Basler Gesangverein: G. F. Händel - Messiah

Description

Basel Choral Society Conductor: Facundo Agudin Laurence Guillod, soprano
Mirjam Fässler, alto
Remy Burnens, tenor
Alexandre Beuchat, bass Only an archway remains as a reminder of the Fishamble Street Music Hall in Dublin, where on April 13, 1742, something magnificent took place that continues to resonate to this day. Under the direction of the composer himself, the oratorio *Messiah* received its world premiere. The Dublin Journal reported enthusiastically in its April 17 edition:
“The Sublime, the Grand, and the Tender..., set to the noblest, most majestic, and most moving words, joined together to lift and enchant the rapt heart and ear to higher spheres.”
The libretto, compiled from biblical texts by the English patron Charles Jennens, encompasses both Old Testament prophecies and the life of Jesus. Unlike Johann Sebastian Bach’s Passions, the Messiah was never intended for liturgical use but was conceived from the outset for performance in concert halls and theaters. Handel, who also appreciated financial success, donated the proceeds from the premiere to three charities operating in Dublin.
The “Hallelujah,” composed in a radiant, festive D major, is, along with Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” perhaps the best-known choral piece in the history of music. In England, the tradition of “standing for the Hallelujah Chorus” is still observed today. It commemorates the first performance in London in 1743, when, according to tradition, King George II—moved by the beauty of the music—is said to have spontaneously risen to his feet during the chorus. The king’s reaction may have paved the way for the work’s social acceptance, after the religious upper class had initially taken offense at the performance of biblical texts in secular theaters and concert halls.
Since then, the Messiah has enjoyed unbroken popularity among audiences and choirs around the world. The Basel Choral Society first performed the work in 1849; this year’s production is already the fifteenth in the society’s 202-year history.