For nearly three hundred years, audiences have gathered all around the world to hear Handel’s brilliant oratorio, Messiah. In this class you will discover how Handel brought his masterpiece to life, and you’ll learn much about the composer himself along the way. We’ll take a close look at the musical devices and tricks that Handel and his soloists used to make this such a fascinating and brilliant work. We’ll examine some myths, misunderstandings, at least one scandal, and even some recent controversy raised about this much-loved piece. And finally, we will follow the journey that Messiah has taken for nearly three hundred years since that first performance in Dublin, the many versions, reworkings, and traditions that the work has engendered. What would Handel think of “Too Hot to Handel,” the "stompin' clappin'" jazz-gospel version of Messiah that Marin Alsop brought to the world in 1993? It's all here!
Syllabus
