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George Frideric Handel

Messiah, HWV 56

Oratorio

HWV 56 Composed 1741 Vocal

Messiah (HWV 56) is an English-language oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel. The text was compiled from the King James Bible and the Coverdale Psalter by Charles Jennens. It was first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742 and received its London premiere a year later. After an initially modest public reception, the oratorio gained in popularity, eventually becoming one of the best-known and most frequently performed choral works in Western music.

From Wikipedia.

Movements

  1. Part I, no. 1. Symphony
  2. Part I, no. 2. Recitative “Comfort ye” (Tenor)
  3. Part I, no. 3. Air “Ev’ry valley shall be exalted” (Tenor)
  4. Part I, no. 4. Chorus “And the glory of the Lord”
  5. Part I, no. 5. Recitative “Thus saith the Lord” (Bass)
  6. Part I, no. 6. Air “But who may abide”
  7. Part I, no. 7. Chorus “And He shall purify”
  8. Part I, no. 8. Recitative “Behold, a virgin shall conceive” (Alto)
  9. Part I, no. 9. Air “O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion” (Alto, Chorus)
  10. Part I, no. 10. Recitative “For behold, darkness shall cover the earth” (Bass)
  11. Part I, no. 11. Air “The people that walked in darkness” (Bass)
  12. Part I, no. 12. Chorus “For unto us a Child is born”
  13. Part I, no. 13. Pastoral Symphony (Pifa)
  14. Part I, no. 14a. Recitative “There were shepherds, abiding in the field” (Soprano)
  15. Part I, no. 14b. Recitative “And lo! the angel of the Lord come upon them” (Soprano)
  16. Part I, no. 15. Recitative “And the angel said unto them” (Soprano)
  17. Part I, no. 16. Recitative “And suddenly there was with the angel” (Soprano)
  18. Part I, no. 17. Chorus “Glory to God in the highest”
  19. Part I, no. 18. Air “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion” (Soprano)
  20. Part I, no. 19. Recitative “Then shall the eyes of the blind” (Contralto)
  21. Part I, no. 20. Air “He Shall Feed His Flock” (Soprano, Contralto)
  22. Part I, no. 21. Chorus “His yoke is easy”
  23. Part II, no. 38. Air “How beautiful are the feet…” (Soprano)
  24. Part II, no. 39. Chorus “Their sound is gone out”
  25. Part II, no. 22. Chorus “Behold the Lamb of God”
  26. Part II, no. 23. Air “He was despised” (Alto)
  27. Part II, no. 24. Chorus “Surely He hath borne our griefs”
  28. Part II, no. 25. Chorus “And with His stripes”
  29. Part II, no. 26. Chorus “All we like sheep”
  30. Part II, no. 27. Recitative “All they that see Him” (Tenor)
  31. Part II, no. 28. Chorus “He trusted in God”
  32. Part II, no. 29. Recitative “Thy rebuke hath broken His heart” (Tenor)
  33. Part II, no. 30. Arioso “Behold and see” (Tenor)
  34. Part II, no. 31. Recitative “He was cut off out of the land of the living…” (Soprano)
  35. Part II, no. 32. Air “But thou didst not leave His soul in hell…” (Soprano)
  36. Part II, no. 33. Chorus “Lift up your heads”
  37. Part II, no. 34. Recitative “Unto Which of the Angels…” (Tenor)
  38. Part II, no. 35. Chorus “Let all the angels of God worship Him”
  39. Part II, no. 36. Air “Thou art gone up on high” (Bass)
  40. Part II, no. 37. Chorus “The Lord gave the Word”
  41. Part II, no. 38. Duet “How beautiful are the feet…” (Soprano, Alto & Chorus)
  42. Part II, no. 39. Arioso “Their sound is gone out” (Tenor)
  43. Part II, no. 40. Air “Why do the nations” (Bass)
  44. Part II, no. 41. Chorus “Let us break their bonds asunder”
  45. Part II, no. 42. Recitative “He that dwelleth in heaven…” (Tenor)
  46. Part II, no. 43. Air “Thou shalt break them” (Tenor)
  47. Part II, no. 44. Chorus “Hallelujah”
  48. Part III, no. 52. Air “If God be for us” (Alto)
  49. Part III, no. 45. Air “I know that my Redeemer liveth” (Soprano)
  50. Part III, no. 46. Chorus “Since by man came death”
  51. Part III, no. 47. Recitative “Behold, I tell you a mystery” (Bass)
  52. Part III, no. 48. Air “The trumpet shall sound” (Bass)
  53. Part III, no. 49. Recitativo “Then shall be brought to pass” (Alto)
  54. Part III, no. 50. Duet “O death, where is thy sting” (Alt & Tenor)
  55. Part III, no. 51. Chorus “But thanks be to God…”
  56. Part III, no. 52. Air “If God be for us” (Soprano)
  57. Part III, no. 53a. Chorus “Worthy is the Lamb”
  58. Part III, no. 53b. Chorus “Amen”
  59. Alternative Arias: Air. “But who may abide the day of His coming?” (1741)
  60. Alternative Arias: Air. “How beautiful are the feet” (1750)
  61. Alternative Arias: Air. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion” (1741)
  62. Alternative Arias: Air. “Thou art gone up on high” (1741)
  63. Alternative Arias: Air. “Thou art gone up on high” (1743)
  64. Alternative Arias: Arioso. “But lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them” (1743)
  65. Part I, Recitative "But who may abide"
  66. Part II, no. 38. Aria “How beautiful are the feet…” (Alto)
  67. Part II, no. 44. Chorus: “Hallelujah”
  68. “For unto us a Child is born”

Recommended recordings

Elsewhere

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