The Christmas portion of “Messiah” by George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) was at the center of our worship experience on Sunday December 11, 2005. For this service we had the Chicago’s Southside Family Chamber Orchestra accompanying the Sanctuary Choir. The origins for this work can be traced to ancient Greece, where characters would act out a drama and the “chorus” would be spectators, commenting on, and responding to the action. With the end of the Western Roman Empire in the 5^th century, it took almost 1000 years until a group of Italian noblemen revived the interest in Greek drama. They loved the singing of a vocal line over a simple accompaniment where the words (text) were most important.

As the trends of drama increased songs were added where the melody became most important. “Air” is English for “aria”, “ayre,” “lied,” and “lieder,” all meaning “song.” Recitatives that tell the story are invariably followed by an aria, which comment on what was stated in the recitative. The chorus comments further on what has taken place. An oratorio has no staging as we find in an opera, but both are dramatic presentations that last about two hours. “Messiah” is unique in that the listeners stand when the “Hallelujah Chorus” is sung. King George stood during the first London performance. Since he stood the rest of those present were obligated to stand also. This custom has continued to this day.

Handel had a good sense of music supporting drama and used compositional techniques to highlight this. The quiet of the shepherd tending their flock interrupted by the appearance of the angels is skillfully realized. Three beat rhythms, symbolic of the trinity and/or pastoral scenes are prevalent throughout. The literal treatment of the words “crooked” and “straight” in the tenor aria, the description of the mountains by the violins in the first alto aria in further examples of Handel’s skill. Handel’s “Messiah” is one of the greatest musical creations of all time.