1784 was the 25th anniversary of the death of the celebrated opera oratorio composer, George Frederick Handel. London had embraced the German-born composer as it's own some 70 years earlier, and took the opportunity offered by this anniversary to stage a series of Handel concerts, and to re-publish some of his best-loved works in new editions.
Messiah, composed in 1742 was one such work, even though it has been continuously performed since its composition. With the rapid rise in popularity of amateur music-making in the home, an arrangement for 'parlour performance' of this much loved work was made and published in 1784, and an original copy of that edition lives right here in the Bay of Plenty.
At this special event at the Western Bay Museum, University of Waikato's Rachael Griffiths-Hughes will present a short lecture on the history of the work, and will then be joined by Lara Hall, violin and Martin Griffiths, cello and four young soloists from the university for a performance of excerpts from the manuscript, which will be on display.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.westernbaymuseum.nz/tickets or pop into the Museum.
