![who wrote the chorus line music who wrote the chorus line music](https://bsp-static.playbill.com/1f/b5/2edb8f6a4dfe867783295cd8ca9d/nypl.digitalcollections.acfeeb2d-7efc-4ce7-e040-e00a180644aa.001.w.jpg)
In the Mozart version a French horn replaces the trumpet on ‘The Trumpets shall sound’, even though Luther’s bible translation speaks of a last trombone. Was one by Mozart, translated into German. Rearrangements were added in subsequent centuries–a notable arrangement Music to suit the needs of the singers and orchestra he had available “Handel conducted Messiah many times and often altered the What is interesting is that Handel kept tinkering with it and changing it. While it would certainly be too much to call it an overnight sensation, it is clear that this work quickly became very popular and was soon to be seen as a classic. Unlike Handel he was a writer of lyrics not primarily a composer of music, which was Handel’s forte. Charles of course composed two well known Christmas hymns- Lo he Comes with Clouds Descending, and the more familiar Hark the Herald Angels Sing. His brother Charles actually got to know Handel a bit before Handel died, and visited him in his London home on more than one occasion. It’s a good thing he didn’t go into the music business. In his Journal he commented “there were some parts that were affecting, but I doubt it has staying power”. The work first premiered during the Easter season in April 1742, and interestingly enough John Wesley was one of the ones who saw an early performance of this work. The Hallelujah chorus is in fact the conclusion of part two, but in performances today it regularly is used to climax and conclude the Christmas performance of the first part of the oratorio. Today of course it is the first two parts of this work that mostly get performed. What we can say with certainty is that he composed the work in a short period of time during the summer of 1741, and when he got to the Hallelujah chorus, his assistant found him in tears saying “I did think I saw heaven open, and saw the very face of God”. The story of the composition of this most famous of all Christian musical works has been told variously. Inspired, Handel decided he must compose an oratorio based on this libretto. It was divided into three parts: 1) prophecies about the coming messiah (largely drawing on Isaiah) 2) the birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection of Christ 3) the End times with Christ’s final victory over sin and death, largely based in the book of Revelation. Composed entirely of Scripture portions, mainly from the OT, Handel was deeply affected when he read this libretto. It was only shortly after these calamities in Handel’s life that he came across a libretto composed by Charles Jennens. The truth was as well, that falling in and out of favor with royalty left him alternately in and out of money, and because he was not a wise businessman he in fact lost a fortune in the opera business and, depressed and in debt, gave it up in 1740. In April of 1737 at 52 Handel seems to have suffered from a stroke which incapacitated him, making it impossible for him to perform (he played the spinet or keyboard) or conduct, because it had paralyzed his right arm and he was right handed. The building has a shop on the first floor called Regina Rubens. This house is today the well known Handel House museum, and well worth a visit too. In 1725 Handel moved into a newly built flat on Brook Street in London where he was to live the rest of his life, dying in 1759. In 1717 he composed the famous Water Music which was well liked, but in the what have you done for me lately department, it only brought Handel some temporary recognition and remuneration. This augured will for his future and indeed Handel In fact Handel’s relationship with King Geroge was an up and down affair. In fact Handel had returned to Germany and had become the Kapellmeister for George the Elector of Haonver before he ever became King of England. His timing here was better than in Italy because England came to have a King from Hanover in Germany, namely King George– the one the American colonists had so much trouble with. Discouraged with the musical situation in Italy, Handel moved first to Germany and then to England in 1712 and by 1727 had become a naturalized citizen of the British realm. Handel got caught in the crossfire to some extent. In the beginnings of the 18th century there was much ferment and furor over what counted as sacred music and what counted as secular music.