or music at a 0ery young age/ His "ather +rohibited him to ha0e access to musical instruments1 because he #anted him to study la#1 and there"ore Handel secretly +racticed on the cla0ichord in his attic/ He ga0e his "irst +er"ormance at the court o" 4uke 5ohann *dol"1 and sho#ed e67uisite talent in organ +laying1 starting a +recocious musical training in harmony1 counter+oint and the organ/ 4es+ite his talent1 Handel8s "ather insisted and +ersuaded him to study la# in Halle in &-9$/ :imultaneously he became organist at the Cal0inist cathedral o" Halle and com+osed his "irst t#o o+eras: *lmira and Nero/ $ ;n &-9' Handel le"t Halle to +ursue his musical career1 and mo0ed to ;taly/ There he met the librettist *ntonio :al0i #ith #hom he #ould collaborate in com+ositions at a later time/ 4ue to the restrictions o" !a+al la#1 +rohibiting the +roduction o" o+era1 as it #as considered a 1 *nthony Hicks/ <George Friedrich Handel/<Gro0e Music nline/ 6"ord Music nline/ 6"ord =ni0ersity !ress1 / htt+:>>###/o6"ordmusiconline/com>subscriber>article>gro0e>music>,99'9 ?accessed May &91 $9&,@/ 2 Gretchen :immons 2ro#n / HandelAs Messiah/ : Fruitbearer !ublishing1 BBC1 $9&9/ blas+hemy1 Handel then began to com+ose sacred #orks such as cantatas and oratorios/ His "irst t#o oratorios to be com+osed #ere Ba Cesurre3ione and ;l trion"o di tem+o/ % *lready a success"ul musician1 Handel mo0ed around Euro+e and created ne# #orks at each country that he 0isited/ ;n &-&9 he mo0ed to England and became Ka+ellmeister o" King George ;/ He settled there in &-&$1 as his salary #as satis"actory and com+osed #orks such as *madigi di Gaula based on the tragedy by *ntoine Houdar de la Motte1 and Dater Music/ , 4uring the +eriod o" &-&-E&-&( Handel became House Com+oser at Cannons in Middlese6 and com+osed some o" his notorious choral #orks such as the T#el0e Chadons *nthems and *cis and Galatea/ ) ;n &-&.1 Handel and a di0ision o" aristocrats "ounded the Coyal *cademy o" Music1 in order to assure the +roduction o" 2aro7ue +eras and +era :eria/ From &-$)E&-$, he com+osed some o" his most outstanding o+eras such as Giulio Cesare1 Codalinda and Tamerlano/ ' Furthermore he "ounded and managed t#o ne# o+era houses1 #hich #ere called the Fueen8s Theatre1 in &-$.1 and Con0ent Garden Theatre in &-%$/ He became one o" the most acti0e com+osers and managers o" o+era and o+era theaters o" his times/ ;n &-,& he sto++ed com+osing o+eras1 #ith his last #ork o" this genre being 4eidamia1 and "ocused on the com+osition o" oratorios/ The oratorio is a sacred musical #ork1 #hich em+loys the use o" singers and orchestra/ Much like an o+era in 0ocal "orm1 it di""ers in the te6t1 #hich is mainly religious1 and its 3 *nthony Hicks / <George Friedrich Handel/<Gro0e Music nline/ 6"ord Music nline/ 6"ord =ni0ersity !ress1 / htt+:>>###/o6"ordmusiconline/com>subscriber>article>gro0e>music>,99'9+g%/ ?accessed May &91 $9&,@ 4 *nthony Hicks / <George Friedrich Handel/< Gro0e Music nline/ 6"ord Music nline/ 6"ord =ni0ersity !ress1 htt+:>>###/o6"ordmusiconline/com>subscriber>article>gro0e>music>,99'9+g, ?accessed May &91 $9&,@ 5 *nthony Hicks/ < George Frideric Handel/< Gro0e Music nline/ 6"ord Music nline/ 6"ord =ni0ersity !ress1 1htt+:>>###/o6"ordmusiconline/com>subscriber>article>gro0e>music>,99'9+g) ?accessed May &91 $9&,@ 6*nthony Hicks/ < George Frideric Handel/< Gro0e Music nline/ 6"ord Music nline/ 6"ord =ni0ersity !ress1 1htt+:>>###/o6"ordmusiconline/com>subscriber>article>gro0e>music>,99'9+g' ?accessed May &91 $9&,@ +resentation as it is not staged/ The roots o" the oratorio reach back to Come1 to the Congrega3ione dell8oratorio and the s+iritual e6ercises established by !hilli+o Neri/ - Handel began com+osing oratorios "rom &-9-E&-)$/ :ome o" his most +rominent #orks in this music "orm are Ba Cesurre3ione ?&-9(@1 Hercules ?&-,)@1 Theodora ?&-)9@1 5e+tha ?&-)$@ and The Messiah ?&-,&@/ The Messiah1 his most "amous #ork1 is an English oratorio in three +arts #ith te6t based on the King 5ames 2ible and the !salms #ithin the 2ook o" Common !rayer assembled by Charles 5ennens/ ;t #as "irst +er"ormed in 4ublin on *+ril &%th &-,$/ This oratorio #as intended to be +er"ormed during the Easter and Bent season/ 5ennens +resented the #ork 7uite like an o+era in order "or the audience to ha0e a dee+er com+rehension o" the #ork/ The Messiah is di0ided in the "ollo#ing sections: ( ; ?i@ The +ro+hecy o" :al0ationG ?ii@ the +ro+hecy o" the coming o" Messiah and the 7uestion1 des+ite ?i@1 o" #hat this may +ortend "or the DorldG ?iii@ the +ro+hecy o" the Hirgin 2irthG ?i0@ the a++earance o" the *ngels to the :he+herdsG ?0@ ChristAs redem+ti0e miracles on earth/ ;; ?i@ The redem+ti0e sacri"ice1 the scourging and the agony on the crossG ?ii@ His sacri"icial death1 His +assage through Hell and CesurrectionG ?iii@ His *scensionG ?i0@ God discloses his identity in Hea0enG ?0@ Dhitsun1 the gi"t o" tongues1 the beginning o" e0angelismG ?0i@ the #orld and its rulers reIect the Gos+elG ?0ii@ GodAs trium+h/ ;;; ?i@ The +romise o" bodily resurrection and redem+tion "rom *damAs "allG ?ii@ the 4ay o" 5udgement and general CesurrectionG ?iii@ the 0ictory o0er death and sinG ?i0@ the glori"ication o" the Messianic 0ictim/ 9 7 Ho#ard E/ :mither/ <ratorio/< Gro0e Music nline/ 6"ord Music nline/ 6"ord =ni0ersity !ress1 accessed May &,1 $9&,1 htt+:>>###/o6"ordmusiconline/com>subscriber>article>gro0e>music>$9%.- 8 4aniel ;/2lock1 <Handel8s Messiah: 2iblical and Theological !ers+ecti0es/< Becture1 5ohn C/ :am+ey !ro"essor o" ld Testament ;nter+retation1 Bouis0ille1 Kentucky1 9 4a0id Hickers/ <Messiah < * :acred ratorio</< / htt+:>>g"handel/org>messiah/html ?accessed May &91 $9&,@/ !art ; recounts the +ro+hecy o" the Hirgin 2irth and the #elcoming o" 5esus Christ1 the Messiah1 according to the +ro+hets o" the ld Testament and the Holy Ghost annunciation/ !art ;; describes the !assion o" Christ1 his death1 resurrection and ascension and the communication o" the Gos+el throughout the #orld/ !art ;;; commences #ith the assurance o" Cedem+tion and the +rognosis o" the 4ay o" 5udgment/ ;t ends #ith the +raise to Christ and the trium+h o0er sin and death/ &9 The music o" the Messiah is e6tremely +o#er"ul/ ;t #as #ritten "or a small number o" instrumentalists such as oboes1 strings ?including 0ioloncello and 0iolone@1 basso continuo1 har+sichord1 bassoon1 trum+ets and singers/ There #ere se0eral ada+tations o" the score1 to meet the needs o" the singers o" the time/ && The Messiah begins #ith a subtle instrumental +assage #ith em+hasis on the trum+ets1 and a choral +assage that is in the lo# alto register/ The com+oser em+loys the French o0erture style in his o+ening o" the :ym+hony in E minor/ &$ The tenor shi"ts the key to E maIor #ith his recitati0e Com"ort ye and his +roclamation o" the "irst +ro+hecy/ ;n addition1 the key shi"ts once the chorus sings For unto us a child is born leading to G maIor1 "ollo#ing the !i"a +astoral interlude/ The so+rano soloist then enters #ith "our recitati0es1 succeeding #ith the chorus singing Glory to God in 4 maIor/ * sense o" steadiness is created #ith the so+rano com+leting !art ; in 2 "lat/ &%
!art ;; is introduced #ith a "ugal +art 2ehold the Bamb o" God in G maIor/ The alto soloist "ollo#s #ith the aria He #as des+ised in E "lat maIor #hich is the longest aria in the 10 <HandelA Messiah/< The Musical Times and :inging Class Circular Hol/ &: +g/')E''J-&/ htt+:>>###/Istor/org>stable>%%-9,,' ?accessed May .1 $9&,@ 11 Gretchen :immons 2ro#n / HandelAs Messiah/ : Fruitbearer !ublishing1 BBC1 $9&9/ 12 <HandelA Messiah/< The Musical Times and :inging Class Circular Hol/ &: +g/')E''J-&/ htt+:>>###/Istor/org>stable>%%-9,,' ?accessed May .1 $9&,@ 13 Gretchen :immons 2ro#n / HandelAs Messiah/ : Fruitbearer !ublishing1 BBC1 $9&9/ oratorio1 a resource he uses to em+hasi3e the su""ering o" Christ/ The !assion1 Cruci"i6ion1 4eath and Cesurrection o" Christ are de+icted #ith brie" choral +assages in *ll #e like shee+ both in F minor and F maIor/ &, The sense o" bleakness returns in 2 "lat minor #ith the tenor recitati0e *ll that they see him/ Finally the chorus is se+arated into t#o +arts in order to com+lete the *scension as they sing Bi"t u+ your hands +roceeding #ith Bet all the angels o" God #orshi+ him in 4 maIor in order to +raise Christ going to hea0en/ The ending clima6 is reached #ith the "amous HalleluIah sung by the choir/ &) !art ;;; o+ens #ith the so+rano singing in E "lat maIor ; kno# that my Cedeemer Bi0eth accom+anied by 0iolin/ The bass continues in 4 maIor The trum+et shall sound #ith the instructions o" not going e6tremely "ast/ The tenor and alto +roceed by singing the duet death1 #here is thy stingK and lead into the choral +art 2ut thanks be to God/ Buther8s choral is 7uoted by the so+rano solo in ;" God be "or us ?*us tie"er Not@/ The trum+ets in the *men de+ict the u+roar o" hea0en/ &' De can obser0e that Handel did not com+ose a narrati0e drama about the li"e1 death and resurrection o" Christ1 but instead elaborated on the idea o" Christ as the Messiah/ =nlike the rest 14 <HandelA Messiah/< The Musical Times and :inging Class Circular Hol/ &: +g/')E''J-&/ htt+:>>###/Istor/org>stable>%%-9,,' ?accessed May .1 $9&,@ 15 Datkins :ha#1 Messiah/ Hocal :core /Bondon: No0ello !ublishing Bimited1 &..$ 16 Datkins :ha#1 Messiah/ Hocal :core /Bondon: No0ello !ublishing Bimited1 &..$ o" his oratorios1 it did not ha0e de"ined characters and a clear narrati0e/ The soloists are only used to e+itomi3e the relationshi+s1 7uarrels #ithin the oratorio1 as #ell as to dis+lay the 0irtues o" their o#n 0ocal 7ualities/ *lthough it is di""icult to identi"y the +redominant key o" the com+osition1 the main tendency is to#ards 4 maIor1 gi0ing a sense o" harmony and uni0ersal order1 #hich #ould corres+ond to the idea o" a #orld created by the 5e#ish Christian God in #hich the Ne# Testament is a logical and direct conse7uence o" the ld Testament/ He #as able to em+hasi3e the di0ine atmos+here marking in the score da lontano e un +oco +iano ?7uietly "rom a"ar@1 and ha0ing the trum+ets +er"orm o"" stage/ The trium+h o" God is e6alted #ith the entrance o" the trum+ets1 #hich sends +ositi0e notions throughout the oratorio and concludes in the 0ictorious "inale/ &- Handel uses many tools to create a sense o" unity bet#een the music and the te6t/ ne o" them is called te6t +ainting1 #here the musical notes em+hasi3e the lines o" the te6t/ *n e6am+le o" that can be identi"ied in the tenor aria E0ery 0alley shall be e6alted/ 17 Datkins :ha#1 Messiah/ Hocal :core /Bondon: No0ello !ublishing Bimited1 &..$ E6am+le &a: E0ery 0alley shall be e6alted: &(
E6am+le &b: E0ery Halley shall be E6alted &.
18 Datkins :ha#1 Messiah/ Hocal :core /Bondon: No0ello !ublishing Bimited1 &..$ +g/-E( 19 Datkins :ha#1 Messiah/ Hocal :core /Bondon: No0ello !ublishing Bimited1 &..$1 +g/( Here each #ord de+icts a certain "eeling: the #ord 0alley arri0es on a lo# note and e6alted gi0es an u+li"ting re+resentation/ The #ord mountain creates a clima6 in the melody #hereas the #ord hill is on a lo# note/ Four di""erent notes su++ort the #ord crooked as they mo0e in a "ast "igure1 #hile one single note sustains the #ord straight/ Finally1 the rough +laces are sung o0er short notes and the #ord +lain is s+read throughout 0arious measures/ $9 *nother illustration o" te6t +ainting can be located in Thus :aith the Bord #here on the #ord shake there are marcato melismas and on the #ords hea08n and earth there is a dro+ o" an octa0e in the melodic line/ $& Continuing1 in For 2ehold1 4arkness :hall Co0er the Earth and The !eo+le that Dalked in 4arkness he uses descending notes as i" one #as to sink into darkness or the under#orld/ ;n the +hrase Bord shall arise the melodic line is created by a long melisma o" 20 Datkins :ha#1 Messiah/ Hocal :core /Bondon: No0ello !ublishing Bimited1 &..$ +g/'E&9 21 Datkins :ha#1 Messiah/ Hocal :core /Bondon: No0ello !ublishing Bimited1 &..$1 +g/ &.E$9 si6teenth notesG the #ord glory gi0es a trium+hant e""ect as it is sung at the to+ range o" the melisma and recitati0e/ Dhen the Handel #ished to de+ict light the singers are singing in the to+ +art o" the register and are in a maIor mode1 #hereas #hen he #anted to de+ict darkness the singers sing in the lo#er +art o" the register and are in a minor mode/ E6am+le $: The !eo+le That #alked in darkness $$
Furthermore1 more te6t +ainting is obser0ed in the +hrase :urely He Hath 2orne our Grie"s/ The #ord grie"s is em+hasi3ed #ith a diminished -th chord and the su""ering is de+icted #ith a .E& sus+ension on the #ord #ounded1 bruised and chastisement/ Dhen the singer sings t#o descending tritones in the +hrase Thy Cebuke Hath 2roken His Heart1 it creates an e""ect o" des+air/ $% ;n the +hrase Their :ound is Gone out the melodic line begins "rom the lo#est note in the scale to the end o" it1 em+hasi3ing and their #ords unto the ends o" the #orld/ Finally in 22 Datkins :ha#1 Messiah/ Hocal :core /Bondon: No0ello !ublishing Bimited1 &..$1 +g/)$ 23 Datkins :ha#1 Messiah/ Hocal :core /Bondon: No0ello !ublishing Bimited1 &..$1 +g/.(E&9&J&$$ the Cage *ria E Dhy do the Nations so "uriously rage together1 the bass breaks out in a "urious state #ith ascending and descending notes/ $, E6am+le %: Dhy do the Nations so Furiously Cage Together $)
*lthough the +remiere o" this o+era in &-,$ #as a "ailure due to the +ublic "inding it tedious soon it gained a great re+utation1 generating the curiosity o" the most notable music lo0ers o" its era1 among them illustrious +ersonalities such as King George ;; o" England/ Today it is one o" the most +er"ormed oratorios and emblematic com+ositions o" the classical music re+ertoire/ ;n many +arts o" the #orld it became a tradition to +er"orm The Messiah near the Christmas 4ay/ 24 :immons 2ro#n1 Gretchen / HandelAs Messiah/ : Fruitbearer !ublishing1 BBC1 $9&9/ 25 Datkins :ha#1 Messiah/ Hocal :core /Bondon: No0ello !ublishing Bimited1 &..$1 +g/ &)) Handel e6hibited grand ins+iration in the com+osition o" this #ork1 not only because he #as ahead o" his time in demonstrating both the contra+untal and 0ocal com+ositional abilities he had1 but because he incor+orated techni7ues1 such as te6t +ainting1 that #ere mostly associated #ith com+osers o" earlier +eriods/ The melodic lines +resent throughout this #ork are among the most +o+ular in the classical re+ertoire o" all times/ The choral +arts throughout the Messiah are genius1 gi0ing s+ecial signi"icance to the "inal HalleluIah1 #here he makes use o" the cantus "irmus1 intensi"ying the +resence o" God and his sanctity/ He incor+orated "ugues and "ugal moments throughout the oratorio1 thus creating many harmonic te6tures/ The te6t in combination #ith the music creates a mystical and meta+hysical atmos+here1 and an entrancing Iourney/ Handel achie0ed immortality be"ore com+osing The Messiah1 but The Messiah ga0e him a +lace in the hall o" "ame o" the classical music1 #here com+ositions such as 2eetho0en8s Ninth :ym+hony1 Mo3art8s 4on Gio0anni1 Herdi8s Tra0iata and Dagner8s Halkyrie #ill li0e "or the rest o" times/ 2ibliogra+hy: 4aniel ;/2lock1 <Handel8s Messiah: 2iblical and Theological !ers+ecti0es/< Becture1 5ohn C/ :am+ey !ro"essor o" ld Testament ;nter+retation1 Bouis0ille1 Kentucky1 Gretchen :immons 2ro#n / HandelAs Messiah/ : Fruitbearer !ublishing1 BBC1 $9&9 *nthony Hicks/ <George Friedrich Handel/< Gro0e Music nline/ 6"ord Music nline/ 6"ord =ni0ersity !ress1/ htt+:>>###/o6"ordmusiconline/com>subscriber>article>gro0e>music>,99'9 ?accessed May &91 $9&,@/ *nthony Hicks / <George Friedrich Handel/<Gro0e Music nline/ 6"ord Music nline/ 6"ord =ni0ersity !ress1 / htt+:>>###/o6"ordmusiconline/com>subscriber>article>gro0e>music>,99'9+g%/ ?accessed May &91 $9&,@ *nthony Hicks/ < George Frideric Handel/< Gro0e Music nline/ 6"ord Music nline/ 6"ord =ni0ersity !ress1 1htt+:>>###/o6"ordmusiconline/com>subscriber>article>gro0e>music>,99'9+g) ?accessed May &91 $9&,@ *nthony Hicks/ < George Frideric Handel/< Gro0e Music nline/ 6"ord Music nline/ 6"ord =ni0ersity !ress1 1htt+:>>###/o6"ordmusiconline/com>subscriber>article>gro0e>music>,99'9+g' ?accessed May &91 $9&,@ <HandelA Messiah/< The Musical Times and :inging Class Circular Hol/ &: +g/')E''J-&/ htt+:>>###/Istor/org>stable>%%-9,,' ?accessed May .1 $9&,@ Datkins :ha#1 Messiah/ Hocal :core /Bondon: No0ello !ublishing Bimited1 &..$ Ho#ard E/ :mither/ <ratorio/< Gro0e Music nline/ 6"ord Music nline/ 6"ord =ni0ersity !ress1 accessed May &,1 $9&,1 htt+:>>###/o6"ordmusiconline/com>subscriber>article>gro0e>music>$9%.- 4a0id Hickers/ <Messiah < * :acred ratorio</< / htt+:>>g"handel/org>messiah/html ?accessed May &91 $9&,@