European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 16, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse A Messiah the King of oratorios turns 250 by Robert Barr the associated press from the Crook of Fis Hamble Street behind Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin Ireland the Quot sound has gone out into All lands and their words unto the ends of the the sound and the words Are of George Frideric Handel s Messiah which had its premiere in Dublin 250 years ago this week. Quot it is the scene of the first performance of probably the most important piece of music Ever written in Western Europe Quot says Brian Boydell fellow emeritus and former Dean of the music school at Trinity College Dublin. The oratorio is a Paragon of popular Art a a Challenge to professionals a hummable Joy for amateurs a work susceptible to endless shades of interpretation. On monday the actual anniversary Dublin had three performances of the famous composition. One was by the amateurs of our lady s choral society of Dublin which blocked off Fis Hamble Street for its performance in front of the crumbling brickwork of the old Kennan amp sons Iron works a building which Boydell says includes a Wall or two from the music Hall in which Handel led the first performances. The other two performances were More professional one a re creation of the 1742 version and the other based on Handel s later versions. Londoners had some Early doubts about Messiah a was it proper some wondered to place a holy subject in a theater but dubliners loved it from the first. Quot words Are wanting to express the exquisite Delight it afforded to the admiring crowded audience Quot the Dublin journal reported. Quot 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 that judgment has endured. Messiah is revived again and again in churches and concert Halls around the world sometimes with the audience e forming the chorus and in an unending Stream of recordings. Messiah did not originate with i Landel but with his Friend Charles Jennens who assembled the text from Bible Versos. Quot i Hope he will Lay out his whole Genius \ skill upon it that the composition May Excell All his former compositions As the subject excels every other subject. The subject is Messiah Quot Jennens wrote to a Friend in the summer of 1 74 1. Handel did not begin the project until he had received an invitation from the lord lieutenant of Ireland to produce a concert series in Dublin. He noted on the manuscript that he began work on aug. 22 and finished on sept. 14. There Are stories not much believed any More of Handel working in a fever of sleepless inspiration refusing food and exclaiming that Quot i did think i did see All heaven before me and the great god on a More earthly level Jennens confessed to feeling Quot some mortification Quot that the premiere would not be in England. Not that Handel had taken Messiah to the Backwoods. Dublin in the 18th Century was among the 10 largest cities in Europe Boydell said. Jonathan Swift author of Gulliver s travels was then Dean of St. Patrick s Cathedral and the gracious georgian houses which remain the City s Pride and glory had spread along both Banks of the Liffey River. Swift was a problem. In january he forbade members of the Cathedral choir from performing for Handel at Quot a club of fiddlers in Fis Hamble he ordered the sub Dean to punish anyone who performed Quot As songsters fiddlers pipers trumpeters drummers drum majors or in any Sonal Quality according to the Flag Titus aggravations of their respective disobedience rebellion perfidy and composer George Frideric Handel shown in an undated etching wrote Messiah after being invited to produce a concert series in Dublin. The breach was patched up Well before the premiere of Messiah. As Handel was taking his leave of Dublin in August he called on Swift and the caustic old Man exclaimed Quot a a German and a Genius a Prodigy admit him Quot Handel had presented the first of his concert series in the music Hall which was opened in 1741 by the charitable musical society and was pleased with the sound. Quot the Musick sounds delightfully in this charming room which puts me in such spirits and my health being so Good that i exert myself on my Organ with More than usual Success Quot Handel wrote to Jennens. The Hall was converted to a theater i Handel kept fiddling with his score the associated press despite its great initial Success Messiah was revised again and again by its composer George Frideric Handel. The process began in Dublin Ireland with the very first performance in 1 742. Quot in that period composers nearly always directed their own works in performance and they adapted their works to local conditions Quot said Brian Boydell fellow emeritus of Trinity College and former Dean of the music school. Quot Messiah went through All sorts of changes according to local availability of Quot the Messiah that Handel composed first of All probably has never been performed in the Way it was first put Down on paper Quot said Harry Christophers who conducted the original version in London on monday As part of the composition s 250th anniversary. The original lacks some favorite Messiah Arias Christophers said including Quot How Beautiful Are the in Dublin Handel set those words in a Short recitative a a sort of Sung speech rather than a song perhaps because he did t know who would lie available to perform it. This was typical of the composer and is one reason that there is rarely a Quot definitive Quot version of his works. Most performances of Messiah Are based on Handel s later performances such As the 1 749 and 1750 concerts in Aid of the foundling Hospital in London. 1777. A property map from 1804 shows that the Hall had a a shaped gallery and a separate Coffee room Boydell said. The ironworks took Over in 1867. Quot certainly one if not two of the outside Walls still stand Quot said Boydell who feels confident Only about the survival of the Wall behind tie stage. Handel who was his own promoter and ticket agent operating from a House on Abbey Street made a special offer for the Messiah premiere. With each half Guinea ticket he included a free ticket to the rehearsal on april 9. For the formal premiere the Dublin journal requested that Quot the ladies who Honor this performance with their presence would be pleased to come without hoops As it will greatly increase the Charity by making room for More gentlemen were requested to come without swords and an estimated 700 people squeezed in. The performance raised 400 pounds which was divided among three charities the society for relieving prisoners the charitable infirmary and Mercer s Hospital. One of the famous a and dubious a stories of the first performance involves Swift s Friend the Rev. Patrick Delaney and one of the soloists Susanna cibber. Cibber was a famous actress who had been involved a few years earlier in a notorious divorce Case. But her singing so moved Delaney that he is said to have called out woman for this be All thy sins like much Adessiah lore Boydell says it does t Bear close examination. But still he said Quot it could have happened and it s Worth telling because it s such a Nice 24 stripes Magazine april 16, 1992 a
