HANDEL – Hallelujah Chorus (from ‘The Messiah’) – FOUR CELLOS OR CELLO ORCHESTRA

Other Identification:
The Messiah is usually regarded as Handel’s greatest masterpiece. The composition was written down in just 24 days in the late summer of 1741. He was almost in a trance, hardly sleeping or even eating at this time. His servants would even find him in tears as he composed. When he had completed the great “Halleluja” chorus he reportedly told his servant, “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself seated on His throne, with His company of Angels.”

Although the first performance (in Dublin in April 1742) was a huge success, the Messiah somehow found it hard to win over London audiences. For example, six scheduled performances were cancelled by Handel in 1743, the Messiah was completely removed from the 1744 schedule, and it wasn’t finally performed in London until 1749. However, it was London’s Foundling Hospital who really helped Handel’s cause – they initially held a fundraising concert where Handel performed a mix of new music and well as older pieces including the “Hallelujah” chorus, which closes part II of the oratorio. The concert was so well received that Handel was invited back the next year, where he performed the entire Messiah oratorio.

After thar the performances of Messiah became an Eastertime tradition at the Foundling Hospital until the 1770s. Earnings from many early performances of the oratorio were used to help the poor, needy, orphaned, widowed, and sick.