George Frideric Handel: Let all the angels of God worship Him
Messiah Part II
Context
George Frideric Handel’s Messiah has remained one of the composer’s most beloved works. Incredibly, Handel completed this 260-page oratorio in just 24 days during the summer of 1741. The scriptural text was compiled by Charles Jennens, with the source being the King James Bible. The first performance of Messiah was on 13th April 1742, to celebrate Easter.
Initially the oratorio garnered a lukewarm reception from audiences, however the work began to gain popularity over some years, with it now being the go-to work to perform during the Easter period. During this new Messiah exploration on Classicalexburns, blogs will be posted regularly to cover all of the pieces involved in making up this much-loved oratorio.
The Lyrics
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Let all the Angels of God worship Him |
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(Hebrews 1:6b) |
The Music
Following on from the short tenor recitative, Let all the Angels of God worship Him sees the chorus back centre stage. Based on one single line taken from Hebrews 1:6b, the simplicity of this short chorus piece offers the desired effect from Handel. The bright D major tonality roars through the voices as Handel writes long melismatic lines. The piece finishes brightly, ending Scene 4 boldly.
Ⓒ Alex Burns
Happy Reading!
You might also enjoy… Project Messiah
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