I have recently enjoyed watching a full preformance of George F. Handel's "Messiah". I can only describe the two and a half hour preformance as awe-inspiring, not only for the composer, the conductor, the orcestra, the singers, and the choir, but more importantly for the Messiah of whom this oratorio is about.
In the version I saw the proformers conststed of a chamber orchestra, a boy's choir, a soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone. This oratorio is preformed in movements (see complete list of movements below) featuring one or more of the afore mentioned performers. For example, two of my favourite movements are #50 O Death, where is thy sting? featuring the Alto and the Tenor and #52 If God be for us, who can be against us? featuring the Soprano. There is no set key for the entire preformance, so every movement has its own independant key, but if you are wondering, the Hallelujah Chorus is in D. Every sung movement is a passage of scripture from the KJV. It is extemely powerful in the order it is sung, as well as the music that accompanies it. One of the aspects I enjoyed most about this work is that the majority of the Scripture is Messianic prophecy from the Old Testament. Here is a web address that lists all of the scriptures for each movement:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structure_of_Handel's_Messiah
We have all (hopefully) heard the most famous part of "Messiah": the Hallelujah Chorus. It conjures up a feeling of grandure, majesty, of hope, and of joy. Did you know is tradtional to stand during the Hallelujah Chorus? This tradition supposedly originated when King George II rose during the chorus, and everyone in the theater did the same, and that began the tradition of rising during the Hallujah Chorus. This is the most widely proposed theory, but there are more. Why did the king rise? Here are some of the most popular speculations: because he was moved by the music, or because he was moved by the Majesty of God. But there is so much more to this oratorio. It covers the promise of Salvation, the reason of this Salvation: the coming judement, the prophecies of the coming Salvation, the angelicly heralded birth of this Salvation, His life, the emence sorrow and grief of His death, of His subsequent victory over death, of the victory over death (the wages of sin Rom.3:23) that we may obtain through Him, and of the awe-inspiring glory of this Salvation... and more. So, in conclution, I would highly recomend seeing Handel's "Messiah" in it's entirety, I was certainly blessed amd I hope you would be as well. Below is a link to the version I saw on YouTube.
Part I
Scene 1: Isaiah's prophecy of salvation
1. Sinfony (instrumental)
2. Comfort ye my people (tenor)
3. Ev'ry valley shall be exalted (tenor)
4. And the glory of the Lord (chorus)
Scene 2: The coming judgment
5. Thus saith the Lord of hosts (bass)
6. But who may abide the day of His coming (alto)
7. And he shall purify the sons of Levi (chorus)
Scene 3: The prophecy of Christ's birth
8. Behold, a virgin shall conceive (alto)
9. O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion (alto and chorus)
10. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth (bass)
11. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light (bass)
12. For unto us a child is born (chorus)
Scene 4: The annunciation to the shepherds
13. Pifa ("pastoral symphony": instrumental)
14a. There were shepherds abiding in the fields (soprano)
14b. And lo, the angel of the Lord (soprano)
15. And the angel said unto them (soprano)
16. And suddenly there was with the angel (soprano)
17. Glory to God in the highest (chorus)
Scene 5: Christ's healing and redemption
18. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion (soprano)
19. Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened (soprano)
20. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd (alto and soprano)
21. His yoke is easy (chorus)
Part II
Scene 1: Christ's Passion
22. Behold the Lamb of God (chorus)
23. He was despised and rejected of men (alto)
24. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows (chorus)
25. And with his stripes we are healed (chorus)
26. All we like sheep have gone astray (chorus)
27. All they that see him laugh him to scorn (tenor)
28. He trusted in God that he would deliver him (chorus)
29. Thy rebuke hath broken his heart (tenor or soprano)
30. Behold and see if there be any sorrow (tenor or soprano)
Scene 2: Christ's Death and Resurrection
31. He was cut off (tenor or soprano)
32. But thou didst not leave his soul in hell (tenor or soprano)
Scene 3: Christ's Ascension
33. Lift up your heads, O ye gates (chorus)
Scene 4: Christ's reception in Heaven
34. Unto which of the angels (tenor)
35. Let all the angels of God worship Him (chorus)
Scene 5: The beginnings of Gospel preaching
36. Thou art gone up on high (soprano)
37. The Lord gave the word (chorus)
38. How beautiful are the feet (soprano)
39. Their sound is gone out (chorus)
Scene 6: The world's rejection of the Gospel
40. Why do the nations so furiously rage together (bass)
41. Let us break their bonds asunder (chorus)
42. He that dwelleth in heaven (tenor)
Scene 7: God's ultimate victory
43. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron (tenor)
44. Hallelujah (chorus)
Part III
Scene 1: The promise of eternal life
45. I know that my Redeemer liveth (soprano)
46. Since by man came death (chorus)
Scene 2: The Day of Judgment
47. Behold, I tell you a mystery (bass)
48. The trumpet shall sound (bass)
Scene 3: The final conquest of sin
49. Then shall be brought to pass (alto)
50. O death, where is thy sting (alto and tenor)
51. But thanks be to God (chorus)
52. If God be for us, who can be against us (soprano)
Scene 4: The acclamation of the Messiah
53. Worthy is the Lamb (chorus)
Amen (chorus)
Below is a link to the version I saw preformed by The Choir of King's College in Cambridge. The only warning is that the gowns of the alto and sorprano are immodest.
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=AZTZRtRFkvk&feature=youtube_gdata_player
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