On Mon, 3 Dec 2001 leskayc@a... wrote: > > However, in rehearsal last week I (goofing off while the tenors took a > chewing) was reading the preface of the Watkins Shaw edition and noticed on > one page where it says "words selected from Holy Scripture by Charles > Jennens." Now I know Handel did not write this in English, but are the > scripture passages that we sing the same ones that Handel used? Or am I > totally confused and did he only write this music and someone else put the > words to it? >
Charles Jennens was Handel's friend, and it was he who persuaded Handel to write an oratorio setting a compilation of scripture texts collected and arranged by Jennens himself. In characteristic fashion, Handel - once he agreed to take on the project - composed the entire work in 24 hours, distributed across the 3 weeks from 22 August to 14 September 1741.
So the Jennens libretto was always the original one.
Karen Mercedes http://www.radix.net/~dalila/index.html *************************************** Verdi and Wagner delighted the crowds With their highly original sound. The pianos they played are still working, But they're both six feet underground. - Michael Palin
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