Learning about music: The Hallelujah Chorus

Description The Hallelujah Chorus from The Messiahcomposed by George Frideric Handel(1685-1759)performed byThe Royal Choral Society – 2012 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUZEtVbJT5c Handel was one of the greatest composers in the history of Western art music (classical music). You will learn more about him in text chapter 10. Among his hundreds of compositions is the oratorio (large work for orchestra, chorus and soloists, usually setting biblical text to music, for public performance rather than worship) The Messiah.The entire work is about 2 1/2 hours in length, and alternates between four different types of short pieces, one of which is called a chorus. As you will see, the entire ensemble is involved in this 4-minute piece, and it is a work of great power. King George II attended a performance (in 1741) and was so moved by this music that he stood up while it was being performed. It is traditional for everyone to stand when the King does, so the entire audience stood during the singing of this chorus – a tradition that exists to this day. There is great repetition of the lyrics below, in constantly changing textures. “Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.The kingdom of this worldIs become the kingdom of our Lord,And of His Christ, And He shall reign for ever and ever,King of kings, and Lord of lords.” Please write 500 words or so about how Handel uses the basic elements (refer to May 21st notes & the Description Guide for help), to bring the variety and power to the delivery of this text that have made this chorus one of the great masterworks of our Western music tradition. Be certain to re-read the definitions of the different types of texture, and devote much of your writing to how the texture changes. Please also make sure to write about how he uses the instrumentation (the 4 different male and female vocal registers and the orchestral instruments).