Organization

Singer

Soprano

Mary Bevan

Tenor

Benjamin Hulett

Bass

Ashley Riches

Conductor

Paul McCreesh

Contralto

Caitlin Hulcup

Alto

MusikTheater an der Wien

Others

Gabrieli Choir

Basel Chamber Orchestra

English

Messiah -  (Messiah HWV 56)

Vienna

Austria

Theater an der Wien

Messiah

Public

Messiah HWV 56

Approved

Georg Friedrich Handel created many outstanding masterpieces, but Messiah in particular has contributed to his fame through the changing musical developments and fashions of the last 250 years. Handel wrote the oratorio in London in 1741, then went to Dublin for ten months, where he premiered it in 1742 as part of a benefit concert. This first performance was an enormous success, in the newspaper it was asked, "Gentlemen may come without swords and women without hoop skirts, in order to make space for a larger audience and thus to create higher income for good causes". Edward Synge, Bishop of Elphin, wrote overwhelmed: “Although Mr. Handel surpasses all other composers with his oratorios, he seems to be in Messiahto have outdone myself. It seems to me to be a special kind of music, very different from all the others. ”In London, on the other hand, the enthusiasm was initially moderate, but the work soon spread across England and the continent. Handel himself repeatedly adapted the music to the respective new performance conditions so that today a number of variants are known, but not the exact form of the original version. Over the years, the number of participants grew, there were gigantic performances with over 500 musicians, who celebrated the praise of the Savior more and more overwhelmingly. The libretto is based on scriptures compiled by Handel's friend and patron Charles Jennens. However, the oratorio does not tell the story of Jesus' life and death - as one might think - it is more of an abstract, theological discussion about the fact that Jesus was really the Messiah announced by the prophets. He himself does not appear. Statements of the Old Testament are interpreted Christologically and related to Jesus as the New Testament describes him. The basic gesture of the texts is the struggle for the Christian faith. Handel's music finds overwhelming expression for human fears and hopes, feelings of guilt, contrition and jubilant certainty of redemption: “And he shall reign for ever and ever. Hallelujah! " The basic gesture of the texts is the struggle for the Christian faith. Handel's music finds overwhelming expression for human fears and hopes, feelings of guilt, contrition and jubilant certainty of redemption: “And he shall reign for ever and ever. Hallelujah! " The basic gesture of the texts is the struggle for the Christian faith. Handel's music finds overwhelming expression for human fears and hopes, feelings of guilt, contrition and jubilant certainty of redemption: “And he shall reign for ever and ever. Hallelujah! "

Messiah HWV 56 by Händel, From (2021/2021), Conductor Paul McCreesh, Theater an der Wien, Vienna, Austria

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