HAENDEL, George - MESSIAH

Oratório Sacro. Foi escrito em Londres entre 1741-1742. Executado pela primeira vez em Dublin 1742 e a partir desse momento é considerado como um monumento, uma instituição inglesa para o natal. Alguns excerpts são familiares a quase todos, ao contrário de outras obras do compositor. É considerado o melhor trabalho de Haendel, embora este não fosse ele mesmo não o achasse até o últimos anos de sua vida. Esta obra teve apresentações anuais em concertos beneficentes de caridade para o Foundling Hospital (uma organização para crianças deficientes e abandonadas, e que continua existindo até os dias de hoje como The Thomas Coram Foundation). A popularidade da obra cresceu graças a eventos tais como as comemorações do centenário de Handel (na abadia de Westminster, 1784) e apresentações épicas em escala gigantesca no The Crystal Palace. Tais eventos espalharam-se por todo o mundo, algumas delas sendo até ridículas por coros e orquestras monstruosas. Algumas das apresentações foram utilizadas para ridicularizar a obra e o compositor, como por exemplo, Berlioz regeu a obra utilizando-se de "um tambor da carne de porco e da cerveja de roast". A popularidade negativa do Messiah quase eclipsou a obra do cenário musical, permanecendo apenas as obras Water Music e Fireworks Music - ambos também altamente atípicas às suas habilidades orquestrais. Handel, era um compositor teatral, mais direcionado à musica operística, com toda essa gama de obras, vocais, líricas e orquestrais, tornou-se um dos compositores mais cosmopolitas e mais versátil do período barroco. Sua música foi influenciada por suas origens alemãs, e por sua estada na Itália, estilo este que influenciou sua produção musical, especialmente a realização de óperas e oratórios, por quase cinco décadas, tempo esse que ficou estabelecido na Inglaterra. Os oratórios eram narrativas quase sempre dramáticas, funcionando como óperas inglesas compostas para serem apresentadas em concertos e nos teatros tais como o Covent Garden. A maioria destes oratório são baseados em histórias bíblicas ou religiosas, mas alguns, tais como Semele e Hercules, são de origem secular e épica. Mesmo o Messiah, não é uma história em termos convencionais e é nada tem a ver com quase todos os demais oratórios barrocos, demonstra ampla habilidade como compositor operístico. O libreto para o Messiah foi elaborado a partir dos textos bíblicos selecionado a partir do novo e velho testamento, elaborado por Charles Jennens (1700-1773), um editor de textos literários e escolares, assim como dos textos de Shakespeare, formado pela faculdade de Balliol College, Oxford. Entretanto, apesar de seu mérito e habilidade, Jennens nunca foi muito reconhecido por seu trabalho porque recusava-se a reconhecer a dinastia de Hanoverian como sendo os legítimos do trono da Inglaterra. Jennens era um admirador declarado da música de Handel desde 1725, quando iniciou as subscrições regulares das óperas de Handel. Por volta de 1730 Jennens amigo pessoal da família de Handel, e antes que Haendel escrevesse ou pensasse no oratório do Messiah, ele havia fornecido os textos para o oratório dramático Saul (1738), e mais tarde forneceu também o texto para o masterpiece Belshazzar (1744). Também suspeita-se que Jennens pode tenha escrito o libreto do oratório sacro Israel in Egypt (1738).
O Messiah foi composto em apenas 15 dias e apresentado pela premeira vez um ano mais tarde em Dublin sem participação de Jennens. Handel parecia relutante em apresentar essa obra em um teatro de Londres, por conta do seu conteúdo sacro, o que parecia ser considerando um ultraje em Londres em 1732. Conta-se que o Messiah despertou interesse considerável persuadindo Haendel que a première em Londres aconteceria um ano mais tarde, e deveria ser anunciada com o título "um oratório sacro", assim evitando toda a carga de blasfêmia. Para esta ocasião Jennens usou toda a sua influência para supervisionar o trabalho.
A obra é organizada como uma ópera, em três atos distintos e subdividido em cenas.
Haendel estabeleceu diversas versões para o Messiah por conta de muitas mudanças que Haendel foi obrigado a fazer durante as as apresentações em virtude da adaptação aos cantores solistas que se apresentavam em cada apresentação. Algumas árias foram re-escritas para o castrati Guadagni em 1750. Outros árias foram escritas para outros solistas na versão de 1754.
A versão a mais raramente ouvida é o original de 1742 de Dublin.
O sucesso dessa obra foi tamanha através dos tempos, que Mozart escreveu uma versão para grande orquestra. Depois desta versão outros compositores e arranjadores reescreveram essa obra para grandes orquestras com a inclusão de harpas, tubas e outros instrumentos, no entanto a versão de Mozart e a versão de Haendel são as mais tocadas e gravadas.

LIBRETO

PART ONE : The prophesy and realization of God's plan to redeem mankind by the coming of the Messiah

Sinfony (Overture)

Accompagnato (Tenor or Soprano)

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplish'd, that her Iniquity is pardoned. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness; prepare ye the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.(Isaiah 40 : 1-3)

Air (Tenor or Soprano)

Ev'ry valley shall be exalted, and ev'ry mountain and hill made low; the crooked straight, and the rough places plain.(Isaiah 40 : 4)

Chorus

And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.(Isaiah 40 : 5)

Accompagnato (Bass)

Thus saith the Lord, the Lord of Hosts; Yet once a little while and I will shake the heav'ns and the earth, the sea and the dry land: And I will shake all nations; and the desire of all nations shall come.(Haggai 2 : 6-7)

The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the Covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts.(Malachi 3 : 1)

Air (Alto)

But who may abide the day of His coming, and who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner's fire.(Malachi 3 : 2)

Chorus

And He shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.(Malachi 3 : 3)

Recitative (Alto)

Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call his name Emmanuel, GOD WITH US.(Isaiah 7 : 14; Matthew 1 : 23)

Air (Alto) & Chorus

O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain. O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, behold your God! O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, Arise, shine, for thy Light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.(Isaiah 40 : 9; Isaiah 60 : 1)

Accompagnato (Bass)

For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.(Isaiah 60 : 2-3)

Air (Bass)

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.(Isaiah 9 : 2)

Chorus

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.(Isaiah 9 : 6)

Pifa (Sinfonia pastorale)

Recitative (Soprano)

There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night.(Luke 2 : 8)

Accompagnato (Soprano)

And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.(Luke 2 : 9)

Recitative (Soprano)

And the angel said unto them: Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.(Luke 2 : 10-11)

Accompagnato (Soprano)

And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying:(Luke 2 : l3)

Chorus

Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, good will towards men.(Luke 2 : 14)

Air (Soprano or Tenor)

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, thy King cometh unto thee; He is the righteous Saviour, and He shall speak peace unto the heathen.(Zecharaiah 9 : 9-10)

Recitative (Soprano)

Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing.(Isaiah 35 : 5-6)

Aria (Soprano)

He shall feed His flock like a shepherd; and He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.(Isaiah 40 : 11)

Come unto Him, all ye that labour, come unto Him that are heavy laden, an He will give you rest. Take His yoke upon you, and learn of Him, for He is meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.(Matthew 11 : 28-29)

Chorus

His yoke is easy, and his burden is light.(Matthew 11 : 30)

PART TWO : The accomplishment of redemption by the sacrifice of Jesus, mankind's rejection of God's offer, and mankind's utter defeat when trying to oppose the power of the Almighty

Chorus

Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world.(John 1 : 29)

Air (Alto)

He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.(Isaiah 53 : 3)

He gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: He hid not His face from shame and spitting.(Isaiah 50 : 6)

Chorus

Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows! He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him.(Isaiah 53 : 4-5)

Chorus

And with His stripes we are healed.(Isaiah 53 : 5)

Chorus

All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.(Isaiah 53 : 6)

Accompagnato (Tenor or Soprano)

All they that see Him laugh Him to scorn; they shoot out their lips, and shake their heads, saying:(Psalms 22 : 7)

Chorus

He trusted in God that He would deliver Him; let Him deliver Him, if He delight in Him.(Psalms 22 : 8)

Accompagnato (Tenor or Soprano)

Thy rebuke hath broken His heart: He is full of heaviness. He looked for some to have pity on Him, but there was no man, neither found He any to comfort Him.(Psalms 69 : 20)

Arioso (Tenor or Soprano)

Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow.(Lamentations 1 : 12)

Accompagnato (Tenor or Soprano)

He was cut off out the land of the living: for the transgressions of Thy people was He stricken.(Isaiah 53 : 8)

Air (Tenor or Soprano)

But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell; nor didst Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption.(Psalms 16 : 10)

Chorus

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory.(Psalms 24 : 7-10)

Recitative (Tenor or Soprano)

Unto which of the angels said He at any time: Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee?(Hebrews 1 : 5)

Chorus

Let all the angels of God worship Him.(Hebrews 1 : 6)

Air (Alto)

Thou art gone up on high; Thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men; yea, even from Thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them.(Psalms 68 : 18)

Chorus

The Lord gave the word; great was the company of the preachers.(Psalms 68 : 11)

Air (Soprano)

How beautiful are the feet of them: that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things.(Romans 10 : 15)

Chorus

Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words unto the ends of the world.(Romans 10 : 18 / Psalms 19 : 4)

Air (Bass)

Why do the nations so furiously rage together, and why do the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against His Anointed.(Psalms 2 : 1-2)

Chorus

Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us.(Psalms 2 : 3)

Recitative (Tenor)

He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision.(Psalms 2 : 4)

Air (Tenor)

Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.(Psalms 2 : 9)

Chorus

Hallelujah! for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.(Revelation 19 : 6)

The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.(Revelation 11 : 15)King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.(Revelation 19 : 16)Hallelujah!

PART THREE : A Hymn of Thanksgiving for the final overthrow of Death

Air (Soprano)

I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.(Job 19 : 25-26)

For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first fruits of them that sleep.(I Corinthians 15 : 20)

Chorus

Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.(I Corinthians 15 : 21-22)

Accompagnato (Bass)

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.(I Corinthians 15 : 51-52)

Air (Bass)

The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality.(I Corinthians 15 : 52-53)

Recitative (Alto)

Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory.(I Corinthians 15 : 54)

Duet (Alto/Tenor)

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.(I Corinthians 15 : 55-56)

Chorus

But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.(I Corinthians 15 : 57)

Air (Soprano)

If God be for us, who can be against us?(Romans 8 : 31)

Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is at the right hand of God, who makes intercession for us.(Romans 8 : 33-34)

Chorus

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. Blessing and honour, glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. Amen.(Revelation 5 : 12-13)