Handel's Messiah December 8, 2009

The Bankhead Theatre will once again resound with the greatest of all holiday treats. The Pacific Chamber Symphony will excite us again with a special performance of Handel's Messiah. The concert will feature a chorus made up of outstanding local soloists and chorus members.

Handel's Messiah is one of the monumental works in all of musical literature. It is probably the most widely performed religious work in the world. It was an instant success when it was first performed in 1742. It was written in just 24 days.

In 1741, Handel was broke, tired, and discouraged. Two unrelated events converged to change all that. First, Handel's wealthy friend, Charles Jensen, gave Handel a libretto that he had written based on the bible and the book of common prayer, and asked him to provide a musical setting. Second, Handel received a commission from a Dublin charity to compose a work for a benefit performance. Handel combined these two commissions, and the result was The Messiah.

On August 22, he started work on the piece, never leaving his house, and barely pausing to eat or sleep. A little over three weeks later, one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of music was complete.

The work was first performed at a charitable event in Dublin on April 13, 1742, with Handel himself conducting from the keyboard. It was an immediate success. It raised 400 pounds and freed 142 men from debtor's prison.

Today, The Messiah is often performed in large halls, with a large chorus and a large orchestra. The original chorus and orchestra, although large by contemporary standards, were of more moderate size. The Pacific Chamber Symphony's interpretation adheres more closely to the earlier performances, and contains many elements from the original Dublin presentation. This approach allows for more subtlety and attention to detail.

In any version, however, The Messiah is an inspired and inspiring work of art that rarely fails to elicit reverence and joy.

Official Website: http://www.pacificchambersymphony.org/