Just How Well Do you Know ‘Messiah’? Take Our Quiz!
It’s Messiah season again and Handel’s mighty oratorio is ringing out all around Sydney. Take our Messiah challenge and see how much you know about it. There’s more interesting trivia in the answers below:
- Handel’s librettist for Messiah was barred from public office, political or ecclesiastical. Who was he and why was he treated thus?
- In which year was Messiah composed?
- In which year and city was it first performed?
- When and where was Messiah first performed in a)London b) the US?
- How many movements does Messiah contain for orchestra alone and what are they?
- Who composed an alternative accompaniments for Messiah for performance when no organ was available?
- In the chorus For Unto us what are the 5 names stated in the phrase “And His Name shall be called…………..”?
- Name three oratorios by Handel which precede Messiah?
- During Messiah’s first season, the ladies and gentlemen of the audience were each asked to attend without an item they usually wore. What were these and why?
- Handel used the Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah in another work which premiered in May 1749. What was this work and what was its purpose?
