Download Christmas Portion and “Hallelujah!” Chorus from Messiah (1742)

Concerts of Thursday, December 4, and Friday, December 5, 2014, at 8:00p
Norman Mackenzie, Conductor
Jessica Rivera, soprano
Magdalena Wor, mezzo-soprano
Grant Knox, tenor
Gerard Sundberg, bass
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus,
Norman Mackenzie, Director of Choruses
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
Gloria in D Major, RV 589
Intermission
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
Christmas Portion and “Hallelujah!” Chorus from Messiah (1742)
Notes on the Program by Ken Meltzer
Gloria in D Major, RV 589
Antonio Vivaldi was born in Venice, Italy, on March 4, 1678, and died in Vienna,
Austria, on July 28, 1741. The Gloria is scored for soprano and alto soloists, mixed
chorus, oboe, trumpet, continuo and strings. Approximate performance time is
twenty-seven minutes.
Antonio Vivaldi was one of the most prolific and influential musicians of the Baroque
era—not just as a composer, but also as a violin virtuoso and teacher. The son of a
professional violinist, Vivaldi originally trained for the priesthood and was ordained in
1703. However, Vivaldi suffered from an ailment he described as strettezza di petto
(“tightness of the chest”)—in all likelihood, asthma. As a result, Vivaldi later recalled: “I
said mass for year or a little more. Then I discontinued it, having on three occasions had
to leave the altar without completing it because of this ailment.”
Vivaldi left the priesthood in 1703. That same year, he began his association with
Venice’s Ospedale della Pièta, a home for orphaned girls renowned for its excellence in
musical education. Despite extensive travels throughout Europe, Vivaldi remained
affiliated with the Ospedale as a teacher, composer and music director for the better
part of four decades.
Although Vivaldi enjoyed great success during much of his life, the composer was
poverty-stricken when he died in Vienna on July 28, 1741, at the age of 63. Like
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Antonio Vivaldi was buried in a pauper’s grave.
It is in the realm of the concerto that Vivaldi exerted his most profound influence.
Vivaldi composed approximately 550 concertos in which he explored a wide variety of
instrumental combinations. But Antonio Vivaldi’s compositions also include numerous
chamber works, operas and sacred vocal music, the latter including two settings in D
Major of the Gloria (RV 588 and 589).
The date and specific circumstances surrounding the composition of the Gloria, RV 589,
are unknown. However, its omission of any male soloists (unlike RV 588) indicates that
Vivaldi may well have composed this beautiful work for performance at Ospedale della
Pièta.
Gloria in excelsis (Chorus)
Gloria in excelsis Deo,
Glory be to God on high,
Et in terra pax (Chorus)
Et in terra pax
hominibus bonae voluntatis.
and on earth peace
to men of good will.
Laudamus te (Two Sopranos)
Laudamus te, benedicimus te,
adoramus te, glorificamus te.
We praise You, we bless You,
we adore You, we glorify You.
Gratias agimus tibi (Chorus)
Gratias agimus tibi
We give thanks to You
Propter magnam gloriam tuam (Chorus)
propter magnam gloriam tuam.
for Your great glory.
Domine Deus (Soprano Solo)
Domine Deus, Rex celestis,
Deus Pater omnipotens.
Lord God, heavenly King,
Father almighty.
Domine Fili unigenite (Chorus)
Domine Fili unigenite,
Jesu Christe.
Lord the only-begotten Son,
Jesus Christ.
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei (Alto Solo and Chorus)
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei,
Filius Patris,
qui tollis peccata mundi,
miserere nobis.
Lord God, Lamb of God,
Son of the Father,
who takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
Qui tollis (Chorus)
Qui tollis peccata mundi,
suscipe deprecationem nostram.
You who take away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer.
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris (Alto solo)
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris,
miserere nobis.
You who sit at the right
hand of the Father,
have mercy upon us.
Quoniam tu solus sanctus (Chorus)
Quoniam tu solus sanctus,
tu solus Dominus,
tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe,
For You alone are the Holy One,
You alone art the Lord,
You, Jesus Christ, are the Most High,
Cum Sancto Spiritu (Chorus)
Cum Sancto Spiritu,
in gloria Dei Patris.
Amen.
with the Holy Ghost,
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
Christmas Portion and “Hallelujah!” Chorus from Messiah (1742)
George Frideric Handel was born in Halle, Germany, on February 23, 1685, and died in
London, England, on April 14, 1759. The first performance of Messiah took place at
the New Music Hall in Fishamble Street, Dublin, Ireland, on April 13, 1742. Messiah is
scored for solo soprano, alto, tenor and bass, mixed chorus, two oboes, two bassoons,
two trumpets, timpani, organ, continuo and strings. Approximate performance of the
Christmas portion of Messiah is 1 hour.
The creation of George Frideric Handel’s most beloved work, Messiah, took place during
a challenging period in the composer’s life. The steady decline in London of the
popularity of Italian opera had caused Handel tremendous financial hardship. In
addition, Handel’s rigorous work schedule had taken a profound toll on the composer’s
health. By the summer of 1741, a period of lethargy had set in.
It was at this point that Handel received a libretto for a new work, an oratorio based
upon the birth, life, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The author of the
libretto was Charles Jennens, who collaborated with Handel on several oratorios.
In July of 1741, Charles Jennens wrote to a friend:
Handel says he will do nothing next Winter, but I hope I shall persuade
him to set another Scripture Collection I have made for him, & perform it
for his own Benefit in Passion Week. I hope he will lay out his whole
Genius & Skill upon it, that the Composition may excel all his former
Compositions, as the Subject excels every other subject. The Subject is
Messiah.
Handel began composition of Messiah on August 22, 1741. There seems to be no
question that the libretto, based upon the Old and New Testaments, proved to be a
source of majestic inspiration. Handel, working at a lightning pace, completed Messiah
in just 24 days.
Once Handel completed Messiah, he focused his attention upon Samson, another
oratorio inspired by the Bible. It was during this period that Handel accepted an
invitation to travel to Dublin for a series of concerts in aid of charity. In November,
Handel set sail for Dublin, bringing with him several works for performance at the
charity concerts. Among those works was Messiah.
The premiere of Messiah took place at Dublin’s New Music Hall in Fishamble Street on
April 13, 1742. Three days prior to the performance, the Dublin Journal printed the
following admonition:
Many Ladies and Gentlemen who are well-wishers to this Noble and
Grand Charity for which this Oratorio was composed, request it as a
Favour, that the Ladies who honour this Performance with their Presence
would be pleased to come without Hoops, as it will greatly increase the
Charity, by making room for more company.
Gentlemen were also requested to refrain from bringing their swords to the
performance, again for the purpose of increasing the audience capacity.
The performance was a tremendous success. As the Dublin Journal reported:
(T)he best Judges allowed (Messiah) to be the most finished piece of
music. Words are wanting to express the exquisite Delight it afforded to
the admiring crowded audience. The Sublime, the Grand, and the
Tender, adapted to the most elevated, majestic and moving Words,
conspired to transport and charm the ravished Heart and Ear. It is but
justice to Mr. Handel, that the World should know, he generously gave
the Money arising from this Grand Performance, to be equally shared by
the Society for relieving Prisoners, the Charitable Infirmary, the Mercer’s
Hospital, for which they will ever gratefully remember his Name…
The London premiere of Messiah, which took place at Covent Garden on March 23,
1743, was more problematic. It appears that the London public accorded Handel’s
Messiah a mixed reception. However, at least according to one observer, those in
attendance—including one very prominent member of the audience—were particularly
moved by a portion of the oratorio. This resulted in the birth of a tradition that
continues to this day: “When the chorus struck up ‘for the Lord God Omnipotent’ (in the
‘Hallelujah’ Chorus), they were so transported that they all together, with the King (who
happened to be present), started up and remained standing till the chorus ended.”
In May of 1750, Handel agreed to present Messiah as a benefit for London’s Foundling
Hospital. The performance venue of the Hospital’s Chapel, coupled with the worthy
cause, removed any possible objections. Charity concerts of Messiah became a yearly
tradition at the Foundling Hospital.
On April 6, 1759, Handel made his final public appearance, conducting a London
performance of Messiah. Eight days later, Handel was dead at the age of 74. The
funeral, held in Westminster Abbey, attracted an estimated 3,000 mourners. Three
years later, the great church unveiled a monument to Handel, created by the French
sculptor, Louis François Roubiliac. The monument depicts Handel, holding the score of
Messiah. Overhead, an angel plays a lyre. The score is opened to the soprano solo that
serves to begin the oratorio’s Third Part: “I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He
shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.”
This concert features Part I, the Christmas Portion, of Messiah, as well as the
“Hallelujah!” Chorus from Part II.
Messiah
Music by George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
Texts selected from Holy Scripture by Charles Jennens (1700-1773)
Part I
Sinfonia
Tenor
Comfort ye my people, saith your God;
speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem,
and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished,
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.
Every valley shall be exalted,
and every mountain and hill made low:
the crooked straight and the rough places plain.
[Isaiah 40:1-4]
Chorus
And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together:
for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
[Isaiah 40:5]
Bass
Thus saith the Lord of Hosts:
Yet once a little while, and I will shake the
heavens, and the earth, and the sea and the dry land,
and I will shake all nations,
and the desire of nations shall come.
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.
[Haggai 2:6-7; Malachi 3:1]
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]
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]
Alto and 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! Arise, shine,
for thy light is come,
and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
[Isaiah 40:9; 60:1]
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]
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 (Matthew 3:16)]
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,
Counselor, the mighty God,
the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
[Isaiah 9:6]
Pastoral Symphony
Soprano
There were shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flocks by night.
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.
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.
And suddenly there was with the angel
a multitude of the heavenly host,
praising God, and saying:
[Luke 2:8-11,13]
Chorus
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace on earth, good will towards men.
[Luke 2:14]
Soprano
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.
[Zechariah 9:9-10]
Alto
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]
Alto and 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.
Come unto Him, all ye that labour,
and are heavy laden, and 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.
[Isaiah 40:11; Matthew 11:28-29]
Chorus
His yoke is easy, and His burthen is light.
[Matthew 11:30]
Chorus
Hallelujah!
for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
The kingdom of this world is become the
kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ;
and He shall reign for ever and ever.
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
[Revelation 19:6; 11:15; 19:16]