European Christmas. Handel’s Messiah
“Messiah” by George Frideric Handel is one of the most outstanding sacral oratorios of all times. It is based on the life of Christ, and thus is especially appropriate for performing in the largest festivities of the year – Christmas and Easter. Māris Kupčs, who is an excellent specialist of Baroque music, will be the conductor. He has gathered brilliant soloists for this performance – Elīna Šimkus, Sergejs Jēgers, Viesturs Jansons and Pauls Putniņš, Riga Dom Boys Choir having recurrently proved their mastery brilliantly to cope with the vocal difficulties of Baroque scores, and the Baroque orchestra Collegium musicum Rīga, conducted by himself – the musicians, by playing on historical instruments, allow us fully to imagine how this music resounded in the middle of the 18th century.
The creation of the oratorio “Messiah” is entwined with romantic legends. One of Handel’s servants even has asserted that the food remained untouched that was brought to the composer during his work and that the scores in the manuscript sometimes merged with his tears. The composer had visions of angel choirs who glorified the Lord. Here Handel’s religious mysticism is kin to Bach’s pietistic sense of Christianity, and within the context of the church music tradition having been developed throughout several centuries, “Messiah” is one of the highest peaks of music created by inspiration from God.
The oratorio was written during an unbelievably short period of time – 24 days (at that time, at least two weeks were required to copy the work). After “Messiah” Handel wrote many opuses being recognized and performed until today, however, the inner flame of “Messiah” lit the composer’s path of life with particular brightness, and made him to modify and improve it several times. Even a week before Handel’s death when no one doubted to acknowledge the outstanding composer as an English national hero, the author himself participated in “Messiah’s” performance. Even fainting due to the poor state of health was not an obstacle, after half-an-hour of rest, to lead the concert to the majestically enlightened conclusion of the oratorio.
Programme
George Frideric Handel Messiah (excerpts)
Participants
Elīna Šimkus, soprano
Sergejs Jēgers, countertenor
Viesturs Jansons, tenor
Pauls Putniņš, bass
Riga Cathedral Boys’ Choir
Baroque Orchestra Collegium Musicum Rīga
Conductor Māris Kupčs