Messiah

Sacred oratorio
George Frideric Handel, 1741
HWV 56

Part I
1.	Symphony	(no title) 2 ob · str · bc		2 ob · str · bc
Scene 1: Isaiah’s Prophecy of Salvation
2.	Accompagnato	Comfort ye my people T · str · bc	T ·	str · bc
3.	Air	Ev’ry valley shall be exalted T · str · bsn · bc	T ·	str · bsn · bc
4.	Chorus	And the glory of the Lord SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
Scene 2: The Coming Judgment
5.	Accompagnato	Thus saith the Lord of hosts B · str · bc	B ·	str · bc
6.	Air	But who may abide the day of His coming A · str · bsn · violone · hpsd	A ·	str · bsn · violone · hpsd
7.	Chorus	And he shall purify the sons of Levi SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
Scene 3: The Prophecy of Christ’s Birth
	Recitative	Behold, a virgin shall conceive A · bc	A ·	bc
8.	Air + Chorus	O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion SAATB · 2 ob · 2 vln · bsn · bc	SAATB ·	2 ob · 2 vln · bsn · bc
9.	Accompagnato	For behold, darkness shall cover the earth B · str · bc	B ·	str · bc
10.	Air	The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light B · str · bc	B ·	str · bc
11.	Chorus	For unto us a child is born SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
12.	Instrumental	(no title) str · bc		str · bc
Scene 4: The Annunciation to the Shepherds
	Recitative	There were shepherds abiding in the fields S · bc	S ·	bc
13.	Accompagnato	And lo, the angel of the Lord S · str · bc	S ·	str · bc
	Recitative	And the angel said unto them S · bc	S ·	bc
14.	Accompagnato	And suddenly there was with the angel S · str · bc	S ·	str · bc
15.	Chorus	Glory to God in the highest SATB · 2 ob · 2 tr · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · 2 tr · str · bc
Scene 5: Christ’s Healing and Redemption
16.	Air	Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion S · 2 vln · bsn · bc	S ·	2 vln · bsn · bc
	Recitative	Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened A · bc	A ·	bc
17.	Duet	He shall feed his flock like a shepherd SA · str · bsn · bc	SA ·	str · bsn · bc
18.	Chorus	His yoke is easy SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
Part II
Scene 1: Christ’s Passion
19.	Chorus	Behold the Lamb of God SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
20.	Air	He was despised and rejected of men A · str · bsn · bc	A ·	str · bsn · bc
21.	Chorus	Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
22.	Chorus	And with his stripes we are healed SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
23.	Chorus	All we like sheep have gone astray SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
24.	Accompagnato	All they that see him laugh him to scorn T · str · bc	T ·	str · bc
25.	Chorus	He trusted in God that he would deliver him SATB · 2 ob · str · bsn · violone · hpsd	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bsn · violone · hpsd
26.	Accompagnato	Thy rebuke hath broken his heart T · str · bc	T ·	str · bc
27.	Arioso	Behold and see if there be any sorrow T · str · bc	T ·	str · bc
Scene 2: Christ’s Death and Resurrection
28.	Accompagnato	He was cut off T · str · bc	T ·	str · bc
29.	Air	But thou didst not leave his soul in hell T · 2 vln · bsn · bc	T ·	2 vln · bsn · bc
Scene 3: Christ’s Ascension
30.	Chorus	Lift up your heads, O ye gates SSATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SSATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
Scene 4: Christ’s Reception in Heaven
	Recitative	Unto which of the angels T · bc	T ·	bc
31.	Chorus	Let all the angels of God worship Him SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
Scene 5: The Beginnings of Gospel Preaching
32.	Air	Thou art gone up on high A · 2 vln · bc	A ·	2 vln · bc
33.	Chorus	The Lord gave the word SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
34.	Duet + Chorus	How beautiful are the feet SAAATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SAAATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
35.	Arioso	Their sound is gone out T · bc	T ·	bc
34a.	Air	How beautiful are the feet S · 2 vln · bc	S ·	2 vln · bc
35a.	Chorus	Their sound is gone out SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
Scene 6: The World’s Rejection of the Gospel
36.	Air	Why do the nations so furiously rage together B · str · bc	B ·	str · bc
37.	Chorus	Let us break their bonds asunder SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
	Recitative	He that dwelleth in heaven T · bc	T ·	bc
Scene 7: God’s Ultimate Victory
38.	Air	Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron T · 2 vln · bc	T ·	2 vln · bc
39.	Chorus	Hallelujah SATB · 2 ob · 2 tr · timp · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · 2 tr · timp · str · bc
Part III
Scene 1: The Promise of Eternal Life
40.	Air	I know that my Redeemer liveth S · 2 vln · bsn · bc	S ·	2 vln · bsn · bc
41.	Chorus	Since by man came death SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
Scene 2: The Day of Judgment
42.	Accompagnato	Behold, I tell you a mystery B · str · bc	B ·	str · bc
43.	Air	The trumpet shall sound B · tr · str · bc	B ·	tr · str · bc
Scene 3: The Final Conquest of Sin
	Recitative	Then shall be brought to pass A · bc	A ·	bc
44.	Duet	O death, where is thy sting AT · bc	AT ·	bc
45.	Chorus	But thanks be to God SATB · 2 ob · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · str · bc
46.	Air	If God be for us, who can be against us S · 2 vln · bsn · vc · violone · hpsd	S ·	2 vln · bsn · vc · violone · hpsd
Scene 4: The Acclamation of the Messiah
47.	Chorus	Worthy is the Lamb SATB · 2 ob · 2 tr · timp · str · bc	SATB ·	2 ob · 2 tr · timp · str · bc
Appendix
Part I
Scene 2: The Coming Judgment
6a.	Air	But who may abide the day of His coming B · str · violone · hpsd	B ·	str · violone · hpsd
6a.	Recitative	But who may abide the day of His coming B · bc	B ·	bc
Scene 4: The Annunciation to the Shepherds
13a.	Arioso	But lo, the angel of the Lord S · bc	S ·	bc
Scene 5: Christ’s Healing and Redemption
16a.	Air	Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion S · 2 vln · bsn · bc	S ·	2 vln · bsn · bc
	Recitative	Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened S · bc	S ·	bc
17a.	Air	He shall feed his flock like a shepherd S · str · bsn · bc	S ·	str · bsn · bc
Part II
Scene 5: The Beginnings of Gospel Preaching
32a.	Air	Thou art gone up on high B · 2 vln · bsn · vc · violone · hpsd	B ·	2 vln · bsn · vc · violone · hpsd
32b.	Air	Thou art gone up on high S · 2 vln · bc	S ·	2 vln · bc
34b.	Air	How beautiful are the feet A · 2 vln · bc	A ·	2 vln · bc
Scene 7: God’s Ultimate Victory
	Recitative	Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron T · bc	T ·	bc

Instrumentation

Soprano solo
Alto solo I
Alto solo II
Tenore solo
Basso solo
Soprano I chorus
Soprano II chorus
Alto chorus
Tenore chorus
Basso chorus
Oboe I
Oboe II
Fagotto I
Fagotto II
Tromba I
Tromba II
Violino I
Violino II
Viola
Violoncello
Violone
Cembalo

About the text

Author: Charles Jennens

Resources

Full score: Hallische Händel-Ausgabe I/17, p. 1, p. 1
Bärenreiter piano–vocal score ›
Opera Stanford ›
Scores at IMSLP ›
Wikipedia ›

Messiah

Part I

Scene 1: Isaiah’s Prophecy of Salvation

Scene 2: The Coming Judgment

Scene 3: The Prophecy of Christ’s Birth

Scene 4: The Annunciation to the Shepherds

Scene 5: Christ’s Healing and Redemption

Part II

Scene 1: Christ’s Passion

Scene 2: Christ’s Death and Resurrection

Scene 3: Christ’s Ascension

Scene 4: Christ’s Reception in Heaven

Scene 5: The Beginnings of Gospel Preaching

Scene 6: The World’s Rejection of the Gospel

Scene 7: God’s Ultimate Victory

Part III

Scene 1: The Promise of Eternal Life

Scene 2: The Day of Judgment

Scene 3: The Final Conquest of Sin

Scene 4: The Acclamation of the Messiah

Appendix

Part I

Scene 2: The Coming Judgment

Scene 4: The Annunciation to the Shepherds

Scene 5: Christ’s Healing and Redemption

Part II

Scene 5: The Beginnings of Gospel Preaching

Scene 7: God’s Ultimate Victory

Instrumentation

About the text

Resources

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