Handel’s Messiah, recognizable as a fixture of the Christmas season, has had a lasting impact on many generations due to its canonical status. Debuting in Musick Hall in Dublin during 1742, the piece was originally an Easter offering, telling the story of Christ through music and lyrics inspired by the Bible. Essentially, Messiah was intended to not merely be entertainment, but also to be a lesson to all. During the eighteenth century, England was primarily protestant, whereas Ireland was dominated by Catholics. Being performed in Ireland after the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which sought to establish Protestant rule and override Catholicism, Messiah further established Protestantism while seeking to expand England’s colonization through this religious identity. Despite the tension between Protestantism and Catholicism, the piece was well received, for, during this time period, illiteracy was common among more lower class families, and not many could afford to buy a Bible. However, Handel’s oratorio allowed those who could not read or afford a Bible the chance to hear the story of the Messiah. As a result, Messiah was a huge …show more content…
success, and Handel annually performed it to raise money for orphanages in London, consistent with the benevolent theme of the piece as many of the performances were charity concerts. Originally performed in the secular context of a concert hall, the piece is sacred due to its themes and lessons, yet it has succeeded in including people from all backgrounds and beliefs in enjoying the musical performance.
Essentially, the piece was originally often performed in more secular settings so that those who did not attend church or were not religious could still hear the story of the Messiah. Additionally, during this time period, wealth lay in the hands of the aristocracy and commercial life was controlled by an expanding middle class. Thus, it was generally the more affluent, higher-class citizens who had the luxury of enjoying music, taking music lessons, and attending performances. However, Messiah challenged this stratification and sense of authority by being written to be an inclusive experience for all, not just the
elite. The lyrics “for unto us a child is born,” infer an encompassing feeling, challenging restrictive ideas of England’s identity and reformulating the national identity for citizens of former British colonies by themes of inclusion and belonging. Additionally, since much of Britain’s wealth and success was built off of the slave trade, this piece challenges this exclusive idea of aristocracy and control by encompassing all, regardless of the color of one’s skin, as the story reveals that the Messiah came for all, not just for the elite. Thus, Messiah was not just for the aristocracy, but was even more so for the working class. As Howard Smither remarks, “from a social aspect, Messiah participated in the progress of choral music away from being the exclusive preserve of the elite to the humble classes, a progress which resulted from Victorian efforts toward mass education and the amelioration of the conditions of workers.” Thus, as a piece for all people, encompassing participation from diverse groups, Messiah encouraged a sense of nationalism and pride for one’s country, promoting English colonization via the inclusiveness of different racial, religious, and socioeconomic identities.
This wonderful piece displays the time period in which slavery was taken place , reconstruction, baptism , going to church , and brushes up on the idea of how African American humans developed from the time when they were being devalued and treated like "nothing more than animals." Revelations is a very popular piece, reason being that the choreography is so magnificent at telling it 's story it comes off as an inspiration for the viewers. At the start of this piece it was originally ten sections, but later on sections was constantly removed as the work progressed over time. Revelations are now divided into three sections "Pilgrim of Sorrow," "Take Me to the Water" and "Move,Members,Move" which are all unique in their own
Music’s role on society has changed drastically through the course of its history as it has become ever so increasingly expansive. Many of the previous musical movements were only for the wealthy as entertainment
...rtly audience.” So even looking at this manuscript one can conclude that the musical life in England was quite lively. Many people participated and had a hand in the success King Henry VIII saw in his court. King Henry VIII’s musical talent and patronage certainly defined many of the characteristics he had as king, but history can’t ignore the treatment of his wives, the executions of his political rivals, and cultivation of fear among the common people. Luckily his beliefs in the role of the arts somewhat subdued a lot of the negativity some associated King Henry VIII with. Through his music and his court he was able to define how music should be used in any monarchy by making it a daily ritual in which the members of his court were enriched with music in their lives. This practice among others is what made King Henry VIII such a supreme figure in the Renaissance.
On March 21, 1685, the son of Johann Ambrosius Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach was born. He and his family lived in Eisenach, Germany for ten years (Baroquemusic). When he was a young boy, Johann Sebastian’s father taught him how to play the violin and the harpsichord. Johann Sebastian’s uncle, Johann Christoph Bach taught him how to play the organ, proving to have an aptitude for learning these instruments. At the age of eight, Johann Sebastian went to the Latin Grammar School, where he was taught how to read and write a fair amount of scriptures in Latin and German (Baroquemusic). Johann Sebastian was also part of the choir of St. Geogrenkirche. Sadly, Johann Sebastian lost his mother when he was nine years old, and lost his father nine months
Handel became a proficient composer of oratorio in part to his early success in composing opera. To elaborate on the histological influences on Handel, his career and education path must be noted. Born in Halle, Germany in 1685, Handel began his career in music as an organist, studying under Friedrich Zachow, one of the most renowned organists of his time. In 1702, he began attending the University of Halle while taking on the position as Organist at Calvinist church, Domkirche. After only a year, he tired of this and decided to travel to Hamburg to study opera. To support this endeavor, while in Hamburg, he played in orchestras as a harpsich...
Music is an art and a wonderful gift to human race. It soothes, stimulates and makes us feel happy. It affects our moods in many different ways from lullaby to war cry for changes in the society. Music is actually distinct to different people. Above all, it has a transformational importance that is captured in its art and nature. Music draws our emotions and it has an impact of bridging different cultures across the continents. Slave songs were very vital channels through which all kind of information was conveyed both positive and negative.
During the baroque time period, there were many composers that specialized in different areas of instruments. Arcangelo Corelli was an Italian musician that led the way for Antoni... ... middle of paper ... ... tells you without saying the conclusion of the piece is near by the way the dynamics change and at the rate in which they switch. Overall the Messiah was very soothing and I enjoyed listening to it.
...portantly, through his own music, which a majority of people still listen to during this very time, despite the progress of music over the centauries. Therefore, in conclusion, while Johann Sebastian Bach may not have been some great King or noble of some sort, he was an extraordinary and unforgettable composer and organist of Germany and devoted himself to his greatest passion, music, in order to further the influence of his culture, so that others may carry such cultural ways with them and into future generations such as our very own, where even Bach has yet to be forgotten.
The Baroque period was filled with the new idea that every issue had two sides. Great thinkers and masterminds left behind the idea that the world was either god- influenced or science-influenced. Most people embraced this notion, with the exception of a few. Johann Sebastian Bach was one of these few people. Bach, although the greatest composer of the Baroque period, led a life based on tradition and past influence, which left him virtually ignored for many years after his death.
German-English composer, George Frederick Handel, is one of the greatest composers of the Baroque period if not of all time. His work, Messiah, is one of the most famous and beloved works of music in the world. During his career in music, Handel composed Italian cantatas, oratorios (like Messiah), Latin Church Music, and several operas. Handel moved around from country to country writing, composing, and producing music for royalty such as Queen Anne and George of Hanover. In his life, Handel mastered several instruments including the violin and the harpsichord.
Music is an important aspect of every society. Music can tell stories, release emotions, build bridges and break down barriers, but above all, music is entertaining. There are various forms of music, but not many have as rich a history as gospel music. The importance of gospel music has been relevant in American music for more than a century, and its importance to society is still relevant to this day (See Appendix A). Gospel music helped slaves escape to freedom and paved the way for other styles of music.
The American Revolution left a groundbreaking influence on modern culture. Artists attempt to capture principles of the war with plays, stories, and movies. However, one of the most notable and recent adaptations, is the play Hamilton: An American Musical. Lin-Manuel Miranda, the writer and actor of Hamilton himself, utilizes play structure and creative techniques to reflect on the characteristic state of resilience, which was fundamental in terms of American success. Throughout the play, the importance of resilience is shown through innovation, reclamation, and morality. Innovation allowed the American colonists to spark creativity in terms of invention. Reclamation was vital for the colonists’ driving passion for success, as most of their
During the classical era the social function of music began to change from earlier aristocratic and religious connections toward more public and secular activities associated with the middle class. The rise of public concerts, the spread of commercial opera houses, the growth of music publishing, the increased number of musical pieces composed and played were all direct effects of the changing musical times.
...f he found a specific singer unfit. He would even change portions of the oratorio to match the voices of different singers (TIME Magazine; Thompson 881; Vickers). Despite many additions, each version of Messiah contains at least a shred of Handel’s talent.
“We are pleased to invite our friends and neighbors in Carson City and surrounding areas to enjoy this beautiful live broadcast of Handel’s Messiah”, said David Haws, senior church