Greatheart Press

Christmas Carols and Their Stories

Puzzle 59 · Great Composers of Christmas · Page 85 in print

Handel's Messiah

For the first Messiah, in Dublin on April 13, 1742, ladies were asked to come without hooped skirts and gentlemen without swords, so more people could fit into the hall.

Jump to a word

The words

  1. Brook Street

    Handel’s London home, now Handel Hendrix House.

    Handel Hendrix House: Hallelujah House (opens a new tab)

  2. Covent Garden

    London theatre where Messiah had success in Holy Week.

    philharmonia.org: Program Notes: Messiah (opens a new tab)

  3. Dublin

    City of Messiah’s first performance in April 1742.

    BBC Music Magazine: Handel Messiah: the story (opens a new tab)

  4. Fair Copy

    The clean score of Messiah Handel left to the hospital.

    philharmonia.org: Program Notes: Messiah (opens a new tab) · Foundling Museum: Handel The Philanthropist (opens a new tab)

  5. Fishamble

    Fishamble Street, Dublin, site of the Musick Hall.

    BBC Music Magazine: Handel Messiah: the story (opens a new tab)

  6. Foundling

    London’s Foundling Hospital, beneficiary of yearly Messiah concerts.

    philharmonia.org: Program Notes: Messiah (opens a new tab) · Foundling Museum: Handel The Philanthropist (opens a new tab)

  7. Hallelujah

    The Hallelujah chorus of Messiah.

    philharmonia.org: Program Notes: Messiah (opens a new tab) · Handel Hendrix House: Hallelujah House (opens a new tab)

  8. Handel

    George Frideric Handel, composer of Messiah.

    BBC Music Magazine: Handel Messiah: the story (opens a new tab)

  9. Hoops

    Hooped skirts ladies were asked to leave off for the premiere.

    BBC Music Magazine: Handel Messiah: the story (opens a new tab)

  10. Infirmary

    The Charitable Infirmary on the Inns Quay, one of the three charities.

    BBC Music Magazine: Handel Messiah: the story (opens a new tab)

  11. Jennens

    Charles Jennens, who compiled Messiah’s libretto.

    BBC Music Magazine: Handel Messiah: the story (opens a new tab)

  12. Messiah

    Handel’s oratorio of 1741.

    BBC Music Magazine: Handel Messiah: the story (opens a new tab)

  13. Musick Hall

    The hall in Fishamble Street where Messiah was first sung.

    BBC Music Magazine: Handel Messiah: the story (opens a new tab)

  14. Prisoners

    Debtors in Dublin gaols helped by the premiere’s proceeds.

    BBC Music Magazine: Handel Messiah: the story (opens a new tab)

  15. Swords

    What gentlemen were asked to leave at home on 13 April 1742.

    BBC Music Magazine: Handel Messiah: the story (opens a new tab)

Sources

  1. Hallelujah House: Inside Handel’s HQHandel Hendrix House (25 Brook Street, London), press release
  2. Program Notes: Messiah with McGeganPhilharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale, programme note by Bruce Lamott
  3. Handel Messiah: the story of a sacred masterpieceBBC Music Magazine (classical-music.com), feature on Messiah
  4. Handel The PhilanthropistFoundling Museum, London, past exhibition page ‘Handel The Philanthropist’

How we choose sources and photographs