Handel, Messiah
By: Donald Burrows.
Series: Cambridge music handbooks
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 1991
Place of publication: Cambridge; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 127
Subjects: Handel, George Frideric, 1685-1759.
Description: Donald Burrows brings many new insights to this fascinating account of one of the favorite works of the concert hall. He traces the course of Messiah from Handel's initial musical response to the libretto, through the oratorio's turbulent first years to its eventual popularity with the Foundling Hospital performances. The book addresses such questions as the position of Messiah within the oratorio genre, Handel's treatment of structural design, tonal relationships in the work and problems of English wordsetting, as well as contemporary issues such as Handel's relationship with his librettist, Charles Jennens, and with his performers and audience.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 121-122) and index.