Transcript George Frideric Handel

Frideric
Handel
and his most celebrated oratorio:
Messiah
Handel Begins
• Born to a saxon surgeon in 1685
• Contemporary of Johann Sebastian Bach
Age 10 to 22
Organ to opera
– Zachow
– Almira
– Cleopatria
• Halle to Lubeck
– Handel & Mattheson
– J. S. Bach
G. F. Handel International, Inc.
• Hanover, Germany
– Elector George Ludwig
– Kapellmeister
• London, England
– Rinaldo
– Obligations to the other George
Elector, Queen, King
• Queen Anne’s pension
• King George
– Handel sought George’s favor & forgiveness
– Water Music
• Thames
• Play it again, George!
Thanks, Geminiani!
• Geminiani’s solo
• Anne shmanne!
– ₤₤₤x2 =
₤ ₤ ₤ ₤ ₤ ₤ !!!
Handel of GB, Inc.
• Royal Academy of Music
– Entrepreneur
– Radimisto
• British subject
“Covenant not to Compete?”
• Beggars’ Opera
– Giovanni Bononcini
– RAM sales ↓
• Ottone
– Francesca Cuzzoni Sandoni
– RAM sales ↑
Forget opera…think “oratorio!”
• London opera sags
– RAM closes after 8 yrs
• Introducing the oratorio!
– NRAM
– Heidegger
– Esther
Fair market?
• Opera of the Nobility
– Prince Frederick’s fit
– Unfair competition?
• Oxford’s “honor”
• If you can’t beat’em, join’em
– but don’t spite the king, if you can help it
The Advent of Messiah
• Handel ‘s vacation
– He got better
• Foundling Hospital
• Messiah debuts in Dublin
• Then London
Jennens & Dublin (just not at the same time)
• Charles Jennens
– Handel Admirer
– Librettist
– Critic
• Dublin debut
– Duke of Devonshire
– Great Music Hall
– No hoops or swords, please
Nothing so constant as change
• Messiah incognito
– Hallelujah! Chorus
• Changes for the talent of the day
– Dude sing like a lady
– Finally, a real soprano
• Jennens, again
– Is this better, Chuck?
– What about like this, Chuck?
– Do you like it this way, Chuck?
The end of the beginning
• Foundling Hospital benefits
• Handel ‘s last music stand
• Roubiliac’s vision
• Embellished or contaminated?
It goes something like this…
A listening guide of selections from Handel’s
Messiah
• Recitative for Tenor “Comfort ye, my
People”
– :00 Introduction
– :54 Restatement
– 1:23 Warm up
– 2:41 Restate and wrap up
Keep listening…
• Air for Tenor Every Valley Shall be Exalted
– :00 Introduction
– 1:46 Interlude
– 1:53 Painting
– 3:25 Restatement of main theme
Just a bit more…
• Air for Alto & Chorus Oh Thou That Tellest
Good Tidings
– Air
• Introduction
• Statement & Restatement of Theme
• Melismaland!
– Chorus
• From Melismaland to Counterpoint County
Bibliography
• Ludwig, Charles, George Frideric Handel: Composer of Messiah
(Mott Media, 1987)
• Vickers, David Handel – Händel – Haendel – Hendel (gfhandel.org
2010)
• Lehardy, Charles, Handel's Messiah: A brief history
(anotherthink.com/contents/movies_books_music/20051218_handel
s_messiah_a_brief_history.html December 18, 2005)
• Smith, Ruth, Messiah: The Complete Work (henrickson.com 2009)
• Wheadon, Bret D., The Compleat Messiah
(sinatraguide.com/messiah 2010)
• The Philadelphia Orchestra & The Mormon Tabernacle Choir,
Handel: Messiah (Sony Classical 16 July 1991)