Handel - Messiah "He was despised" Alfred Deller

Hi-res & stereo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP4JSVMBdZg&fmt=18

George Frideric Handel

Messiah, HWV 56 (1741)
Oratorio in three acts

Aria #23: "He Was Despised"
From act 2, aria for Alto solo
libretto by Charles Jennens


Messiah (HWV 56) is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel based on a libretto by Charles Jennens. Composed in the summer of 1741 and premiered in Dublin on the 13 April 1742, Messiah is Handel's most famous creation and is among the most popular works in the Western choral literature. The very well known chorus, Hallelujah, is part of Handel's Messiah.

Handel composed Messiah in just 24 days. Handel conducted Messiah many times and, as was his custom, often altered the music to suit the needs of the singers and orchestra he had available to him for each performance. In consequence, no single version can be regarded as the "authentic" one. Many more variations and rearrangements were added in subsequent centuries—a notable arrangement was one by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, translated into German.

Messiah is scored for SATB soloists, SATB chorus, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 2 trumpets, timpani, strings, and basso continuo. The Mozart arrangement expands the orchestra to 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, strings, and organ.

The libretto was compiled by Charles Jennens and consists of fragments of verses from the King James Bible.

For the full article in more detail on Messiah:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messiah_%28Handel%29


Text:

He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with
grief. (Isaiah 53:3)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• George
• Frideric
• Handel
• Messiah
• He
• was
• despised
• Alfred
• Deller
• countertenor
• english
• baroque
• oratorio

[zetlana]

There was only one Albert Deller! It is unlikely that there will ever be another one. This is perfection. Thanks to Margotlorena! Bravo!

[civileso]

I am not sure why you thank Lorena but actually, it is not Lorena who made this video; it is me, civileso. You're welcome anyway.

PS: Albert?

[AndyMcIntyre]

Deller has such a wonderful voice. This song is written so well, and it's great to hear it with the score.

[cgculprit]

At last! a version NOT sung as if it were an Operatic way-over-verbrato'd that is almost painful to listen to. Lovely! A version to keep in your heart!

[eustazio]

@civileso les drames de l'alcoolisme. ou de trainer trop longtemps a regarder des videos de baroqueux sur youtube. le resultat est le meme: a la fin on est tout heureux, la tete tourne et on sait plus tres bien qui a poste quoi (ou que y'a pas d'albert deller huhu)

[YavorAtanasovUs]

13 dislike that??? so for sure have 13 deaf people here in that web site...

[rhall4th]

This is beautiful.

[telucis1]

@apullinger "Not a great deal of good technique" - You've got to be kidding. You can't sing the pianissimos effortlessly as he does and sing for as long as he did without having excellent technique!

[sunsdomain]

Didn't this come out in direct competition with Ferrier's equally magnificent version? or something. What an embarrassment of riches :-)

[mynameisheit]

amazing voice thanks

[adamcho14]

it is a beautiful piece but it sounds like Mozart or Beethoven with clarinets and the other winds, no like Handel.

[Lukecash12]

@slashess You're right, it's a long aria. However, it also reaches the outer limits when it comes to exemplifying the lyrics.

[slashess]

@Lukecash12 a lot of performances/recordings cut that part out because it's too long