George Frideric Handel: But Thou didst not leave his soul
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
But Thou didst not leave
His soul in hell
But Thou didst not leave
His soul in hell
Nor didst Thou suffer
Nor didst Thou suffer
Thy Holy One
To see corruption
But Thou didst not leave
His soul in hell
Thou didst not leave
Thou didst not leave
His soul in hell
Nor didst Thou suffer
Thy Holy One
To see corruption
Nor didst Thou suffer
Nor didst Thou suffer
Thy Holy One
To see corruption
Nor didst Thou suffer
Nor didst Thou suffer
Thy Holy One
Thy Holy One
To see corruption
(Psalms 16:10)
The Music
The resurrection is told by a solo tenor, who is accompanied by the orchestra. Using words from Psalm 16:10, this short Air is set in a chirpy A major tonality. Following on from the minor tonality of the previous piece, this is a welcome release from the tension that has built thus far. The tenor line is based on a dotted rhythm that is shadowed by the orchestra throughout. The organ plays a vital part in this piece as it is the one constant throughout the music. But Thou didst not leave his soul is to be followed by a larger chorus piece.
Ⓒ Alex Burns
Happy Reading!
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