Handel: Messiah, HWV 56 (with Score)

George Frideric Handel:
Messiah, HWV 56 (with Score)
Composed: 1741
Soprano: Lucy Crowe
Counter-tenor: Tim Mead
Tenor: Andrew Staples
Baritone: Christopher Purves
Conductor: Emmanuelle Haïm
Orchestra & Chorus : Le Concert d'Astrée

Messiah, HWV 56 is an English-language oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, with a scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible, and from the Coverdale Psalter, the version of the Psalms included with the Book of Common Prayer. It was first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742 and received its London premiere nearly 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.

Part I
Scene 1: Isaiah's Prophecy of Salvation
- 00:00:00 1. Symphony: Grave - Allegro moderato
- 00:03:00 2. Accompagnato (Tenor): Comfort ye my people
- 00:05:53 3. Air (Tenor): Ev'ry valley shall be exalted
- 00:08:57 4. Chorus: And the glory of the Lord
Scene 2: The Coming Judgment
- 00:11:27 5. Accompagnato (Bass): Thus saith the Lord of hosts
- 00:12:53 6. Air (Alto): But who may abide the day of His coming
- 00:17:05 7. Chorus: And he shall purify the sons of Levi
Scene 3: The Prophecy of Christ's Birth
- 00:19:30 Recitative (Alto): Behold, a virgin shall conceive
- 00:19:55 8. Air (Alto) and Chorus: O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion
- 00:24:49 9. Accompagnato (Bass): For behold, darkness shall cover the earth
- 00:27:07 10. Air (Bass): The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light
- 00:30:44 11. Chorus: For unto us a child is born
Scene 4: The Annunciation to the Shepherds
- 00:34:37 12. Pifa: Larghetto e mezzo piano
- 00:37:11 Recitative (Soprano): There were shepherds abiding in the fields
- 00:37:21 13. Accompagnato (Soprano): And lo, the angel of the Lord
- 00:37:38 Recitative (Soprano): And the angel said unto them
- 00:38:08 14. Accompagnato (Soprano): And suddenly there was with the angel
- 00:38:26 15.Chorus: Glory to God in the highest
Scene 5: Christ's Healing and Redemption
- 00:40:20 16. Air (Soprano): Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion
- 00:44:24 Recitative (Alto): Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened
- 00:44:47 17. Duet (Soprano and Alto): He shall feed his flock like a shepherd
- 00:50:06 18. Chorus: His yoke is easy

Part II
Scene 1: Christ's Passion
- 00:52:25 19. Chorus: Behold the Lamb of God
- 00:54:58 20. Air (Alto): He was despised and rejected of men
- 01:05:04 21. Chorus: Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows
- 01:06:52 22. Chorus: And with his stripes we are healed
- 01:08:57 23. Chorus: All we like sheep have gone astray
- 01:12:21 24. Accompagnato (Tenor): All they that see him laugh him to scorn
- 01:13:03 25. Chorus: He trusted in God that he would deliver him
- 01:15:24 26. Accompagnato (Tenor): Thy rebuke hath broken his heart
- 01:16:46 27. Arioso (Tenor): Behold and see if there be any sorrow
Scene 2: Christ's Death and Resurrection
- 01:18:15 28. Accompagnato (Tenor): He was cut off
- 01:18:31 29. Air (Tenor): But thou didst not leave his soul in hell
Scene 3: Christ's Ascension
- 01:20:40 30. Chorus: Lift up your heads, O ye gates
Scene 4: Christ's Reception in Heaven
- 01:23:37 Recitative (Tenor): Unto which of the angels
- 01:23:52 31. Chorus: Let all the angels of God worship Him
Scene 5: The Beginnings of Gospel Preaching
- 01:25:21 32. Air (Soprano): Thou art gone up on high
- 01:28:12 33. Chorus: The Lord gave the word
- 01:29:19 34a. Air (Soprano): How beautiful are the feet
- 01:31:40 35a. Chorus: Their sound is gone out
Scene 6: The World's Rejection of the Gospel
- 01:33:04 36. Air (Bass): Why do the nations so furiously rage together
- 01:35:47 37. Chorus: Let us break their bonds asunder
- 01:37:27 Recitative (Tenor): He that dwelleth in heaven
Scene 7: God's Ultimate Victory
- 01:37:38 38. Air (Tenor): Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron
- 01:39:28 39. Chorus: Hallelujah

Part III
Scene 1: The Promise of Eternal Life
- 01:43:06 40. Air (Soprano): I know that my Redeemer liveth
- 01:49:06 41. Chorus: Since by man came death
Scene 2: The Day of Judgment
- 01:51:06 42. Accompagnato (Bass): Behold, I tell you a mystery
- 01:51:45 43. Air (Bass): The trumpet shall sound
Scene 3: The Final Conquest of Sin
- 02:00:28 Recitative (Alto): Then shall be brought to pass
- 02:00:43 44. Duet (Alto and Tenor): O death, where is thy sting
- 02:01:38 45. Chorus: But thanks be to God
- 02:03:37 46. Air (Soprano): If God be for us, who can be against us
Scene 4: The Acclamation of the Messiah
- 02:08:18 47. Chorus: Worthy is the Lamb
- 02:11:37 Chorus: Amen

[cromwell.is.awesome]

I had the privilege to sing this before Christmas, I was a soprano. Too beautiful, this oratorio is sublime and speaks volumes of a tale that is almost too good to be true, but it is real. Glory to God alone.

[yhjgrij]

TO GOD ALONE BE ALL THE GLORY. Handel Proved that Jesus is The Messiah. Hallelujah.

[VitaliyGR]

That's the way to perform Handel - the soloists, the chorus, clear contrapuntal texture, overall inspiration, recording quality - no flaws and pure joy to listen. Many thumbs up for this one :)

[Justanotherhuman]

Gosh I miss singing in choir. The richness of this music is unmatched. My heart.😢

[cherenkov_blue]

The best version that I can find. The period-accurate tuning makes it even better.

[redsupport]

0:05 제 1부 예언과 탄생 서곡
5:53 제 1부 예언과 탄생 제3곡
8:57 제 1부 예언과 탄생 제4곡
30:44 제 1부 예언과 탄생 제11곡
1:39:28 제 2부 수난과 속제 제44곡 할렐루야
1:49:06 내 주는 살아계시고
2:11:37 제 3부 부활과 영생 제53곡 아멘

[TheMaestro]

I loved this interpretation. So many times the music starts off great and gets boring but this orchestra and chorus kept the drive all the way to the end. Thanks for sharing.

[Olga]

00:00:00 ч. 1. №1. Symphony: Grave - Allegro moderato / увертюра
00:03:00 ч. 1. №2. Accompagnato (Tenor): Comfort ye my people / речитатив тенора "Утіште, мій народ"
00:30:44 ч. 1. №11. Chorus: For unto us a child is born / хор "Бо в нас народилася дитина"
00:34:37 ч. 1. №12. Pifa: Larghetto e mezzo piano / Пастухи
00:37:21 ч. 1. №13. Accompagnato (Soprano): And lo, the angel of the Lord / речитатив сопрано "І ось ангел Господній"
00:38:08 ч. 1. № 14. Accompagnato (Soprano): And suddenly there was with the angel / речитатив сопрано "І раптом сталося з ангелом"
00:44:47 ч. 1. №17. Duet (Soprano and Alto): He shall feed his flock like a shepherd / дует сопрано і альта "Він пастиме отару свою, як пастир"
00:50:06 ч. 1. №18. Chorus: His yoke is easy / "Його ярмо легке"
00:52:25 ч. 2. №19. Chorus: Behold the Lamb of God / "Ось Агнець Божий"
00:54:58 ч. 2. №20. Air (Alto): He was despised and rejected of men / арія альта "Він був зневажений і відкинутий людьми"
01:05:04 ч. 2. №21. Chorus: Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows /хор "Безумовно, він узяв і поніс наші печалі"
01:06:52 ч.2. №22. Chorus: And with his stripes we are healed / хор "І ранами його ми зцілені"
01:08:57 ч. 2. №23. Chorus: All we like sheep have gone astray / хор "Всі ми, як вівці, заблукали"
01:12:21 ч.2. №24. Accompagnato (Tenor): All they that see him laugh him to scorn / речитатив тенора "Усі, хто бачить його, сміються з нього"
01:20:40 ч.2. №30. Chorus: Lift up your heads, O ye gates / хор "Підійміть голови, брами"
01:23:52 ч.2 №31. Chorus: Let all the angels of God worship Him / хор "Нехай поклоняються йому всі ангели Божі"
01:39:28 ч.2. №39. Chorus: Hallelujah / хор "Алілуя"
01:43:06 ч. 3. №40. Air (Soprano): I know that my Redeemer liveth / арія сопрано "Я знаю, що мій Спаситель живий"
01:51:06 ч. 3. №42. Accompagnato (Bass): Behold, I tell you a mystery / речитатив баса "Ось я розповім вам таємницю"
02:00:43 ч. 3. №44. Duet (Alto and Tenor): O death, where is thy sting / дует альта і тенора "Смерте, де твоє жало?"
02:03:37 ч. 3. №46. Air (Soprano): If God be for us, who can be against us / арія сопрано "Якщо Бог за нас, то хто проти нас?"

[brentonmclean]

Thank you. Listen and set the day right

[rynedresbach]

1:35:35 Love the interpretation of Bb 1 at the end.

[flelgrorf]

absolutely wonderful! thank you for uploading this

[mduftube]

This is excellent. The dynamic control is amazing.

[ViscountAlbany]

minor point but Jennens took his libretto from the Great Bible, the first official English translation published in 1540. The psalms of this bible indeed derived their wording mainly from Miles Coverdale's translation of a few years earlier.

[kliberalsing]

*It's Christmas Eve every day with HWV 56*

[granturquhart]

How do you write this in 24 days? I was dead after writing a thirty minute string quartet in 19 days. Handel was insane.

[OhioStudiosOG]

if you see this comment, reply what year it is. its 4:42 PM, 7/31/2023. I know you will see this in a long time.

[adudeforhumanity]

רבנים יקרים,

אני מקווה שהמכתב הזה ימצא אותך בבריאות טובה, ואני מתפלל שאלוהי אברהם, יצחק ויעקב וחכמה יהיו על לבבך. אני כותב לך בלב מלא אהבה ויראת כבוד עמוקה לעם היהודי. בתור חסיד של ישוע המשיח, אני רוצה לחלוק איתך מידע משמעותי מהברית הישנה שמוביל לגאולה ולהתגלותו של ישוע כמשיח. גילויים אלו נחשפים כעת על ידי חלומות לעם היהודי בכללותו.

הברית הישנה, ​​עם השטיח העשיר של חזיונות אלוהיים, מספקת תובנות עמוקות לגבי תוכנית הישועה של אלוהים. נבואות אלו, שנמסרו במשך דורות, משמשות עדות להתאמה המדהימה בין כתבי הקודש היהודיים לחייו של ישוע.

נבואה: ישעיהו ז' 14 "על כן ה' בכבודו ובעצמו יתן לכם אות: הנה הבתולה הרה ותלד בן ותקרא את שמו עמנואל". הגשמה: מתי א' 22-23 "וכך נעשה כל זה למען יתקיים אשר נאמר על ידי ה' באמצעות הנביא לאמר: 'הנה הבתולה הרה וילדה בן ויקראו'. שמו עמנואל', שמתורגם ל'אלוהים איתנו'".

נבואה: מיכה ה:2 "אבל אתה, בית לחם אפרתה, אף על פי שאתה קטן בין אלפי יהודה, אך ממך ייצא אלי המושל בישראל אשר יציאתו מימי קדם ומעולם. ." הגשמה: מתי ב' 1-2 "ועכשיו אחרי שישוע נולד בבית לחם יהודה בימי הורדוס המלך, הנה, חכמים מהמזרח באו לירושלים, ואמרו, 'היכן הוא שנולד מלך הקודש'. יהודים? כי ראינו את כוכבו במזרח ובאנו לעבוד אותו'".

נבואה: ישעיהו 53:5 "אבל על פשעינו הוא נפצע, על עוונותינו הוא נפגע; ייסור לשלום שלנו היה עליו, ובפסיו נרפאנו". הגשמה: פטרוס א' 2:24 "אשר נשא בעצמו את חטאינו בגופו על העץ, כדי שאנו, לאחר שמתנו מהחטאים, נחיה למען הצדק - אשר בפסים שלו נרפאת."

נבואה: ישעיהו ט:6 "כי ילד נולד לנו, בן ניתן לנו, והממשלה תהיה על כתפו. ושמו ייקרא נפלא, יועץ, אלוהים אדירים, אב נצח, נסיך השלום. ." הגשמה: לוקס ב':11 "כי נולד לכם היום בעיר דוד מושיע שהוא המשיח ה'".

נבואות אלו, בין רבות אחרות, מדגישות את ההתאמה המדהימה בין הברית הישנה לחייו של ישוע. אנו מוצאים בו את התגשמות הבטחותיו של אלוהים ואת הגשר המאחד את האמונה היהודית עם תקווה לישועה לכל האנושות.

בזמן שאתה חושב על הנבואות האלה, אני ממליץ לך לחקור את הקשר בין הברית הישנה והחדשה, תוך הכרה בישוע כמשיח המיוחל. יהי רצון שאלוהים של אברהם, יצחק ויעקב יגלה לך את האמת הזו לגבי המשיח המיוחל.

בברכה, יעקב

[emanuelecrepet]

Piece 21. Beethoven
Piece 31. Mahler 1

[Author-RiseOfTheLittleHorn]

Why the h*ll is this pitched a half-step low?

[feefeesmomma]

This music is a half step flat from what the actual music says.