George Frideric Handel combined multiple Bible verses to create an opera. His organization is not what one would expect, but somehow he gets it to flow very well. Many of the verses are well-known to us, but the way Handel places the verses together is what is so compelling. An interesting approach to his song is how he combines the verses that describe Christmas and the birth of Christ. The verses are taken out of context and reinterpreted, which is similar to many Christmas songs we hear.
Handel also uses a melody to show, “Every valley shall be exalted.” When singing, he goes up to show how every valley will be raised. At the end of the part where he interprets, “All we like sheep have gone astray,” the notes go down to show how it is a somber event. A peculiar characteristic of music is how it seems as if it can visually represent scenes.
Another interesting aspect of Handel’s Messiah is how he determines what lyrics to repeat. Repetition is important to make the verse more powerful. In the parts we listened to in class, he decides to repeat “Hallelujah” and “For unto us a child is born.” Are his choices correct? It is obvious we remember the “Hallelujah” melody, so I would say so.
Handel’s Messiah, even though it may seem composed oddly, contributes to music that helps us understand Bible verses through his melodies and repetition.