Handel's Messiah and His English Oratorios: A Closer Look
(Paperback)
Publishing Details
Handel's Messiah and His English Oratorios: A Closer Look
By (Author) Ben Finane
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd.
1st May 2009
United Kingdom
Classifications
Professional and Scholarly
Non Fiction
Music
Theory of music and musicology
Musicians, singers, bands and groups
Composers and songwriters
782.23092
Physical Properties
Paperback
144
Width 129mm, Height 198mm
162g
Description
Messiah, Handel's massive drama of human redemption, was his most famous work, and indeed the most popular oratorio in the history of Western music. After more than 250 years, it has the power to move listeners spiritually and musically. Drawing from both Testaments of the Bible, including the prophecy of Isaiah, the Christmas story, the crucifixion, and the revelation, (which contains the famous Hallelujah chorus), Handel's Messiah has spawned groups of listeners dedicated to its performance. Musically, Messiah ranges from madrigal to aria, with an unvarying transparency of expression, imbued with humility and grace. Ben Finane's treatment of this choral work casts new light on the Messiah, for experts and neophytes alike.
Reviews
Title Mention in Musical Times, September 2009
Author Bio
Ben Finane lives in New York City where he writes on classical music for the Newark Star-Ledger, San Francisco Chronicle, New Criterion, Stereophile, Time Out New York, and other publications.
