Overture
There were sheppards
Glory to God
Rejoice greatly
Hallelujah
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First published Dublin Ireland Apr 13, 1742
Librettist: charles Jennings – Messiah written in English
Genre: Oratorio
Form: Sonnet – took him 24 days to compose it
Parts: Three – Christmas, Easter, Redemption of the world: Prophesy of coming of Christ; Christ’s suffering, death, spread of his doctrine; Redemption of world through faith
Context: Composed as “entertainment” to recoup a Dublin Concert Hall financial losses, though first performance proceeds went to charity
Medium: Orchestra
Text: From Old and New Testaments
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Overture:
Genre: French Overture – slow dotted rhythm
Key: E minor
Meter: 4/4
Tempo: Largo
Atmosphere: Heavy sonorous
A – Melody played, and repeated. Homorhythmic pattern, the repeat is quieter, and without brass or percussion
B – Fugue -
Tempo: Faster
Voices: Three
Texture: Polyphonic
Subject introduced by V1, Answer by V2 – Answer is Tonal – ie the answer is not an exact transposition of the subject. It is modified
The fugue starts in E minor, then has an ‘episode’ where it changes to G major, on to B minor. There is a sequence with movenent to G major, and a second sequence with movement back to E minor (the home key)
It ends over a dominant pedal point
The conclusion shows a ‘ral’
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Recitative:
There were sheppards abiding in the field…………
Starts recitative secco (F major) – solo soprano with sustained chords by harpsichord and cello
Then recitative accompagnato – And Lo, the angel of the Lord came………..
String accompanyment using arpeggiated chords
Then recitative secco (C major) – And the angel said – again sustained chords with harpsichord and cello
Then R. accompagnato (D major) – And suddenly there was………..Allegro with strong rippling strings
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CHORUS:
Glory to God in the highest -
Key D major, tempo Allegro, 4/4
4 voices, homorhythmic, with moving string accompanyment, strong and declamatory
and peace on earth (monophony) – tenors and basses alone, descending octave leap for basses, homophonic
Good will towards men – Imitative, polyphonic – fugue built from lowest to highest voices, with exchange of “goodwill” between high and low voices
All lines then repeated, with orchestral closing
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ARIA:
Rejoice greatly – Soprano A B A’, key B flat major
Instrumental ritornello, vocal theme presented in violins
A: Rejoice greatly -
Disjunct rising line, melismas on “rejoice”, with melody exchanged between soprano and violin…..”shout” has no melisma
Texture – homophonic
Piece becomes syncopated, with choppy melody, ending in F major (dominant), then instrumental ritornello
B. He is the righteous Saviour
Begins in G minor, slower and more lyrical. Modulates back to B flat major. Texture simple monophony. Closes in D minor
A’. Rejoice greatly again
Abridged instrumental ritornello, followed by more complex pattern with longer melismas on Rejoice. Use of imitative polyphony. Handel also uses ‘word painting’ so that in the hills and valleys, the soprano sings up and down to mimic the written words
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HALLELUJAH CHORUS:
Brilliant orchestration blended with strong clear harmonies
Chorus blending homophonic and imitative sections -
Four voice homophonic beginning, after short instrumental intro -
“Hallelujah” – four voice homophony, strong and declamatory, repeated
“For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth, Hallelujah” – simple monophony at first, then builds to imitative polyphony, with greater and greater complexity, trumpets in the background
“The kingdom of the world is become the Kingdom of our Lord” – quieter homophonic treatment, with simpler accompanyment
“and he shall reign for ever and ever” – imitative polyphony, building from bass to soprano
“King of Kings and Lord of Lord, Hallelujah” – female voices introduce the text, punctuated by Hallelujah, trumpets in the background
“and He shall reign for ever and ever” – polyphonic
“King of Kings and Lord of Lords” – homophonic start to imitative polyphonic climax (He shall reign) with strong homophonic ending on Hallelujah