While the oratorio had a long history throughout Europe, it was in England that the form took root and flourished. Intended by the devout Anglican Charles Jennens as a response to deism, The Messiah is a collection of scriptures structured to present the foundation of Christian theology.
Read MoreOn Wednesday, July 17, 1717, the most impressive public event in recent memory was produced along the River Thames. King George I and members of his court boarded a lavishly-decorated barge. Over fifty musicians were stationed on another nearby barge under the leadership of George Frideric Handel.
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