During the Protestant Reformation, the music of the Baroque era underwent a major change. In the theatre, the opera brought the idea of bringing music and drama together by telling stories with song. However, in mid-eighteenth century England, composer George Fredric Handel from Germany wrote the first oratorio. That oratorio was the Messiah, which was the first piece of music to be written as a sacred and religious text. This type of music was not told as a performance with dramatic scenery, but with a choir, orchestra, and a narrator. The Messiah is based on the first modern English Bible, The King James Bible, which was first published in 1611. Handel’s Messiah is written in three parts to announce the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Messiah contains verses of the Old and New Testaments. Like the Baroque music of its time, this piece of music compares to the usual Baroque musical pieces in terms of its style of tempo. The Messiah by George Fredric Handel is best known for its Hallelujah chorus, which still makes audiences stand to this day. It is also known for bringing the Holy Scripture to life in a jubilant and lively style.

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Handel’s Messiah can be considered an innovation to its era because this piece can be considered the first oratorio ever written of its time. It stands out from the musical masterpieces from its era because it is the first one to contain religious content from the Holy Scripture. As the first oratorio written of its time, it contained a choir and an orchestra. As a synopsis of the life of Christ, this musical masterpiece was a contrast to the dramatic imagery of opera. Unlike the tragedy and sadness of opera, this religious text was very jubilant. It was the first of its kind to create a biblical allusion to the King James Bible as well. The King James Bible gave way to all three parts of the oratorio because it contains the Old Testament requirements a Savior, the death of Jesus Christ in the second, and the redemption of Christ in the third. Thanks to Handel and the Protestant Reformation, the Baroque Era brought an influential type of music that changed the world of performing arts that influenced many artists in the centuries to come.


The first time Handel played the Messiah was during the winter of 1741 and on into 1742. He was invited by the Duke of Devonshire in Dublin to perform. While Handel did not play the Messiah during this season, the popularity of his music was at large that he was invited back to play a performance that following spring. This concert included the Messiah. This concert was extraordinary that the newspaper in Dublin gave it a rating of it being the most remarkable piece in Dublin or anywhere in the world. Once again, during that summer, Handel gave another performance of the Messiah for his private benefits. When Handel performed in 1743 in London’s Convent Garden theatre, the people of London did not care for Handel’s Messiah as much. According to the English press, the voices of the female sopranos were raised in ranking. Handel decided to refer to the Messiah as the “New Sacred Oratorio”, and he also divided his performance season in half to three concerts. That next year, in 1744, Handel held no performances in London. He would play in London on and off through the years. Until he died in 1759, Handel played concerts throughout the years in London beginning in 1750.


Handel’s Messiah still has that thrill that it had in its early days, where everybody stands and praises the Lord during the “Hallelujah Chorus.” This tradition traces back to 1743 where King George II rose from his seat during a performance in London. Played at both Easter and Christmas, these holidays have their own references to the song in which each part applies to a specific event in the life of Christ. All together, the whole oratorio explains how Christ has come back to Earth to redeem us. This message is most clear in the “Hallelujah Chorus”, which implies a joyous celebration that we have been redeemed from our sins. For the most part, people look towards enlightenment as they stand to sing this song. In fact, the majority of this song is sung standing to praise that Christ has done so much to save us from sin and evil.


In my opinion, this piece is beautiful and harmonious to my ears. Even though I do not know all the words to this song, I still like singing along to the “Hallelujah Chorus.” Being a song that is enlightening and proclaiming that a Savior is here to redeem us, I agree with the majority of people who think that this is an enlightening and encouraging piece. The Messiah is a piece of music for all ages because I feel like people from children to seniors can feel spiritual happiness by listening to this piece of music. This piece, I believe, should be a classic to sing and play for congregations over the ages because its powerful words and verses of spiritual enlightenment. This and many of Handel’s oratorios should be treasured over many centuries to remind people that there is hope and encouragement from Jesus Christ the Savior.


Another piece of classic religious music is the American Civil War hymn, The Battle Hymn of the Republic. This song, as written by Julia Ward Howe, also has become an American patriotic song. Written at a hotel in Washington D.C., Howe heard a regimen sing John Brown’s Body earlier in that day in 1861. That exact same night, she instantly jumped out of bed and wrote down some ideas to her song. Inspired and disturbed by the slaying of abolitionist John Brown that day, she recalled an Old Testament verse of Isaiah claiming “I have trodden the wine press alone … and trampled them in my wrath … For the day of vengeance was in my heart, / and my year of redemption has come." [Isaiah 63:1–6] (Julia Ward Howe). From this verse, Howe had written a whole song about redemption inspired from an abolitionist who had redeemed his life by going with Christ. Today, The Battle Hymn of the Republic has been sung at many military funerals for soldiers.


Like Handel’s Messiah, The Battle Hymn of the Republic is a song that one can find people singing at religious rituals in the United States. In Howe’s song, she notes that vengeance and redemption are really important. Like this song, the Messiah talks about Christ’s redemption and how He has died for our sins. Also, both songs place a strong emphasis on the Bible and Christianity being references for higher powers redeeming us for our sins. In both songs, one can be assured that Christians can be saved from sin and evil.


George Fredric Handel’s Messiah should be restored because it’s the first ever recorded song to tell about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I highly recommend this musical masterpiece to be sung and cherished traditionally on Easter and Christmas annually, I hope that future generations of young children learn the Messiah at a very young age because I believe every young person should know how Christ died for our sins. More importantly, I hope everybody gets a chance to learn that we are all redeemers of Christ. I encourage Christianity to be a continuous value for everyone who believes that Christ is their Savior. The Messiah, especially the “Hallelujah Chorus”, should be a trademark of all Christian denominations because I believe the thing that they all have in common is that Christ is the eternal Savior. The Messiah by George Fredric Handel, as well as other oratorios, should go in the time machine because celebrating the life of Jesus Christ is a joyous celebration and upbringing that I believe everybody should get the chance to experience.

Sources:
HETTRICK, JANE SCHATKIN. "Handel's Messiah: Comfort For God's People." American Organist Magazine 46.12 (2012): 78-80. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Sept. 2013.

Kapilow, Robert. What Makes It Great?: Short Masterpieces, Great Composers. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2011. Print.

"The Battle Hymn of the Republic." Dictionary of American History. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 30 Sep. 2013 .