96: George F. Handel and his Messiah Composer Spotlight for homeschool families

Why has George Frideric Handel’s Messiah endured for nearly three centuries—and why does it remain one of the most beloved works of Christmas music today?

In this special composer spotlight episode of the Music in Our Homeschool podcast, Gena Mayo takes listeners on a meaningful journey through the life of Handel and the remarkable story behind Messiah. From his childhood in Germany and eventual success in London to the personal struggles that nearly ended his career, you’ll discover how God used a season of hardship to bring forth one of the greatest sacred works in music history.

You’ll learn how Messiah was composed in just 24 days, why it was originally written for Easter rather than Christmas, and how its Scripture-based libretto sets it apart from operas and other large-scale vocal works. Gena also walks through the three major sections of Messiah, explains key musical terms like oratorio, aria, recitative, and chorus, and shares the powerful story behind the Hallelujah Chorus tradition.

This episode is especially designed with homeschool families in mind. You’ll hear practical, simple ideas for using Messiah as a music appreciation lesson in your homeschool, whether you have preschoolers, elementary students, or teens. From listening activities and art connections to history timeline placement and Scripture reading, this episode makes classical music approachable and meaningful.

If you’re planning Christmas School or looking for ways to connect music, faith, and history this season, this episode will give you confidence and inspiration to press play and listen well.

Find links to all resources mentioned in this episode here: https://musicinourhomeschool.com/handel-and-his-messiah/ 

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Transcript

E96 Handel and his Messiah podcast Composer Spotlight

Gena: [00:00:00] Hello, Harmony Heroes. Welcome back to the Music in Our Homeschool podcast. I'm your host, Gena Mayo, and today we're diving into one of the most magnificent works ever written in the history of Western music. George Frideric Handel's Messiah. So when you think of Christmas music that instantly lifts your spirit, Messiah is probably near the top of the list.

The Hallelujah Chorus alone has moved audiences for centuries, but there's so much more to this masterpiece than just that one familiar section. In today's episode, we'll explore Handel's life, the story behind the creation of Messiah, the meaning behind its text and music, how it became associated with Christmas when it was originally written for Easter, and some ideas of how you can use it in your homeschool this season.

George Frideric Handel was born in Germany in 1685, the very same year as [00:01:00] another Baroque giant Johann Sebastian Bach. Interestingly, even though they lived not too far from each other, the two composers never met.

Handel's father was a barber-surgeon who didn't think music was a respectable career. He wanted to send a study law, but young George's love for music couldn't be contained. The story goes that he secretly practiced on a small clavichord that he kept hidden in the attic, playing so softly that no one would hear.

Eventually, his musical gifts became undeniable, and his father reluctantly allowed him to study music with a local organist. By his teenage years, Handel was performing professionally and writing his own compositions.

After studying in Germany and Italy, where he absorbed the rich operatic traditions of the day, Handel settled in London. There he became one of the most famous composers of his time, writing [00:02:00] operas, instrumental works, and music for the royal family. If you've heard Water Music or Music for the Royal Fireworks, both of those were written for the British monarchy and are still performed today.

But even the greatest composers face challenges. In the 1730s, Handel's popularity in London, began to fade. Italian opera, which had once made him the toast of the town, was losing its appeal. The public wanted something new. Financial troubles mounted, and Handel, suffered health crises, including what we'd likely call a stroke today. For a time, it seemed like his career was over, but rather than give up, Handel did what true artists often do. He reinvented himself.

Instead of writing operas with dramatic staging and costumes, he turned to oratorios. These are also large-scale vocal works with orchestras, but they're based [00:03:00] on sacred stories, and they're performed in a concert format. They were sung in English, instead of Italian, and that appealed to a broader English audience. Israel in Egypt and Samson were among his early oratorios, but none would reach the power and fame of Messiah.

In 1741, Handel received a libretto. That's the text for an opera or an oratorio. It was compiled by his friend Charles Jennens. Jennens was a devout Christian who wanted to create a musical work entirely based on Scripture that would tell the story of Christ: his birth, his death, his resurrection.

Something about this project struck Handel deeply. He shut himself away in his home and began composing with remarkable speed, and in just 24 days, he composed the entire work. More than 250 pages of music, two and a half hours worth. [00:04:00] He rarely slept, barely ate. When a servant finally entered the room, Handel was said to have had tears streaming down his face.

He whispered, " I did think I did see all Heaven before me and the great God himself." That sense of divine inspiration shines through every note of Messiah.

The Messiah is divided into three main parts. First of all is the prophecy and birth of the Christ. The music overflows with anticipation and joy. Pieces like "And the Glory of the Lord," and "For Unto Us, a Child is Born" use words directly from Isaiah and Luke to proclaim the coming of the Savior.

Part two is the passion and the resurrection. And here the tone shifts. We hear sorrow and triumph. H andel paints these emotions vividly through melody, harmony, and rhythm.

And in part three, the promise of redemption. The final section celebrates [00:05:00] Christ's victory over sin and death, culminating in the famous Hallelujah Chorus.

One of the reasons Messiah has remained timeless is its text. Every line is taken from the King James Bible. Unlike an opera, there are no characters or dialogue. The singers act as storytellers, proclaiming Scripture through song.

Handel first premiered the Messiah in Dublin, Ireland in 1742, as a charity concert to raise funds for prisoners and hospitals. It was a huge success. The audience was so large that women were asked to leave their hoops at home to make more room. From that moment on, Messiah began to spread across Europe and eventually the world.

In London, it was a sensation. There's a famous story that King George II was so moved by the Hallelujah Chorus that he stood up during it, prompting everyone else in the audience to rise as well. And [00:06:00] to this day, audiences stand during that chorus as a sign of reverence and joy.

Interestingly, the Messiah was originally performed around Easter, not Christmas. The work actually covers the entire life of Christ, not just his birth. But over time, the joyful and hopeful first section, those about the prophecies and nativity texts became particularly associated with the Christmas season. By the 19th century, Christmas performances of Messiah had become a beloved tradition.

Many communities still hold annual sing-alongs where the audience is invited to join in, especially on the Hallelujah Chorus. It's one of those rare pieces of classical music that unites people across generations and denominations.

Handel's story is one of perseverance and purpose. When his worldly success faded, God opened a new path for his [00:07:00] gifts. What looked like failure became the doorway to his most enduring masterpiece. There's a beautiful reminder here for all of us as homeschooling parents. Sometimes our own plans don't go the way we expect, but God can take our talents, our small moments of obedience and turn it into something lasting.

When you and your kids listen to Messiah this year, consider reading Isaiah 40:5 together: "And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together." Then play Handel's chorus based on that verse "And the Glory of the Lord," and notice how he makes the words come alive.

If you'd like to include the Messiah in your Christmas School plans this December, here are a few easy ideas. Listen to one chorus or song per day. You can play "For Unto Us, A Child is Born," "Glory to God," or "Hallelujah." Discuss which Scripture passage it's from and what emotion the music [00:08:00] conveys.

You could also draw what you hear. Younger children especially like to create art while they're listening to music. You could compare performances. Listen to a full choir and orchestra version, maybe a children's choir arrangement, or a more modern pop-like version. Talk about what's different and what stays the same.

You can talk about some of the musical vocabulary like oratorio, aria, recitative, and chorus. You can look at the historical connection. Place Handel on your history timeline near Bach and Vivaldi. Talk about what life was like in London during the 1700s.

And if you'd like all this done for you, you'll find a Handel's Messiah music lesson in my Music of Christmas course at Music in Our Homeschool, or I also taught a live lesson of it that you can get the replay of. [00:09:00] Just check the show notes for links to both of those.

And you might also want to pair it with Fine Art Pages. I have Adoration of the Magi or Nativity Through the Ages that give you beautiful artwork to look at while you are listening to the music.

Handel never could have imagined how far the Messiah would travel. And in 1759, just eight days before his death, he attended a performance and said he hoped to die on Good Friday and the hope of meeting his good God, his sweet Lord and Savior of the day of his resurrection.

He passed away that Holy Saturday and was buried in Westminster Abbey, a place reserved for Britain's most honored figures. Today, thousands of singers around the world join in Handel's chorus of praise every Christmas season, echoing that same hope.

Handel said, "I should be sorry if I only entertained them. I wished [00:10:00] to make them better." That's the power of this beautiful music that God worked through Handel to create. It's not for entertainment, it's for transformation. The Messiah has endured, not because it's just beautiful, (it certainly is,) but because it points us to something higher: the story of redemption told through Scripture and sound. As you include the Messiah in your homeschool this Christmas, I hope you'll take a few moments to talk with your kids about what it means.

Thank you for joining me today for this very special composer spotlight on George Frideric Handel and his Messiah. If you'd like readymade lessons to make your Christmas schooling simple and meaningful, head over to MusicinOurHomeschool.com or check the links in the show notes, and I will see you next time on the Music in Our Homeschool [00:11:00] podcast.

Find links to all resources mentioned in this episode here: https://musicinourhomeschool.com/handel-and-his-messiah/