Key Takeaways
- Handel's Messiah's nearly 300-year endurance stems from continuous reinterpretation.
- Charity performances at London's Foundling Hospital were pivotal to Messiah's early popularity.
- Historically informed performances reveal differences in pitch and instrumentation, altering its sound.
- The Messiah libretto faces critical analysis for potential 18th-century anti-Semitic interpretations.
- Conductors like Bernstein and Glover have significantly reshaped its modern presentation.
Deep Dive
- Conductor Jane Glover developed a lifelong passion for Handel's Messiah at age nine in Lincoln Cathedral.
- The work has been reinterpreted across centuries by musicians such as Mozart and Leonard Bernstein.
- Host Stephen Dubner met Glover at Handel's London residence on Brook Street, where Handel lived for over 35 years starting in 1723.
- Handel demonstrated financial acumen as an entrepreneurial producer, investing wisely unlike many contemporaries ruined by the South Sea Company crash.
- After an initial lukewarm reception in London, Handel's Messiah gained popularity through benefit concerts for the Foundling Hospital, starting in 1749.
- Musicologist Katharine Hogg notes Handel regularly performed Messiah for charity at the hospital, often using slightly different versions tailored to his soloists.
- Early performances of Handel's Messiah featured massive choirs and orchestras, with some in the 1830s exceeding 2,700 singers.
- A shift towards historically informed performance (HIP) began, led by conductors like Christopher Hogwood with his 1981 recording.
- HIP uses Baroque pitch (A=415 hertz) and gut strings, creating a warmer, lighter sound compared to modern A=440 hertz and instruments.
- Michael Marissen's book "Tainted Glory" argues the Messiah text, particularly its Jewish references, can be seen as anti-Semitic within its 18th-century English context.
- Lyricist Charles Jennens' selective use of biblical texts portrayed the New Testament as fulfilling the Hebrew Bible, a controversial agenda.
- The chorus "And they shall purify the sons of Levi" is discussed regarding its historical and theological interpretations, beyond its original prophetic context.
- Susannah Heschel states that Michael Marissen's work makes it difficult to listen to Messiah without critique, noting the libretto's potential impact.
- Heschel highlights that Jesus, a Jew who was called rabbi, never identified as a Christian, a fact that surprises many students, even at Dartmouth.
- The guest affirms that a Jewish person can love Handel's Messiah, drawing parallels to Jewish appreciation of Wagner's music despite his antisemitic writings.
- Mark Risinger discusses Leonard Bernstein's unique 1956 performance of Handel's Messiah with the New York Philharmonic, restructured into two parts.
- Bernstein's controversial rearrangement included casting African-American soloists and a counter-tenor, which was unusual for the time.
- This casting choice for a counter-tenor significantly contributed to a renaissance for the voice type, despite mixed critical reception.
- Jane Glover reflects on her early conducting experience with Messiah at St. George's church as a student, contrasting it with her current professional career.
- Glover has performed Messiah approximately 120 times, conducting various ensembles from massive choruses to small groups.
- She emphasizes communicating the composer's intent and often conducts Messiah without a score, fostering a closer connection with musicians.
- Jane Glover conducted four performances of Messiah at Lincoln Center, focusing on conveying human frailty and strength within the music.
- Political scientist Charles King observes that the text 'comfort ye, comfort ye, my people' is an active command, suggesting the music itself can empower.
- The host expresses a deep connection to Handel's Messiah, viewing it as a 'doorway to a world of possibility' that offers hope amidst despair.