Composed in just 24 days (and orchestrated in just another three!), this talk at Shelton Timberland Library will explore how Handel’s “Messiah” became one of the most famous classical choral works ever composed and a hallmark of the holiday season.

He Trusted in God: How Handel composed his oratorio “Messiah” and its beloved “Hallelujah Chorus”

Composed in just 24 days (and orchestrated in just another three!) Handel’s “Messiah” has become one of the most famous classical choral works ever composed and a hallmark of the holiday season. It was created at a time however when the composer was at his lowest point, ready to leave his beloved adopted homeland of England after decades and flee back to his native Germany bankrupt and disgraced. Instead, isolating himself (to the great worry of his household staff) and leaning more deeply into his faith, a ‘musical meditation’ poured out of him inspired by an unusual libretto composed entirely of biblical quotes.

This and more will be explored in this talk at 1PM at the Shelton branch of Timberland Regional Library about the famous work’s background, including stories of hoop skirts, long swords, and a one-time threat to throw a soprano out of a window!

Presented by the Great Bend Center for Music’s Matthew Melendez, the presentation will be interspersed with music excerpts as he leads us through the many reasons why this work is so enduring and beloved by community choirs everywhere.