Handel’s “Messiah”

Monday, December 16, 2024 | 7 pm | Emmanuel United Church

Featuring: Midori Marsh – soprano | Jennifer Enns Modolo – mezzo soprano | Colin Ainsworth – tenor | Jonathan Liebich – bass

Accompanied by: Ian Sadler on the organ

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In 1685, three babies arrived on the planet, babies who would go on to leave an incredible legacy of music for the world. This past spring, you may have experienced Johann Sebastian Bach’s towering masterpiece, the Matthaüs-Passion, or St. Matthew Passion. J.S. Bach was born March 31, 1685 and several of his children became composers too. Lesser known, but equally talented was Italian Domenico Scarlatti (October 26, 1685), part of a musical family who contributed greatly to music mostly for the keyboard as he worked in the service of Portuguese and Spanish royal families. Before both of these fellows, born March 5, 1685 in Brandenburg-Prussia, was George Frideric Handel. He became a naturalized British subject (to German-born royals) where he composed many operas and oratorios, among other works, and famously penned The Messiah in 1742. That’s three composers whose music transcends time and moves listeners as much in their own time as it does now.