The first performance of Handel's "Messiah" on the European Continent took place in Florence on August 6, 1768, at the request of Grand Duke Peter Leopold.
Composition History
The Halle manuscript, used for this recording, is the oldest known source for a performance of Handel's "Messiah" on the European Continent.
Recording & Production
The score used for this recording, held by the Handel House Foundation in Halle, contains unique performance indications like "solo" and "tutti" markings, dynamic instructions, and specific string techniques (sordini and pizzicato) not found in the original printed score.
Compositional Technique
The 1768 Florence version of "Messiah" was abridged by about a third, transformed into a two-part work, and had many choruses removed to fit Italian oratorio tradition.
Compositional Technique
The Italian text for this version of "Messiah" was created by Abate Antonio Pillori, who transformed Handel's English Biblical prose into Italian verses, a common practice for Italian vocal music.
Performer Biography
Alessandro De Marchi, the conductor, was the director of the Innsbruck Festival Weeks of Early Music from 2009 to 2023, where he also founded the Pietro Antonio Cesti International Baroque Opera Voice Competition and the Barockoper:Jung program.
Historical Context
Handel's oratorios, including "Messiah," were performed exclusively in Great Britain and Ireland during his lifetime.
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