“Personne peut-être n'a affirmé avec autant de force la victoire de l'esprit sur la mort ; personne n'a parlé avec autant de tendre fermeté de l'acceptation et de la douceur. Le message de Haendel s'adresse aux hommes accablés par la douleur et par les complications de la vie. Tout le monde peut le comprendre : il est simple et il est écrit pour tout le monde. On lui reproche parfois cette simplicité ; elle est le cœur même de sa force, lui permettant d'être entendu et aimé par ceux qui ne vont jamais au concert. Ce qui devrait être l'ambition de tout musicien.” (J.-F. Labie)
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL [1685-1759] Messiah, HWV 56 · Sinfonia (3'01) · Recitative "Comfort ye, my people, saith your God" (tenor) (3'10) · Air "Every valley shall be exalted" (tenor) (3'18) · Chorus "And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed" (2'40) · Recitative "Thus saith the Lord of Hosts" (bass) (1'39) · Air "But who may abide the day of His coming?" (alto) (4'37) · Chorus "And He shall purify the sons of Levi" (2'16) · Recitative "Behold, a virgin shall conceive" (alto) Air "O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion" (alto) Chorus "O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, arise" (5'56) · Recitative "For behold, darkness shall cover the earth" (bass) Air "The people that walked in darkness" (bass) (5'42) · Chorus "For unto us a child is born" (3'38) · Pastoral Symphony (2'54) · Recitative "There were shepherds abiding in the field" (treble) Recitative "And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them" (treble) Recitative "And the angel said unto them: Fear not, for behold" (treble) Chorus "Glory to God in the highest" (3'08) · Air "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion" (soprano II) (4'25) · Recitative "Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened" (soprano I) Air "He shall feed His flock like a shepherd" (alto & soprano I) (5'59) · Chorus "His yoke is easy, and His burthen is light" (2'17) · Chorus "Behold the lamb of God" (2'19) · Air "He was despised and rejected of men" (alto) (11'06) · Chorus "Surely He hath borne our griefs" Chorus "All we like sheep have gone astray" (7'18)
Messiah, HWV 56 · Recitative "All they that see Him laugh Him to scorn" (tenor) Chorus "He trusted in God that He would deliver Him" (2'54) · Recitative "Thy rebuke hath broken His heart" (tenor) Air "Behold and see if there be any sorrow" (tenor) Recitative "He was cut off out of the land of the living" (soprano I) (3'55) · Air "But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell" (soprano I) (2'30) · Chorus "Lift up your heads, O ye gates" (2'43) · Recitative "Unto which of the angels said He at any time" (tenor) Chorus "Let all the angels of God worship Him" (1'37) · Air "Thou art gone up on high" (soprano II) (3'04) · Chorus "The Lord gave the world" (1'14) · Air "How beautiful are the feet of them" (soprano I) (2'32) · Chorus "Their sound is gone out into all lands" (1'15) · Air "Why do the nations so furiously rage together" (bass) (2'40) · Chorus "Let us break their bonds asunder" (1'43) · Recitative "He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn" (tenor) Air "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron" (tenor) (2'12) · Chorus "Hallelujah!" (3'20) · Air "I know that my redeemer liveth" (soprano I) (6'11) · Chorus "Since by man came death" (2'14) · Recitative "Behold, I tell you a mystery" (bass) Air "The trumpet shall sound" (bass) (9'17) · Recitative "Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written" (alto) Duet "O Death, where is thy sting?" (alto & tenor) Chorus "But thanks be to God who giveth us the victory" (3'30) · Air "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (soprano II) (4'51) · Chorus "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain" (3'28) · Chorus "Amen" (3'18)
