Handel's Messiah as performed by the Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra

Arguably the most famous and widely performed piece of music in history, Handel’s Messiah is still guaranteed to astonish and impress. While many of us can sing melodies of this great work by heart – the history, construction, and intricacies of the piece remain a mystery. Writing the work in a mere 23 days, Handel first performed the music in Dublin, not its now famous home in London. A piece devoted to telling the story of the Messiah, the libretto shockingly never mentions him by name. While the “Hallelujah Chorus” is seen by many as the pinnacle of the work, it is only after this famous movement that Handel really get going and pulls out all the stops – employing countless special techniques not used in the first 85% of the work. It is also the music to the soprano aria “I know that my Redeemer liveth” that graces Handel’s gravestone, not the “Hallelujah Chorus.” It is a complex but stunning work that demands regular performances, so that one can continually add reasons to love and appreciate it.