Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-02-02
WHOLE NO. 1O,541.
HASDEES MESSIAH"
The Story of this Masterpiece of the
Master Composer.

| 1''| '''N -'soSitAfhttu W. 'ho
Master Composer.
The story of the production Of this
master-work may be interesting. 1t is as
follows:
II was in the year I7il that Handel re-
ceived an invitation from the Lord Lieu
tenant to visi. him in Dublin The inyi-
tatiou was accepted, and the composer
started from London about the 4;h of No
vember-. Owing to contrary winds. his
| journey was delayed at Chester, and it was
while here that Handel wishing TO meet
with one who could sing nj sight parts OF
his new oratorio, was recommended to
lanSon, = member OF the Cathedral choir.
The vocalist was engaged, but does not
! seem To have pleased Handel. who is re-
ported TO have said, You Scoundrel! Tid
younot tell me dat YOU could sing at sight ?"
TO which the irate composer received the
| meek reply, YES, sir, but not at first
sight Handel arrived in Dublin ON the
18th day Of November, and went to reside
in Abbey street. From the 23d of De-
| eemhr to the - tn Of April following, two
| series OF SIX concerts We're given, and on
I the lSth Of April, 1742, the tirst perform
ance OF The Messiah took place, the OBJ
iects being the relief Of the prisoners in
the several jails, and for the support of
Merceys Hospital, and of the Charitable
Intirmary on the Inns Quay The price
of tickets was half guinea, and il may be
| noted by those curious in matters of
| fashion that request wuS published that
the ladies who honor this performance
with their presence would be pleased to
come without hoops. aSit Will greatly IN
creaee the charity 10y making room for
more company.
FdUjEsner's Journal contained an account
Of the rehearsal in the following terms
Yesterday Mr.. Handel'sncw grand sacred
oratorio, called The Messiah, was re-
hearsed at the Music Hall in Fishamble
street, TO Il most grand, polite and crowded
| audience, and was performed so well that it
gave universal satisfaction to all present,
and was allowed by the greatest Judges 70
be the finest composition of music that ever
was heard" Regarding the first public
| performance the Dublin Nefy Letje said
The best judges allowed it to he the most
| finished piece of music. Words are want~
ing TO express the exquisite delight it af-
| tOrded to the admiring crowded audience
etc. The performance realized four han
dred pounds, and this was considered SO
satisfactory that the oratorio was given Il
| second time on the Sd Of June following.
Mrs. Cibber gave her services gratuitously
for the first performance. and sothoroughlv
did she enter into the spirit Of the music
that DR. Delanv. the friend of Swift who
was present, exclaimed, Woman, for this
be all thy sins forgiven - Thus took place
the iirSt performance OF work which has
gone on increasing in popuiarity-un-
touched by time, unrivaled by progress. In
the words of an early Edinburgh Rerielo
writer, 1t has almost won the reality of an
article of belief and the solemnitv of an
object of worship, by its power to adapt
itself to all mtelligences, to touch the low
liest, to raise the loftiest to content the
most fastidious'' And to think that this
immortal work was completed in twenty
three days, when its composer was 56 years
of age!
Very different from that of Dublin was
the reception accorded to "The Messiah"
i'll London. Handel announced it as Il
New Sacred Oratorio," and performance
took place in l143. Such, however, was
the hostile feeling in some quarters against
the composer that the oratorio proved
failure, and it was not till 1850, eight years
after its first performance in Dublin, that
"The Messiah" met in London with the
success its merits should at first have COM
manded After this it was received With
enthusiasm on every occasion of its repre-
sentation, and it must have been difficult
TO realize that this was the same work
which few years previously had been re-
ceived with such apathy if not disappro-
baton. The last time "The Messiah " was
given during the lifetime of Handel was
on the 9th of April, 1859, at Coyent Gar
den, Just week before his death-r Les
lies Sunday Magazine for February