#18 Handel's Messiah

Troubles ahead for mr Handel! It seemed that Handel was holding back on announcing his plans to present his big, new oratorio Messiah while in Dublin. This is no doubt because he wanted to make sure that he had the right musicians and singers for the premiere. He could now be sure of the musicians. Matthew Dubourg had gathered the best musicians in the city for Handel. Handel also had the soloists under control. But the choir singers? This turned out to be far more complicated than Handel had probably imagined. And it had nothing to do with the fact that the choir singers, as we have heard in previous episodes, would often get into drunken fights. Enter the great Mr Jonathan Swift.
Music: Dunedin Consort ‘Handel’s Original Dublin Version 1742’

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to the eighteenth episode of Handel's Messiah, a
podcast Advan Calendar. The Dublin version of Messiah differs from

(00:27):
the later performances of Messiah as the female alto plays
such a prominent role, and this is all down to
Susanna Siba. Of course, we cannot know what Susanna Sibba's
deep voice sounded like. However, it must have been quite extraordinary.
The music historian Charles Burney, whom we had met earlier

(00:49):
on in this Advent Calendar, described her like this, her
voice with a fret, and her knowledge of music very inconsiderable.
But as Charles Burney also wrote, Susanna Zibba sang with
such a natural pathos and a perfect conception of the words.
The craftsman's daughter from Covent Garden was able to penetrate

(01:11):
the heart when others with infinitely greater voice and skill
could only reach the ear. In other words, her singing
was more moving than that of even the most trained
opera singer. As mentioned before, she never learned to read music.
But Handel was very patient with Susanna Ziba. He would

(01:33):
sit at his harvest court, patiently teaching the music phrase
by phrase, hour by hour, so that she could learn
it by heart. As Bernie observed something about that voice
and manner softened handled severity at her want of musicianship,
and as we will later hear, Handel was not the

(01:55):
only one who was moved by Sibby's voice. At the
premiere in Dublin, it seemed that Handel was holding back
on announcing his plans to present his big new oratorio
while in Dublin. This is no doubt because he wanted
to make sure that he had the right musicians and
singers for the premiere. He was certain that he had

(02:16):
got the musicians, as Matthew de Bourke had gathered at
the best musicians in the city. Handel also had the
solos under control. But what about the choir singers? This
turned out to be far more complicated that Handel had
probably imagined, and it had nothing to do with the
fact that the choir singers, as we have heard in

(02:37):
previous episodes, would often get into drunken fights. Hard unsolve
if you're as your praise Why who Handle needed the

(03:27):
choirs from both christ Church Cathedral and Saint Patrick's Cathedral
in order for him to be able to put on Messiah.
On the fourth of January seventeen forty two, the Mercer's
Hospital management meant to discuss the concerts for the year
ahead that were to raise money for the hospital. The

(03:47):
most important concert of the year would be the performance
of Messiah and Fishamble Street, a concert which Mercers Hospital
organized in collaboration with the Charitable Musical Society and the
Charitable Infirmary, which was another hospital for the sick and poor,
and also in fact the first of its kind on

(04:08):
the British Isles. At christ Church Cathedral, they were quite
happy to let handle youth at choir singers now they
were just waiting to hear from Saint Patrick's Cathedral, of
which the Mighty Jonathan Swift was Dean. Jonathan Swift himself
did not take part in the important meeting, so it

(04:29):
was decided to send a small delegation over to the
great mister Swift to see if he would also make
his choir available, because seeing as most of the choir
singers were working at both cathedrals, it wouldn't make much
sense if only one dean agreed. Jonathan Swift well, he
did reply and very clearly expressed his views on a

(04:53):
church choir having to sing in a secular music hall.
We will save that reply for next episode. However, the
chances of Handle being able to put on Messiah in
Dublin were suddenly very slim. Why do the hard people
in army thing enough, the kings of the hearth rise up,

(05:29):
and the rules the counsel to cal against the Lord,
and he's ano