| Contents |
The development of Handelian oratorio. Various types of oratorio ; Italian versus English text, the soloist problem, the da capo aria ; The choruses I (St. John's Passion to Athaliah) ; The choruses 2 (Alexander's Feast to Samson) ; The choruses 3 (Semele to Jephtha) -- Messiah surveyed. Introduction: the Messiah text ; First part, overture to "For unto us a Child is born" ; First part, Pastoral Symphony to "His yoke is easy" ; Second part, "Thou art gone up on High" to "Hallelujah" ; Third part -- Changing versions. Handel's oratorio soloists ; The Messiah material ; Changes in individual numbers ; Stages of development, sequence of mss. and printed editions, "definitive" form -- The sources. The copyists ; Paper sizes and watermarks ; List of Handel manuscripts. |
