Handel 1742 Messiah Stephen Cleobury Academy of Ancient Music The Choir of King’s College Cambridge

George Frideric Handel [Georg Friedrich Händel] Messiah Oratorio composed in 1741, some individual movements revised and recomposed between 1742 and 1754. Première charity concert Dublin April 14th 1742 , from 1750 was established the annual charity performances of Messiah at London’s Foundling Hospital, which continued until Handel’s death and beyond. Academy of Ancient Music conducted Stephen Cleobury The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge 2009 Singers: Ailish Tynan, Allan Clayton, Alice Coote, Matthew Rose Part I: Isaiah’s prophecy of salvation, The coming judgment, The prophecy of Christ’s birth, The annunciation to the shepherds, Christ’s healing and redemption 0:00:00 Sinfony 0:03:52 Air: Comfort ye, My people (Isaiah 40: 1-3) 0:06:47 Air: Ev’ry Valley shall be exalted (Isaiah 40: 4) 0:10:08 Chorus: And the glory of the Lord (Isaiah 40: 5) 0:14:29 Air: But who may abide (Malachi 3: 2) 0:19:00 Chorus: And He shall purify the sons of Levi (Malachi 3: 3) 0:22:06 Air: O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion (Isaiah 40: 9) 0:33:13 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) 0:37:20 Pifa (Pastoral Symphony) 0:41:41 Chorus: Glory to God (Luke 2: 14) 0:43:40 Air: Rejoice greatly, o daughter of Zion (Zecharaiah 9: 9-10) 0:48:44 Air: He shall feed his flock (Isaiah 40: 11) 0:54:00 Chorus: His yoke is easy (Matthew 11: 30) Part II: Christ’s Passion, Christ’s Death and Resurrection, Christ’s Ascension, The beginnings of Gospel preaching, The world’s rejection of the Gospel, God’s ultimate victory 0:56:40 Chorus: Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1: 29) 0:59:23 Air: He was despised (Isaiah 53: 3) 1:11:05 Chorus: Surely he hath : And with his (Isaiah 53: 4-5) 1:14:41 Chorus: All we like sheep have gone astray (Isaiah 53: 6) 1:19:10 Chorus: He trusted in God (Psalm 22: 8) 1:25:22 Air: But thou didst not leave his soul in hell (Psalm 16: 10) 1:27:20 Chorus: Lift up your heads (Psalm 24: 7-10) 1:32:52 Chorus: Let all the angels of God worship Him (Hebrews 1: 6) 1:34:24 Air: Thou art gone up on High (Psalm 68: 18) 1:37:33 Chorus: The Lord gave the word; great was the company of the preachers. (Psalm 68: 11) 1:38:40 Air: How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things (Isaiah 52: 7; Romans 10: 15) 1:41:05 Chorus: Their sound is gone out (Romans 10: 18; Psalm 19: 4) 1:42:38 Air: Why do the us break their bonds asunder (Psalm 2: 1-2) 1:47:30 Air: Thou shalt break them (Psalm 2: 9) 1:49:34 Chorus: Hallelujah: for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth (Revelation 19: 6) Part III: The promise of eternal life, The Day of Judgment, The final conquest of sin, The acclamation of the Messiah 1:53:43 Air: 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) 1:59:48 Chorus: Since by man came death (I Corinthians 15: 21-22) 2:01:50 Recitative: 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) 2:02:27 Air: 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) 2:11:40 Duet: O Death (I Corinthians 15: 55-56) 2:16:00 Air: If God be for us (Romans 8: 31) 2:21:20 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. (Revelation 5: 12-14) 2:24:48 Amen.