Handel`s Messiah-”I thought I saw the face of God!”

Messiah, composed by George Frideric Handel, is often performed during the advent season. I have a London recording of Neville Marriner with the chorus of St Martin-In-The-Fields. The recording was made at St John`s, Smith Square, London in January and July of 1976. Christmas performances of Handel`s most popular work often only include Part I and the famous Hallelujah, which is the last track of Part II.

Legend has it that King George II stood to his feet at the Hallelujah section, so now the tradition is to stand up as George did, who in turn pays his reverence to the King of Kings (one king to another). Another story says that Handel`s assistant called out to him one time, but he did not respond. The assistant went to his chamber and found Handel in tears. Handel held up the score to the Hallelujah movement and said, “I thought I saw the face of God.” (Wiki)

Messiah was composed in the year of 1741. Handel wrote it rather rapidly, which was his usual modus operandi. It was penned in a timeframe of August 22nd to September 14th, 1741. The Libretto was written by Charles Jennens, and is taken from the King James and the Great Bibles. It`s done in a narrative form, not with dialogue. Its initial reception in London was lukewarm until 1750, when Handel gave two performances for the Foundling Hospital. The Foundling Hospital was a charity devoted to the care of ‘exposed and deserted young children.’ (linernotes-Decca-1995)  *(on the right, Handel`s house in London.)

I enjoy Handel`s Messiah, but it is very long. The twin London CD clocks in at 140 minutes & 23 seconds. I just sample sections of it. Messiah is scored for soprano, alto, tenor and bass soloists (vocal), SATB chorus, 2 oboes, bassoon, 2 trumpets, timpani, strings and basso continuo. The score is characterized by ‘word painting’,  a musical technique whereby the notes mimic the meaning of the words. Listen on: “…and every mountain and hill made low; the crooked straight and the rough places plain.”  Finish wrapping those presents, my friends, with Messiah in the background…

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