George Frideric Handel's Oratorio Messiah April 13 1742

Apr 13, 2010
Roger Saunders

George Fridiric Handel - Public Domain

The first performance was during Lent in Dublin, Ireland. Charles Jennen's Biblical libretto was composed with music in only 24 days in the summer of 1741.

Most musical scores in Handel's day had words written by a separate author called a Libretto. This was the term for the words or story written for a musical performance. The libretto for Handel’s Messiah was written by his friend, Charles Jennen, who wrote several other librettos for him. Jennen was a Jacobite who tended to support a royalist view in his writings. In true libretto form, Jennen used the text of the Bible to tell the story of the Messiah. He used two translations of the bible in this work: the Authorized King James Version of 1611 and the lesser known Great Bible which was the first English authorized text approved by King Henry VIII. Jennen’s work was divided into three parts which included the 1) Prophecy of the Messiah's Coming, 2) the Messiah's Passion and 3) The Prophecy of the Messiah's return to earth.

The Musical Score

In the late summer of 1741, it is said that George Handel was visiting his friend, Charles Jennen at his family home in Leicestershire, England. There is also conjecture that his stay there may have been precipitated by a bout of depression and a struggle with indebtedness. As many times happens with those who are gifted, Handel received the necessary inspiration to jump in feet first and with great focus to complete the entire musical score for Messiah in just 24 days! James Haddon, wrote in 1883 in The Quiver magazine: “No wonder that Handel, replying to some one who asked what his feelings were when composing the Hallelujah should have confessed with tears in his then sightless eyes that he thought he ‘saw heaven opened and the great God Himself.’”

The Dress Rehearsal

In the fall of 1741, Handel received an invitation from Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to come to Dublin. While visiting there he began to put together a company of musicians to perform his new masterpiece. By April of 1742 he was ready for dress rehearsals. To gauge interest in the performance a sneak preview of the rehearsals was scheduled for April 8th. Tickets, costing a half guinea each, could only be purchased at the Music Hall or Mr. Neal’s home in the churchyard. Elizabeth Gould reported in her account in 1892 that “a ‘most Grand, Polite and Crowded audience’ attended the rehearsal which gave ‘universal satisfaction’”

The First Performance

As another great crowd was expected for the debut, the announcement stated the requirement that ladies attend in dresses without hoops. The gentleman were encouraged to come without their swords. The reason for this was to increase the number of people who could attend as three charities were benefitting from the gate. These were the Society For Relieving Prisoners, the Charitable Infirmary and Mercers Hospital. Handel donated his entire proceeds as did most of the performers. Each Charity received £127. The performance was a success. Faulkner’s Journal reported that “Words are wanting to express the exquisite Delight it afforded the admiring crowded Audience.”