And Every Christmas, A Gift From Handel
Dec 22nd, 2009 by admin
It may be possible to give an objective overview of the huge gift that George Fridrick Handel gave to the world, but my more subjective personal experience with Handel began in the 1950’s when the minister of my little church collected his flock, that is, the youth of the church, to attend a combined choirs’ performance of Handel’s Messiah. Years later, Handel sustained me through life’s calamities, and lucky was I that my greatest trials came in November and December, that season of decreasing light when the glorious music came down from heaven to assuage the pain of illness, separation or death; music big enough to heal not only me, but the entire world. With full gratitude, I hope to share, for a few moments, a little bit of Handel with you.
“Handel is the greatest composer who ever lived.
I would bare my head and kneel at his grave”
— L.v. Beethoven (1824)
Ludwig Von Beethoven (1770-1827), in his own hand, 
copied every word and note of the Messiah, so much did he desire to absorb every detail and nuance. It is my desire that you have the matchless experience of reading the Holy Scriptures of the libretto, aloud to yourself, and then to someone else. You will enter into an intimate fellowship with Handel and Beethoven. And then, hearing, or participating in, the great performances of this saga of redemption will bring new thrills for your spirit.
What follows is a commentary, Handel’s Messiah, a brief history by “Charlie” from www.anotherthink.com.
The story goes that after the first performance of Messiah, an enthusiastic member of the audience congratulated composer and director George Frideric Handel for producing such a wonderful piece of “entertainment.”
“Entertainment!” Handel replied, “My purpose was not to entertain, but to teach them something.”
That was April 13, 1742, in Dublin, Ireland. The previous year, Handel had been approached by the librettist Charles Jennens about a musical oratorio on the life of the Messiah. Jennens’ concept was to tell the entire story of the Christ through passages of Scripture put to music. He would begin with the Old Testament prophecies foretelling the ministry of Christ, move to the New Testament’s accounts of the birth of Jesus, then forward through his death and resurrection, all seen through the eyes of the writers of Scripture.
In an age when illiteracy was widespread and written copies of the Bible were expensive and rare, Handel became excited about Jennens’ idea. Handel pioneered the “oratorio,” a musical composition designed to teach the Scriptures by setting them to music. He seems to have immediately understood how important such a composition about the life of Jesus might be, and he set to work on it right away.
George Frideric Handel was born in Germany in 1685, the same year as Johann Sebastian Bach. His father wanted him to study law, but when it became apparent that the young Handel was musically gifted, his father reluctantly agreed to let the boy study music.
Handel became an accomplished harpsichordist and studied in Naples, where he became an acclaimed writer of Italian operas. He later moved to England, where he continued to have success writing opera, as well as compositions for the royal court. Handel’s Water Music was composed for King George I.
But nothing Handel ever wrote became as popular as Messiah. Using Jennens’ libretto, Handel completed the entire musical score in only 24 days. My dog-eared copy of Messiah contains only the piano and vocal parts and runs 250 pages, including 20 choral numbers and more than 30 solos and instrumentals. It is an astounding accomplishment.
That first performance of Messiah in Dublin (a charity event to raise money for a hospital) was a huge success. The piece was not as well received when it debuted in London, but Handel made it a recurring part of his schedule of performances — it became his tradition to perform Messiah annually as a benefit to raise money for London orphanages.
George Frideric Handel died in 1759 and is buried in Westminster Abbey. Messiah is one of his greatest musical creations, and is arguably the greatest piece of Christian music ever written. The Hallelujah Chorus is instantly recognizable, even by those who do not consider themselves members of the Christian faith. It has become a part of our Christian cultural heritage……………
In almost every community during this Christmas season, there will be performances of Messiah. It is available in a number of recorded versions. Set aside some time this Christmas to listen to Handel’s masterpiece. Learn the melodies. Hum along and let the words sink into your heart.
Handel didn’t write Messiah for music historians or classical music geeks. He wrote it to tell the story of Jesus to ordinary people, through music, the language of the heart.
Charles Jennens
LIBRETTO
Part I
1. Overture (Instrumental)
2-4. “Comfort ye, My people”, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her, that her warfare be accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. The Voice of him that cried in the wilderness, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God”. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight and the rough places plain, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed; and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 40:1-5)
5-7. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts; yet once, in a little while, and I will shake the earth, the sea, the dry land, all nations, I’ll shake and the desire of all nations shall come. (Haggai 2:6-7)
The Lord, whom ye shall seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, ev’n the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold He shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts. But who may abide the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner’s fire, and He shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. (Malachi 3:1-3)
8. Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, “God with us”. (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23)
9. O thou, that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain: O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength: lift it up, be not afraid: and say unto the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”. O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen, risen upon thee. (Isaiah 40:9)
10. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. (Isaiah 60: 2,3)
11. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light, and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. (Isaiah 9:2)
12. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
13. Pastoral Symphony (Instrumental)
14-17. There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not: for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord”. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying…”Glory to God, Glory to God in the highest: and peace on earth. Good will towards men, good will towards men.” (Luke 2:8-14)
18-21. Rejoice, rejoice greatly, rejoice, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, thy King cometh unto thee! He is the righteous Saviour, and He shall speak peace unto the heathen; behold thy King cometh to thee! Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. He shall feed His flock like a shepherd, and He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and gently lead those that are with young. Come unto Him, all ye that labour; come unto Him ye that are heavy laden, and He will give you rest. Take His yoke upon you, and learn of Him, for He is meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. His yoke is easy, His burthen is light. (Isaiah 35:5-6, 40:11, Matt 11:28-30)
Part II
22-25. Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. He was despised, despised and rejected, rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. He gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: He hid not His face from shame and spitting. Surely, surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him. And with His stripes we are healed. (John 1:29, Isaiah 53:3, 50:6, 53:4-5)
26-28. All we like sheep, all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. All they that see Him, laugh Him to scorn; they shoot out their lips and shake their heads, saying: “He trusted in God that He would deliver Him; if He delight in Him, let Him deliver Him”. (Isaiah 53:6, Ps 22:7-8)
29-30. Thy rebuke hath broken His heart; He is full of heaviness. He looked for some to have pity on Him, but there was no man, neither found He any to comfort Him. Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow. (Psalm 69:20)
31-32. He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of Thy people was He stricken. But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell, nor didst Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption. (Isaiah 53:8)
33. Lift up your heads, O Ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory? Who is this King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle, the Lord of Hosts. He is the King of Glory, the Lord of Hosts. (Psalm 24:7-10)
34-36. Unto which of the angels said He at any time, “Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee?” Let all the angels of God worship Him. Thou art gone up on high; Thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men; yea even for Thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them. Hebrews 1:5-6, Psalm 68:18)
37-39. The Lord gave the word: great was the company of the preachers. How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings, glad tidings of good things! Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words to the ends of the world. (Psalm 68:11, Romans 10:18)
40-43. Why do the nations so furiously rage together? Why do the people imagine a vain thing? Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us. He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision. Thou shalt break them, Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. (Psalm 2: 1-4)
44. Halleluiah! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. The kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever. King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and He shall reign for ever and ever. Halleluiah! (Revelation 19:6, 11:15)
Part III
45-48. I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first fruits of them that sleep. Since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised, the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption. The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (Job 19:25-26, 1 Cor 15:20, 51-52)
49-52. Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, “death is swallowed up in victory”. O death, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, Who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. If God be for us, who can be against us? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, Who is at the right hand of God, Who makes intercession for us, Who is at the right hand of God. (1 Cor 15:54-57, Romans 8:31-34)
53. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing!
Blessing, and honour, glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever, (Revelation 5:12-13)
Amen.
[source for libretto, www.aldersgate.org/Messiah.htm]
Thank you for this new insight on this blessed masterpiece.
We accept and welcome postings and will use thoughtful, literary, artistic etc. material in the genre of RFFriends. Happy rendering ! ER
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