Handel/Mozart

How did Mozart come to arrange Messiah? Teri Noel Towe tells the wonderful story in this ClassicalNet article.

Charles Jennens

Wealthy landowner and patron of arts Charles Jennens (1700–1773), selected the texts from the Bible and adapted them for Handel to set in his oratorio Messiah and at least three other oratorios. It was Jennens who suggested Handel create the new art form of a musical setting of Biblical texts for chorus, orchestra, and soloists, with no staging or costumes — they called it an oratorio.

Jennens and Handel fought bitterly, but the two respected each other and remained friends for decades.

Messiah is one of only two oratorios Handel wrote (of 25) that deal with New Testament subects. The other is Theodora. Maybe we'll do that one next year.

Which movements?

We're singing only the very best bits of Messiah in our Open Sing 2025.

The first number is for the orchestra — it's the movement number in the orchestal parts. You can sign up to play in the orchestra here.

The second number is for the singers — it's the movement number in the edition by Watkins Shaw published by Novello, which is the score most singers will be using.

- 1 Sinfonia (Overture)

1 2 Comfort ye, my people Tenor recitative

2 3 Ev'ry valley shall be exalted Tenor aria

3 4 And the glory of the Lord Chorus

4 5 Thus saith the Lord Bass recitative

5 6 But who may abide Bass aria

7 8 Behold, a virgin Alto recitative

8 9 O thou that tellest Alto aria

9 - O thou that tellest Chorus

12 12 For unto us a child is born Chorus

13 13 Pifa ("Pastoral Symphony") Orchestra

14 14a/b There were shepherds / And lo, the angel Soprano recitative