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The composer is the author of Alleluia from the oratorio Messiah. Handel

Cast: soprano, alto, tenor, bass, choir, orchestra.

History of creation

“It is often observed in the life of great people that at the moment when everything seems to be lost, when everything collapses, they are close to victory. Handel seemed to be defeated. And just at that hour he created a creation that was destined to consolidate world fame for him, ”wrote Romain Rolland, a researcher of his work. The author of almost forty operas, many instrumental compositions, who turned to the oratorio genre from the mid-1730s (Alexander's Feast, Saul, Israel in Egypt have already been created), Handel lost the love of the public. His enemies, the English aristocrats, who preferred Italian composers to Handel, hired people to tear down posters, and his concerts were no longer attended. Handel, who had decided to leave England, where he had lived for a quarter of a century, announced his last concert on April 8, 1741. However, the composer's strength did not run out: in 24 days, from August 22 to September 14, the composer created one of his best oratorios - Messiah. He worked with inspiration, and when he finished "Hallelujah", he exclaimed, bursting into tears: "I thought that the sky had opened, and I see the Creator of all things." It was one of the happiest moments in the composer's life.

Some researchers attributed to Handel not only the music, but also the text of the oratorio. However, the text belonged to Handel's friend, the writer Charles Jennens (1700-1773), who, as legend has it, declared that the music of "Messiah" was hardly worthy of his poem. Jennens, using gospel motifs about the birth, deed and triumph of Jesus, does not personify the characters. He includes in the oratorio several texts from the New Testament: the Apocalypse, the first letter of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians and Psalm No. 2, a century earlier, in the era of the English Revolution, translated by the great English poet John Milton, on the tragedy of which Handel will soon write his next oratorio - "Samson".

Having received an invitation from the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to direct the concerts, Handel arrived in Dublin at the end of 1741, where his compositions were already included in the program of the Philharmonic Society. Here, unlike London, he was met with enthusiasm, as he wrote in a jubilant letter to Jennens a few days before the new year. His concerts were a great success - until the beginning of April there were 12 of them. And, finally, on April 13, 1742, under the direction of the author, "Messiah" was performed for the first time in the Great Music Hall. This was the only charity concert given by Handel in Dublin. Since then, a tradition has been established to perform "Messiah" for the benefit of those in need (in the last years of his life, the composer regularly gave this oratorio in favor of the London Shelter for the Foundlings and secured his monopoly on income from concerts, forbidding, while he was alive, the publication of the score and excerpts from it ).

In London, "Messiah" met with the resistance of the clergy and until the end of the 40s, sounded only 5 times; the name was forbidden, the posters simply read "Spiritual Oratorio". However, during the life of Handel, despite the biblical story, it rarely sounded in English churches - concerts were usually held in the theater or other secular public halls. The last performance took place 8 days before the death of the composer, who himself played the organ. There are many author's versions of "Messiah" - Handel constantly changed the arias, in accordance with the capabilities of the singers.

In Handel's homeland, in Germany, "Messiah" was first heard in 1772 in a translation into German by the famous poet Klopstock; the next translation belonged to the no less famous poet Herder. On the Continent, the oratorio was usually performed in Mozart's version, made for Vienna in 1789 - it was in this form that the "Messiah" was known throughout the 19th century and gained wide popularity.

Music

Despite the absence of specific characters, the oratorio contains many solo and duet numbers: recitatives accompanied by a harpsichord, similar to secca recitatives in Italian opera that time; arias are lyrical, pastoral, and heroic, especially typical of Handel, as well as ariosos and duets. More than a quarter of the work is choirs; there are several orchestral numbers. Despite the later tradition of employing a large number of performers, during Handel's lifetime Messiah was performed by 33 orchestra members and 23 singers.

The oratorio consists of three parts. In the 1st part (the birth of the Messiah) bright pastoral colors prevail, the 2nd (passion of Christ) is characterized by sharp contrasting juxtapositions, the brief final part (the triumph of Christianity) is permeated with a single jubilant mood. No. 2-3, recitative and tenor aria "All the Valleys", are full of grandeur, illuminated with light and joy. The chorus “Today a Baby is Born for Us” (No. 11) captivates with a simple theme in the folk spirit, embellished with jubilant anniversaries of voices and passages of violins. Orchestral Pastoral No. 12 is built on an authentic Italian melody. In the sound of the strings accompanying the soprano recitatives (No. 13-14), one can hear the rustling of the wings of angels flying to the newborn Savior. The alto aria “He was despised” (No. 20) is marked by a noble, restrained, sublime warehouse. The sharp dotted "rhythm of scourging" in the orchestra unites it with the following chorus "Truly, verily, He took our sorrow." The short tenor arioso “Look, look and tell me who knew worse suffering” (No. 27) is distinguished by a heartfelt mournful declamation. The solemn choir “Head up, see the gates” (No. 30) is built on the antiphonal juxtaposition of the parts of three female and two male voices. Written on the text of the 2nd psalm, the choir (No. 37) “Let us break their bonds and overthrow their shackles from us” and the tenor’s aria (No. 38) “You will strike them with an iron rod; crush them like a potter's vessel" are permeated with a harsh heroic spirit. The pinnacle of the oratorio and one of Handel's most famous creations is the choir (No. 39) "Alleluia", which concludes the 2nd movement. In England, it is listened to standing up, like reading the Gospel in church. In this national victory hymn, the composer masterfully combines a short, uncomplicated melody in a dance rhythm and the unison chant of an old German Protestant chant - a militant anthem of the Peasants' War of the early 16th century. No less popular in England is the soprano aria (No. 40) "I know that my Savior lives." In the brilliant heroic bass aria (No. 43) “Here the trumpets sound” (to the text of the Apocalypse), the trumpet solo, recalling the awakening of the dead at the sounds of the trumpet of the Eternal. The oratorio ends with a grandiose choir with trumpets and timpani (No. 47), a typical Handelian victorious finale, consisting of several episodes crowned with a fugue.

A. Koenigsberg

The famous "Messiah" ("Messiah" means "Savior") was created in the midst of the composer's violent clash with the London "tops". Therefore, this work was first performed under the direction of the author in Dublin (Ireland), which sheltered Handel, in 1742. "Messiah" could be called a huge heroic praise. This "Life of a Hero" of the 18th century is compositionally embodied in the form of a musical triptych, similar to those that Renaissance masters wrote on religious motifs: I. Birth, childhood (the first nineteen numbers); II. Feat (twenty-three numbers); III. Triumph (nine numbers). The oratorio was written for a choir, an orchestra and four soloists (singing voices).

The plot of the "Messiah" (libretto by Charles Jennens and Handel himself based on biblical texts) is essentially the same as in the "Passion of the Christ" (" Passions"), but its interpretation is not at all the same. And here the events are not shown and almost not told, and the images of the oratorio are in relation to them only on a certain tangent line: it is rather a cycle of lyrical-epic songs-hymns born by the hero's feat, a reflection of the legend in the popular consciousness. Handel's Messiah bears little resemblance to the modest and humble passion-bearer from the German Passions. On the contrary, this figure is powerful, even warlike, rather reminiscent of the hyperbolic images of Rubens or Michelangelo. In addition, he is so merged with the masses of the people, dissolved in it, that in fact (that is, in music) it is not so much he, but the people themselves become their own messiah! No wonder the solo part of Jesus is absent in the oratorio. Deeply folk choirs (twenty-one of the fifty-two numbers of the entire composition) make up its main musical content and, like a massive colonnade, they support a huge building.

The Messiah orchestra does not differ in the timbre variety and play of colors that are characteristic of Handel's palette in purely instrumental and some synthetic genres (Concerti grossi, Julius Caesar, oratorios L "Allegro" and others). Nowadays, "Messiah" usually published and performed in Mozart's arrangement. Highly artistic in itself, it deviates in some respects from the original. Mozart retained all parts of the singing voices and string instruments unchanged, except for additional violins and violas. As for the "obligate" wind and so-called accompanying (organ, clavier, lutes, harps), then here the changes and additions made by Mozart are great.In some places he developed the accompanying voices into obligate parts, and re-instrumented obligate ones, introducing, for example, instead of oboes flutes and clarinets.In some places, separate short melodic phrases unfolded into extended formations, and delightful counterpoints of a purely Mozartian style are added to them. Endel's oratorios - "Acis and Galatea", "Messiahs", "Feasts of Alexander", "Odes of Cecilia" - were made by Mozart in 1788-1790.

The E-minor overture to Messiah in the style of an operatic “symphony” of the time (massive Grave and fugue Allegro) is gloomy, but extremely energetic and conjures up the image of some kind of majestic dance rather than a threshold to religious contemplation of the “passion of the Lord” . The first nine vocal numbers - thrice alternating and thematically interconnected recitatives, arias and choirs - are written as a kind of cyclic narrative introduction. The intonations here indeed are epic-thoughtful, the rhythmic pattern is almost even and calm throughout, the movement of the melody is most often leisurely, sedate. Only at times does this epic expanse explode with a storm of sounds that foreshadow a future tragedy. As if from the depths of centuries, archaic voices are heard - speeches about some important events, and the first E-major recitative (consolation for the "suffering and burdened") of a completely pre-Beethoven type pointedly prophesies the imminent end of unrighteous power. Then, in the very middle of the movement, the clear major sphere is clouded over in B minor (recitative and aria, Nos. 10-11), and, like echoes of hoary antiquity, the majestic images of an ancient legend emerge: a people wandering in darkness sees a bright light ahead, and the light gives rise to great hope in his soul.

The "golden childhood" of the hero is in the form of a whole pastoral cycle in the spirit of the ideals of the "Arcade Academy" (When Handel was in Italy, he participated in Arcadia with Corelli, Marcello and Al. Scarlatti. The similarity of the Pastoral Symphony from Messiah cited here with the finale of Corelli's Christmas Concerto (Angelus) is indeed striking.):

Handel follows the naive-poetic tradition of the Renaissance and, just like in Correggio's "Holy Night", the angels of heaven flock to the manger, overshadowing the peaceful shepherd's idyll with their wings:

They sing the traditional Christmas "Gloria in excelsis" ("Glory in the highest").

If this first part of the oratorio is still close in plot to the biblical source, however, already rethought in terms of folk action, then in the second - the religious legend is gradually obscured by motives of a completely different, civil nature. Here lies the tragic grain of the whole work and its dramatic climax - torture, suffering and martyrdom hero. Musical images are immersed in a dark "Rembrandtian" color (an array of minor choirs: g-moll, f-moll, f-moll - and solo numbers: b-moll, c-moll, h-moll, e-moll, d-moll, g-moll, e-moll, a-moll). At times, their pathetic melody is fettered by pointed rhythmic ostinatos. Before us are the figures of the enemies of truth - tyrants, unrighteous judges, executioners, detractors with ridicule and sophism on their lips (I recall Titian's "Denarius of Caesar"!), episodes of their intrigues, torture, wild demons. There can hardly be any doubt that it was not in the depths of millennia that Handel directed his “iron verse, drenched in bitterness and anger” here. But perhaps the most remarkable thing is that it is precisely in this climactic phase of the tragedy that there are no detailed images of either the pains of the cross, or the funeral rite, or the mother's weeping at the foot of the cross, or the "tears and sighs" of the Magdalene. Only a small fifteen-bar arioso in e-moll “Look, look and tell me: who knew suffering worse?” - somewhat closer to the image of "Pieta" (“Compassion” was the name given to the artistic images of maternal grief.). However, this arioso is also characterized by a noble measure of expression and restraint of intonation:

Music does not open the tragic panorama of "passions". Only the echoes of events seem to reach us, lyrically refracted in the feelings of the masses. Apparently, the composer consciously avoided here a long stay in a condensed-passive sphere.

Characteristically, Goethe, who was a great admirer of the "Messiah", strongly condemned the excessive tenderness and sentimentality in the performance of this work. “Weakness is a characteristic feature of our age!” he lamented over this in Weimar in 1829. In addition, no matter how often the archaic biblical texts repeat the name of the Messiah, Handel's music, powerful and imperious, covers them with its emotionally truthful beauty. Enormous folk choirs rise above the tragedy of the individual and shoot it in their broad and irresistibly striving movement. Even the most gloomily mournful among them, such as, for example, the g-moll "choir" Prayer for the Cup, "breathe with some kind of inescapable fanatical power (see also chorus fugue in f minor, no. 23):

The composition of "Messiah" is based on the deployment of changing contrasting images in close-up. The idyllic epic of the first part is opposed by the high tragedy of the second, its dramatic antitheses, in turn, are resolved by the radiant apotheosis of the finale. Accordingly, the beginning of the oratorio is more picturesque, the lyrics of mournful pathos and conflicts of passions are concentrated in the center of a large cycle, and its song-dances and processions of a triumphal celebration complete it. Such is the dramaturgy of the individual parts. The Christmas pastoral arises from the sinful darkness and wanderings of the human race. In the midst of giant choirs thundering with stern pathos and indignation, the messengers of peace appear to the people in a short G-minor Sicilian. But the symbols of peace also call for struggle and victory.

The closer to the end of the oratorio, the more the New Testament text loses its expressive and semantic meaning. The militant, figurative choir in C major is conceived according to the libretto as a wild cry of pagans rebelling against Christ:

Break the chains, break, brothers!
The hour has long struck!
And throw away
Slave yoke!

Then it is said how the celestial laughed at these "princes of the world" and "struck them and scattered them with his scepter." But biblical broadcasts are drowned in mighty streams of music, literally seething with the pathos of indignation and protest. "Tear the chains, tear, brothers!" is the battle cry of the rising masses. Then the struggle is crowned with victory. The general culmination of the entire oratorio, which concludes the second part of the Messiah, is the grandiose song of glory Hallelujah (D-dur) - the direct predecessor of the D-dur finale of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. It heralds the denouement of the tragedy and the triumph of the victorious people. It is characteristic that before greatness and by the dazzling light of this music in its homeland, in England, and to this day audiences rise from their seats to listen to it standing - not only thousands of ordinary people, but also statesmen, prelates of the church, even monarchs.Handel organically merged traditions and techniques stemming from Purcell's Anthems and from German democratic songwriting on a revolutionary theme.In the powerful unisons of the "Hallelujah" the old Protestant folk chant passes meaningfully: "Wachet aut, ruft uns die Stimme!" (“Wake up, the voice is calling us!”).

Twenty years later, Gluck defined the task of music - to complete the poetic images of a verbal text. For that time, this was “the great word of the great artist” (A. N. Serov). But Handel lived in a completely different historical conditions, and they often encouraged him, on the contrary, to suppress the meaning of the verbal text with the power of his music.

The religious fragments that make up the libretto of the third part of "Messiah" are pious praise to providence, thanksgiving to heaven. But in Handel's interpretation, the finale of the oratorio is rather folk holiday freedom and victory over the enemy, “some kind of colossal, boundless triumph of an entire people” (V. V. Stasov). Life-affirming hymns loudly challenge darkness, grief and death itself, and the famous E-major Larghetto aria - “I know my savior lives!” - not a prayer. It contains too much oratorical pathos, intellectualism, and perhaps even the austere beauty of Beethoven's minuets.

The Gospel Messiah, no matter how imposingly written his image, is born, suffers and dies. But the people were before him and remain after him. In this emancipation of the image of the people from religious legend, there is a deep philosophical meaning works, the beauty of which has survived the centuries and will forever be preserved in the artistic treasury of mankind.

K. Rosenshield

Messiah is an oratorio for soloists, choir and orchestra by Georg Friedrich Handel, his most famous work and one of the most famous works of Western choral art.

In Judaism and Christianity, the messiah (“anointed one”) is the Savior sent by God to earth. For Christians, the Messiah is Jesus Christ. Handel was a devout Christian and his writing presents the life of Jesus Christ and its significance according to Christian doctrine. The text for the oratorio is taken from the generally accepted translation of the Bible among English-speaking Protestants at that time - the King James Bible.

The Messiah is Handel's most famous work (only Water Music approaches it in popularity), and remains extremely popular among classical music lovers.

Handel called his oratorio "Messiah" (without the article "The"), but it is often erroneously called "The Messiah". This popular name has become so familiar that the correct one already cuts the ear.

Although the oratorio was conceived and first performed at Easter, after Handel's death it became customary to perform "Messiah" during the Advent period, the Advent fast. Christmas concerts usually include only the first part of the oratorio and the Hallelujah choir, but some orchestras perform the entire oratorio. This work can also be heard during Easter week, and passages about the resurrection are often included in Easter church services. The soprano aria "I know that my Redeemer liveth" can be heard during the funeral services.

The oratorio consists of three parts. Much of the libretto is taken from Old Testament, which is surprising when it comes to a work that tells about the Savior. The basis of the first part of the oratorio is the Book of the prophet Isaiah, which predicts the coming of the Messiah. There are several quotations from the Gospels at the end of the first and the beginning of the second part: about the angel who appeared to the shepherds, from the Gospel of Luke, two cryptic quotes from the Gospel of Matthew and one from the Gospel of John ("Behold the Lamb of God", "Lamb of God"). The second part uses the texts of the prophecies of Isaiah and quotations from the Psalms. The third part includes one quote from the Book of Job (“I know that my Redeemer livesth”, “And I know that my Redeemer lives”), and then the text of the First Epistle to the Corinthians of the Holy Apostle Paul is mainly used.

It is also interesting that the most famous chorus "Hallelujah" ("Hallelujah") at the end of the second part and the final chorus "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain" ("Worthy is the Lamb that was slain") are taken from the Book of Revelation of John the Evangelist, the only book of prophecy in the New Testament.

At the end of the summer of 1741, Handel, at the height of his musical career, however, burdened with debts, begins to compose music for the libretto based on biblical stories by C. Jennens. On August 22, work began, on August 28 the first part was completed, on September 6 - the second, on September 12 - the third, by September 14 the oratorio was instrumented. So, in one breath, in 24 days, Handel creates a grandiose work - "Messiah".

It is said that when Handel was composing The Messiah, his servant often found the composer weeping quietly at the table, Handel was so fascinated by the beauty and grandeur of the music coming out from under his pen. A secondary source for this story is a pamphlet from the Trinity College Dublin Choral Society. The original source is unknown to the author.

Handel ends Messiah on 12 September. The oratorio has already begun to be rehearsed, but Handel unexpectedly leaves for Dublin at the invitation of the Duke of Devonshire, the viceroy English king in Ireland. The composer is received with great cordiality, he gives concerts throughout the season (from December 1741 to April 1742).

The oratorio "Messiah" was first performed on April 13, 1742. It was a charity concert on Fishhamble Street in Dublin's Temple Bar area. Before the concert, I had to overcome organizational difficulties and make changes to the score at the last moment. J. Swift, as dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, exerted some pressure and generally banned the performance of "Messiah" for a while. He demanded that the work be renamed "The Sacred Oratorio" and that the money received from the concert go to help the local hospital for the insane.

At the premiere of Messiah, Handel led the performance at the harpsichord, the orchestra was conducted by Matthew Duborg, a student of Geminiani, an Irish violinist, conductor and composer who had worked with Handel in London since 1719. Solo parts were sung by soprano K.-M. Avolio, mezzo-soprano M. Cibber, altos W. Lamb and D. Ward, tenor D. Bailey and bass D. Mason, two small choirs (about 20 people) from both Dublin Cathedrals participated in the performance.

In London, the "Messiah" was met with caution. For seven years, the oratorio went on without an original title and was received rather reservedly. Only starting from the London performance on March 23, 1749, the oratorio sounded under its true name and finally received full and unconditional recognition. Since 1750, Handel annually ended his oratorio season in the spring before Easter with the “Messiah”, and the last lifetime performance took place on April 6, 1759, a week before the death of the composer.

Handel conducted Messiah many times, often making changes to suit the needs of the moment. As a result, there is no version that can be called "authentic", and many changes and reworkings have been made over the following centuries. It should be noted the processing by W. A. Mozart with the German text. At present, Messiah is performed by an orchestra, choir and four soloists: bass, tenor, contralto or countertenor and soprano.

In London performances of the oratorio, tenors D. Beard and T. Lowe, basses T. Reinhold, S. Champiess and R. Wess, sopranos E. Duparc (Franchesina), D. Frasi and C. Passerini, mezzo-soprano C. Galli, viola G. Guadagni.

After the death of Handel, the "Messiah" began a triumphal procession through Europe. The first performance in Germany in 1772 in Hamburg was directed by M. Arn, followed by the Hamburg performance of 1775 under the direction of C. F. E. Bach in the German translation of Klopstock and Ebeling, in 1777 under the direction of Abbot Vogler in Mannheim, in 1780 and 1781 years in Weimar under the direction of W. Wolf, translated by Herder. In 1786, A. Hiller led the "Messiah" in Italian.

The house where Handel worked on The Messiah is now open to the public, this is the Handel House Museum.

Abstract on the topic:

Messiah (oratorio)

Plan:

Introduction

musical language

Introduction

"Messiah"(English) Messiah, HWV 56, 1741) is an oratorio for soloists, choir and orchestra by George Frideric Handel, his most famous work and one of the most famous works of Western choral art.

1. Overview

In Judaism and Christianity, the messiah (“anointed one”) is the Savior sent by God to earth. For Christians, the Messiah is Jesus Christ. Handel was a devout Christian and his writing presents the life of Jesus Christ and its significance according to Christian doctrine. The text for the oratorio is taken from the translation of the Bible generally accepted among English-speaking Protestants at that time - the King James Bible.

"Messiah" is Handel's most famous work (only "Water Music" comes close to it in popularity), remaining unusually popular among classical music lovers.

Handel called his oratorio "Messiah" (without the article "The"), but it is often erroneously called "The Messiah". This popular name has become so familiar that the correct one already cuts the ear.

Although the oratorio was conceived and first performed at Easter, after Handel's death it became customary to perform "Messiah" during the Advent period, the Advent fast. Christmas concerts usually include only the first part of the oratorio and the Hallelujah choir, but some orchestras perform the entire oratorio. This piece can also be heard during Easter week, and passages about the resurrection are often included in Easter church services. The soprano aria "I know that my Redeemer liveth" can be heard during the funeral services.

2. Structure

The oratorio consists of three parts. Most of the libretto is taken from the Old Testament, which is surprising when it comes to a work that tells about the Savior. The basis of the first part of the oratorio is the Book of the prophet Isaiah, which predicts the coming of the Messiah. There are several quotations from the Gospels at the end of the first and the beginning of the second part: about the angel who appeared to the shepherds, from the Gospel of Luke, two cryptic quotations from the Gospel of Matthew and one from the Gospel of John (“Behold the Lamb of God”, “Lamb of God "). The second part uses the texts of the prophecies of Isaiah and quotations from the Psalms. The third part includes one quote from the Book of Job (“I know that my Redeemer livesth”, “And I know that my Redeemer lives”), and then the text of the First Epistle to the Corinthians of the Holy Apostle Paul is mainly used.

The libretto was compiled by Charles Jennens from fragments of the King James Bible. C. Jennens conceived the work as an opera in three acts, each of which consists of several scenes:

I - prophecy about salvation;

II - the prophecy about the coming of the Messiah and the question of what this portends to the world;

III - prophecy about the birth of the Virgin;

IV - the appearance of angels to the shepherds;

V - miracles of Christ on earth.

I - sacrifice, scourging and cross torments;

II - death and resurrection of Christ;

III - ascension;

IV - the Lord reveals his essence in heaven;

V - the beginning of preaching;

VI - the world and its rulers reject the Gospels;

VII - the triumph of the Lord.

I - the promise of atonement for the fall of Adam;

II - Judgment Day;

III - victory over death and sin;

IV - the glorification of Jesus Christ.

From this division it is easy to determine which parts are considered suitable for Christmas and which for Easter. Numbers 1-18 of the first part, corresponding to scenes i-iv, are considered as Christmas fragments, numbers 19 and 20 of the first part and number 22 of the second part can be considered transitional, everything else is suitable for Easter. According to this scheme, the Hallelujah choir, which many consider to be a Christmas carol, definitely belongs to the Easter part. Nevertheless, many choral societies perform the whole work at any time of the year to the delight of the listeners.

3. Work on the oratorio and the premiere

At the end of the summer of 1741, Handel, who was at the peak of his musical career, but weighed down by debts, began to compose music for the libretto by C. Jennens based on biblical stories. On August 22, work began, on August 28 the first part was completed, on September 6 - the second, on September 12 - the third, by September 14 the oratorio was instrumented. So, in one breath, in 24 days, Handel creates a grandiose work - "Messiah".

Handel ends Messiah on 12 September. The oratorio has already begun to be rehearsed, but Handel unexpectedly leaves for Dublin at the invitation of the Duke of Devonshire, viceroy of the English king in Ireland. The composer is received with great cordiality, he gives concerts throughout the season (from December 1741 to April 1742).

At the premiere of "Messiah" Handel led the performance at the harpsichord, the orchestra was conducted by Matthew Duborg - a student of Geminiani, an Irish violinist, conductor and composer who worked with Handel in London from 1719. Solo parts were sung by soprano K.-M. Avolio, mezzo-soprano M. Cibber, altos W. Lamb and D. Ward, tenor D. Bailey and bass D. Mason, two small choirs (about 20 people) from both Dublin Cathedrals participated in the performance.

The house where Handel worked on the "Messiah" is now open to the public. Handel House Museum.

4. Musical language

Handel is known for using in many of his works a special manner of writing, when a musical notation, as it were, draws the corresponding text. Perhaps the most famous and often cited example of this technique is the tenor aria "Every valley shall be exalted" from the beginning of the first movement of Messiah. To the words “… and every mountain and hill made low; the crooked straight and the rough places plain" ("let every mountain and hill fall, the curvatures straighten out and uneven paths become smooth") Handel composed this music:

The melody rises to the upper F sharp on the first syllable "mountain" ("mountain") and falls an octave on the second syllable. The four notes of the word "hill" ("hill") form a small hill, the word "low" ("low") falls on the lowest note of the phrase. On the word "crooked" ("curve"), the melody changes from to sharp to B, to remain on the word "straight" ("straight"). The word "plain" ("smooth, even") in most cases falls on the upper E, lasting three measures with a slight variation. Handel uses the same technique during the repetition of the final phrase: the "curvature" of the curve, and on the word "smooth" the melody descends into three long plains. Handel uses this technique throughout the aria, especially on the word "exalted" ("sublime"), which has several melismas from sixteenth notes and two jumps to the upper E:

It was characteristic of the language of English poetry of that time that the suffix "-ed" of the past tense and past participles of weak verbs was often pronounced as a separate syllable, as, for example, in the above fragment from "And the glory of the Lord":

The word "revealed" was to be pronounced in three syllables. In many printed publications, the letter "e", which was not pronounced in speech, but should have been sung as a separate syllable, was noted special sign"gravis": "revealed".

5. Hallelujah

The most famous fragment of the oratorio is the Hallelujah chorus, which completes the second of three movements. The text is taken from three verses of the Apocalypse:

And the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and loud voices were heard in heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and shall reign forever and ever. [Open 11:15]

His name is written on his garment and on his thigh: "King of kings and Lord of lords." [Open 19:16]

In many countries of the world, it is customary to stand up during the performance of this part. The tradition dates back to the episode when King George II of Great Britain was so shocked by the music that he jumped to his feet. As now, when the king is standing, so are all those present. However, now this story is not considered reliable: the king could not have attended the premiere at all.

People not familiar with the piece sometimes leave after this number, believing that this is the end of the oratorio, while "Hallelujah", as mentioned above, simply completes the second of the three parts of the work.

6. List of musical numbers

As already noted, Handel himself often changed the performing composition of the oratorio. Most choirs now use the 1912 version, edited by Thomas Noble III. Lower voice? and the words are given according to this version. However, it is not uncommon for arias to be sung by other voices, due to time constraints or musical complexity, some arias are excluded or entire sections are omitted. This list is by no means "official", it's just that now most often the oratorio is performed in this way.
The Russian text of the biblical verses is given according to the synodal translation.

FIRST PART

no. 1. Overture (inf.)

no. 2. Comfort ye my people(inf.)

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God; speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned.

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God; speak to the heart of Jerusalem and proclaim to her that the time of her struggle is fulfilled, that satisfaction has been made for her iniquities.

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight paths in the wilderness for our God.

no. 3. Aria (tenor): Every valley shall be exalted(inf.)

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low; the crooked straight, and the rough places plain.

Let every valley be filled, and let every mountain and hill be lowered, crookedness straightened, and rough paths made smooth.

no. 4. Choir: And the glory of the Lord(inf.)

And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

And the glory of the Lord will appear, and all flesh will see [the salvation of God]; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.

no. 5. Thus saith the Lord(inf.)

Thus saith the Lord of Hosts: --Yet once a little while and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come.

For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, and it will be soon, I will shake heaven and earth, sea and dry land, and I will shake all nations, and the Desired of all nations will come.

The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in; Behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts.

And suddenly the Lord, whom you seek, and the angel of the covenant, whom you desire, will come to his temple; behold, he comes, says the Lord of hosts.

no. 6. Aria (bass): But who may abide(inf.)

But who may abide the day of His coming, and who shall stand when He appeareth?

For He is like a refiner's fire.

And who will endure the day of His coming, and who will stand when He appears?

For He is like a melting fire.

no. 7. Choir: And He shall purify(inf.)

And He shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

And he will purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer sacrifice to the Lord in righteousness.

no. 8. Recitative (alto): Behold, a virgin shall conceive(inf.)

Is. 7:14 - Matt. 1:23

Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name EMMANUEL, God with us.

Behold, the Virgin in the womb will receive and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Emmanuel, God is with us.

no. 9. Aria (alto) and choir: O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion(inf.)

Is. 40:9, 60:1

O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

Arise, shine, for your Light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

Climb on high mountain evangelizing Zion! Lift up your voice with power, O Jerusalem who proclaims the gospel! lift up, do not be afraid; say to the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

Arise, shine, [Jerusalem], for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen over you.

no. 10. Accompanied recitative (bass): For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth(inf.)

For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee, and the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and darkness the nations; but the Lord will shine upon you, and his glory will appear upon you. And nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness that rises above you.

no. eleven. Aria (bass): The people who walked in darkness(inf.)

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; on those who dwell in the land of the shadow, the light of death will shine.

no. 12. Choir: For unto us a child is born(inf.)

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

For a child is born to us - a Son is given to us; dominion on his shoulders, and his name will be called: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

no. 13. Pastoral Symphony (inf.)

no. 14. Recitative (soprano): There were shepherds abiding in the field(inf.)

There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night.

In that country there were shepherds in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

no. 14a. And lo! the Angel of the Lord came upon them(inf.)

And lo! the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.

Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and feared with great fear.

no. 15. Recitative (soprano): And the angel said unto them(inf.)

And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And the angel said to them: Do not be afraid; I proclaim to you a great joy that will be for all people:

for today a Savior has been born to you in the city of David, who is Christ the Lord.

no. 16. Accompanied recitative (soprano): And suddenly there was with the angel(inf.)

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying:

And suddenly a large host of heaven appeared with the angel, praising God and crying out:

no. 17. Choir: Glory to God(inf.)

Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, good will towards men.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men!

no. 18. Aria (soprano): Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion(inf.)

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy king cometh unto thee.

He is the righteous Saviour, and He shall speak peace unto the heathen.

Rejoice with joy, daughter of Zion, rejoice, daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your King is coming to you.

He is the true Savior, and He will proclaim peace to the nations.

no. 19. Recitative (alto): Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened(inf.)

Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing.

Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be opened. Then the lame one will spring up like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb one will sing.

no. 20. Duet (alto, soprano): He shall feed his flock like a shepherd(inf.)

Alto: He shall feed His flock like a shepherd; and He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

As a shepherd he will shepherd his flock; He will take the lambs in his arms and carry them in his bosom, and lead the milking ones.

Soprano: Come unto Him, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and He shall give you the rest.

Take His yoke upon you, and learn of Him for He is meek and lowly of heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest;

take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

no. 21. Choir: His yoke is easy, and His burthen is light(inf.)

His yoke is easy and His burthen is light.

My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

SECOND PART

no. 22. Choir: Behold the Lamb of God(inf.)

Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.

Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

no. 23. Aria (viola): He was despised(inf.)

He was despised and rejected of men: a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.

He was despised and humbled before men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with sickness.

He gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: He hid not His face from shame and spitting.

I have given my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who strike; He did not hide My face from reproach and spitting.

no. 24. Choir: Surely he hated our griefs(inf.)

Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him.

But He took upon Himself our infirmities and bore our sicknesses; He was wounded for our sins and tormented for our iniquities; the punishment of our peace was upon him.

no. 25. Choir: And with His stripes we are healed(inf.)

And with His stripes we are healed.

And by His stripes we are healed.

no. 26. Choir: All we like sheep have gone astray(inf.)

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

We all wandered like sheep, each one turned to his own way: and the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all.

no. 27. Accompanied recitative (tenor): All they that see Him laugh Him to scorn(inf.)

All they that see Him, laugh Him to scorn, they shoot out their lips, and shake their heads saying,:

All who see me swear at me, speak with their lips, nodding their heads:

no. 28. Choir: He trusted in God that He would deliver Him(inf.)

He trusted in God that He would deliver Him; let Him deliver Him, if He delight in Him.

“He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him, let him save him, if he pleases him.”

no. 29. Accompanied recitative (tenor): Thy rebuke had broken His heart(inf.)

Thy rebuke hat broken His heart; He is full of heaviness. He looked for some to have pity on Him, but there was no man; neither found He any to comfort Him.

Reproach crushed my heart, and I became exhausted, I waited for compassion, but there is none - comforters, but I do not find.

no. thirty. Aria (tenor): Behold, and see if there be any sorrow(inf.)

Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow.

Take a look and see if there is a disease like my disease.

no. 31. Accompanied recitative (tenor): He was cut off out of the land of the living(inf.)

He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of Thy people was He stricken.

He is cut off from the land of the living; for the crimes of my people suffered execution.

no. 32. Aria (tenor): But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell(inf.)

But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell; nor didst Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption.

For You will not leave my soul in hell, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

no. 33. Choir: Lift up your heads, o ye gates(inf.)

Who is the King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

Who is the King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory.

Who is this King of glory? - The Lord is strong and strong, the Lord is strong in battle.

Lift up, you gates, your heads, and lift up, you eternal doors, and the King of glory will enter!

Who is this King of glory? - The Lord of hosts, He is the king of glory.

no. 34. Recitative (tenor): Unto which of the Angels said He(inf.)

Unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten Thee?

For to which of the angels did God ever say: You are my Son, today I have begotten you?

no. 35. Choir: Let all the angels of God worship Him(inf.)

Let all the angels of God worship Him.

And may all the angels of God worship Him.

no. 36. Aria (bass): Thou art gone up on high(inf.)

Thou art gone up on high, Thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men; yea, even for Thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them.

You ascended on high, took captive captive, accepted gifts for people, so that even those who resist could dwell with the Lord God.

no. 37. Choir: The Lord gave the word(inf.)

The Lord gave the word: great was the company of the preachers.

The Lord will give the word: there are a great multitude of heralds.

no. 38. Aria (soprano): How beautiful are the feet of them(inf.)

How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things.

How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim peace, who proclaim good things!

no. 39. Choir: Their sound is gone out into all lands(inf.)

Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words unto the ends of the world.

no. 40. Aria (bass): Why do the nations so furiously rage(inf.)

Why do the nations so furiously rage together? why do the people imagine a vain thing?

The kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take consel together against the Lord, and against His Annointed.

Why do the peoples rage, and the tribes plot in vain?

The kings of the earth rise up, and the princes confer together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.

no. 41. Choir: Let us break our bonds asunder(inf.)

Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us.

Let us loose their bands, and let us cast off their fetters.

no. 42. Recitative (tenor): He that dwelleth in heaven(inf.)

He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision.

He who lives in heaven will laugh, the Lord will mock them.

no. 43. Aria (tenor): Thou shalt break them(inf.)

Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

You will strike them with a rod of iron; break them like a potter's vessel.

no. 44. Choir: Hallelujah(inf.)

open 19:6; 11:15; 19:16

HALLELUJAH! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ: and He shall reign for ever and ever.

KING OF KINGS, and LORD OF LORDS, HALLELUJAH!

Alleluia! for the Lord God Almighty reigned.

The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and will reign forever and ever.

King of kings and Lord of lords.

THE THIRD PART

no. 45. Aria (soprano): I know that my Redeemer liveth

Job. 19:25, 26

I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the last day upon the earth:

And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.

And I know that my Redeemer lives, and He is on the last day

He will raise my decaying skin from the dust, and I will see God in my flesh.

For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first-fruits of them that sleep.

But Christ has risen from the dead, the firstborn of the dead.

no. 46. Choir: Since by man came death

1 Cor. 15:21, 22

Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

For as death is through man, so is the resurrection of the dead through man. As in Adam all die, so in Christ all shall be made alive.

no. 47. Accompanied recitative (bass): Behold, I tell you a mystery

1 Cor. 15:51, 52

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep; but we shall all be changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.

I tell you a secret: not all of us will die, but we will all change suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.

no. 48. Aria (bass): The trumpet shall sound

1 Cor. 15:52, 53

The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised in corruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

no. 49. Recitative (alto): Then shall be brought to pass

Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory.

Then the word that is written will come true: "Death is swallowed up in victory."

no. 50. Duet (alto and tenor): O death, where is your sting?

1 Cor. 15:55, 56

O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.

"Death! where is your pity? hell! where is your victory? The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law.

no. 51. Choir: But thanks be to God

But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanks be to God who gave us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

no. 52. Aria (soprano): If God be for us, who can be against us?

Rome. 8:31, 33, 34

If God be for us, who can be against us? who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth?

It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is at the right hand of God, who makes intercession for us.

If God is for us, who can be against us? Who will blame the elect of God? God justifies them. Who condemns?

Christ Jesus died, but also rose again: He is also at the right hand of God, He also intercedes for us.

no. 53. Choir: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain

open 5:12, 13

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.

Blessing and honor, glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.

To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.

Georg Friedrich Handel. Oratorio "Messiah"

The Christmas Oratorio "Messiah" is one of Handel's brightest and most joyful works. But the composer saw the purpose of art not only in giving people pleasure.

A baroque titan, standing on a par with, the composer is considered the author of such a major musical genre as oratorio (translated from Latin as “eloquence”), where the main place is given to the choir and only then to soloists and orchestra.

Handel's most famous oratorio is The Messiah (also called the Nativity), which tells of the Magi who came with gifts to the Baby. This is one of the brightest and most joyful works: everything that oppresses a person, all suffering and sorrows she leaves in the background, and everything that pleases and gives a person hope for love and happiness, shows large, diverse and convincing. If Handel wants to convey triumph and victory, he resorts to fanfare intonations, and draws pastoral, quiet joy with the help of soft, dance sounds.

It is said that when Handel was composing The Messiah, he was often found crying at the table, the composer was so fascinated by the beauty of the music that came out from under his pen.

The first performance of the oratorio took place in Dublin on 12 April 1742. The composer donated all the income from the concert to shelters and a hospital for the poor. And even the first edition and copies from it bequeathed to the shelter "with the right to use as much as necessary for the needs of the Society."

In the future, Handel repeatedly performed the oratorio in London, each time improving the work. Ladies were asked not to wear wide skirts, and gentlemen were asked to come without swords, otherwise the halls would not accommodate everyone.

When the success of the oratorio became strong, Handel began to give annual concerts for the benefit of the poor and always conducted himself, despite his blindness. last days own life. Shortly before his death, he took custody of the Refuge for the Foundlings, helped in the upbringing and placement of children. A year before his death, Georg Friedrich Handel gave his name to a little girl, Maria Augusta.

What prompted the little-religious composer, constantly short of funds, to such actions? Maybe a belief in the high purpose of art?

I recall the words that Handel said to one nobleman after the first performance of Messiah in London: “I would be annoyed, my lord, if I gave people only pleasure; my goal is to make them the best."

Based on materials by Oksana Vanyushina, Man Without Borders magazine

Sounds of music

In the chorus "And the glory of the Lord" ("And the glory of the Lord will appear"), Handel retells the prophecies of the Old Testament about the coming of the Messiah. The composer writes vocal melodies in an upbeat and sublime style.

“For unto us child is born” (“For a baby was born to us”) opens with a joyful soprano sound, echoed by tenors. We hear a Christmas song touching with its naivete and innocence. It is dedicated to Christmas. This music contains both the exclamation of the festive crowd and the ringing of Christmas bells. She always lifts her spirits. Complicated music that requires great vocal skill from the performers, replete with various passages from the choir set to an important text praising a newborn child: “Wonderful, Counselor, mighty God, Father of eternity, Prince of Peace.”

The most famous choir "Alleluia" strikes with grandeur and solemnity. In Great Britain at one time, upon hearing it, even kings stood up to greet this most triumphant of choirs. And by tradition, the whole hall still stands up when the musicians perform this part. Energetic, solemn statements are contrasted with complex figurative passages. The strings and the choir unite in an apotheosis with the piercing high sound of trumpets and drum beats. For more than 250 years, the audience has been inspired every time by the sounds of this majestic and jubilant music.

Presentation

Included:
1. Presentation - 6 slides, ppsx;
2. Sounds of music:
Handel. "Hallelujah", from the oratorio "Messiah", mp3;
Handel. "And the glory of the Lord will appear", from the oratorio "Messiah", mp3;
Handel. "For a child is born to us", from the oratorio "Messiah", mp3;
3. Accompanying article, docx.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Messiah" is Handel's most famous work (only "Water Music" comes close to it in popularity), remaining unusually popular among classical music lovers.

Handel called his oratorio "Messiah" (without the article "The"), but it is often erroneously called "The Messiah". This popular name has become so familiar that the correct one already cuts the ear.

Structure

The oratorio consists of three parts. Much of the libretto is taken from the Old Testament. The basis of the first part of the oratorio is the Book of the prophet Isaiah, which predicts the coming of the Messiah. There are several quotations from the Gospels at the end of the first and the beginning of the second part: about the angel who appeared to the shepherds, from the Gospel of Luke, two cryptic quotations from the Gospel of Matthew and one from the Gospel of John (“Behold the Lamb of God”, “Lamb of God ").

The second part uses the texts of Isaiah's prophecies and quotations from the Psalter. The third part includes one quote from the Book of Job (“I know that my Redeemer livesth”, “And I know that my Redeemer lives”), and then the text of the First Epistle to the Corinthians of the Holy Apostle Paul is mainly used. It is also interesting that the most famous chorus "Hallelujah" ("Hallelujah") at the end of the second part and the final chorus "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain" ("Worthy is the Lamb that was slain") are taken from the Book of Revelation of John the Evangelist, the only book of prophecy in the New Testament.

The house where Handel worked on The Messiah has now been turned into the Handel House Museum. Handel House Museum) and is open to the public.

musical language

The word "revealed" was to be pronounced in three syllables. In many printed editions, the letter "e", which was not pronounced in speech, but should have been sung as a separate syllable, was marked with a special sign "gravis": "revealèd".

"Hallelujah"

The most famous fragment of the oratorio is the Hallelujah chorus, which completes the second of three movements. The text is taken from three verses of the Apocalypse:

And I heard as it were the voice of a multitude of people, as it were the sound of many waters, as it were the voice of mighty thunders, saying: Alleluia! for the Lord God Almighty reigned. [Open 19:6] And the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and shall reign forever and ever. [Open 11:15] His name is written on his garment and on his thigh: "King of kings and Lord of lords." [Open 19:16]

Composition of the oratorio

In the autographs of "Messiah" there is no numbering of parts. Two ways of end-to-end numbering of the oratorio are now most common: (a) traditional (fixed in the Novello edition, 1959, 53 parts) and (b) new (according to the critical edition of Barenreiter, 1965, 47 parts). The following list uses traditional numbering.

In performing practice, individual vocal numbers are performed (registered) different voices, which is partly dictated by the voluntarism of Handel himself (see, for example, Nos. 6 and 19), partly by the limitations of a particular performing group.

The Russian text of the biblical verses is given according to the synodal translation.

FIRST PART Scene 1. Isaiah's prophecy of salvation Is. 40:1-3 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God; speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplishedèd, that her iniquity is pardoned. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Comfort, comfort my people, says your God; speak to the heart of Jerusalem and proclaim to her that the time of her struggle is fulfilled, that satisfaction has been made for her iniquities. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight paths in the wilderness for our God. Is. 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low; the crooked straight, and the rough places plain. Let every valley be filled, and let every mountain and hill be lowered, crookedness straightened, and rough paths made smooth. Is. 40:5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealedèd, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. And the glory of the Lord will appear, and all flesh will see [the salvation of God]; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. Scene 2. Prophecy about the Day of Judgment Agg. 2:6, 7 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts: --Yet once a little while and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come. For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, and it will be soon, I will shake heaven and earth, sea and dry land, and I will shake all nations, and the Desired of all nations will come. Mal. 3:1 The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in; Behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts. And suddenly the Lord, whom you seek, and the angel of the covenant, whom you desire, will come to his temple; behold, he comes, says the Lord of hosts. Mal. 3:2 But who may abide the day of His coming, and who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner's fire. And who will endure the day of His coming, and who will stand when He appears? For He is like a melting fire. Mal. 3:3 And He shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. And he will purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer sacrifice to the Lord in righteousness. Scene 3. Prophecy about the birth of Christ Is. 7:14 - Matt. 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name EMMANUEL , God with us. Behold, the Virgin in the womb will receive and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Emmanuel, God is with us. Is. 40:9, 60:1 O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Arise, shine, for your Light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Climb the high mountain, O Zion who proclaims the gospel! Lift up your voice with power, O Jerusalem who proclaims the gospel! lift up, do not be afraid; say to the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Arise, shine, [Jerusalem], for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen over you. Is. 60:2, 3 For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee, and the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and darkness the nations; but the Lord will shine upon you, and his glory will appear upon you. And nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness that rises above you. Is. 9:2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; on those who dwell in the land of the shadow, the light of death will shine. Is. 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. For a child is born to us - a Son is given to us; dominion on his shoulders, and his name will be called: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Scene 4. The appearance of angels to the shepherds OK. 2:8 There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. In that country there were shepherds in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. OK. 2:9 And lo! the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and feared with great fear. OK. 2:10, 11 And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And the angel said to them: Do not be afraid; I proclaim to you great joy, which will be for all people: for today a Savior has been born to you in the city of David, who is Christ the Lord. OK. 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying: And suddenly there appeared with the angel a numerous host of heaven, glorifying God and crying out: Lk. 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, good will towards men. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men! Scene 5. Miracles of Christ on earth Zach. 9:9, 10 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy king cometh unto thee. He is the righteous Saviour, and He shall speak peace unto the heathen. Rejoice with joy, daughter of Zion, rejoice, daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your King is coming to you. He is the true Savior, and He will proclaim peace to the nations. Is. 35:5, 6 Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstoppèd; then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be opened. Then the lame one will spring up like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb one will sing. Is. 40:11 Alto: He shall feed His flock like a shepherd; and He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. As a shepherd He will shepherd His flock; He will take the lambs in his arms and carry them in his bosom, and lead the milking ones. Matt. 11:28, 29 Soprano: Come unto Him, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and He shall give you the rest. Take His yoke upon you, and learn of Him for He is meek and lowly of heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest; take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matt. 11:30 His yoke is easy and His burthen is light. My yoke is easy, and my burden is light. SECOND PART Scene 1. Sacrifice, scourging and torment In. 1:29 Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world. Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Is. 53:3 He was despisèd and rejected of men: a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. He was despised and humbled before men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with sickness. Is. 50:6 He gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: He hid not His face from shame and spitting. I have given my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who strike; He did not hide My face from reproach and spitting. Is. 53:4, 5 Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him. But He took upon Himself our infirmities and bore our sicknesses; He was wounded for our sins and tormented for our iniquities; the punishment of our peace was upon him. Is. 53:5 And with His stripes we are healed. And by His stripes we are healed. Is. 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. We all wandered like sheep, each one turned to his own way: and the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all. Ps. 21:8 All they that see Him, laugh Him to scorn, they shoot out their lips, and shake their heads saying,: All who see me swear at me, speak with their lips, nodding their heads: Ps. 21:9 He trusted in God that He would deliver Him; let Him deliver Him, if He delight in Him.“He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him, let him save him, if he pleases him.” Ps. 68:21 Thy rebuke hat broken His heart; He is full of heaviness. He looked for some to have pity on Him, but there was no man; neither found He any to comfort Him. Reproach crushed my heart, and I became exhausted, I waited for compassion, but there is none - comforters, but I do not find. Cry 1:12 Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow. Take a look and see if there is a disease like my disease. Scene 2. Death and resurrection of Christ Is. 53:8 He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of Thy people was He stricken. He is cut off from the land of the living; for the crimes of my people suffered execution. Ps. 15:10 But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell; nor didst Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption. For You will not leave my soul in hell, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. Scene 3. Ascension Ps. 23:7-10 Who is the King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory. Lift up, you gates, your heads, and lift up, you eternal doors, and the King of glory will enter! Who is this King of glory? - The Lord is strong and strong, the Lord is strong in battle. Lift up, you gates, your heads, and lift up, you eternal doors, and the King of glory will enter! Who is this King of glory? - The Lord of hosts, He is the king of glory. Scene 4. Christ is received in heaven Heb. 1:5 Unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten Thee? For to which of the angels did God ever say: You are my Son, today I have begotten you? Heb. 1:6 Let all the angels of God worship Him. And may all the angels of God worship Him. Scene 5. Beginning of preaching Ps. 67:19 Thou art gone up on high, Thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men; yea, even for Thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them. You ascended on high, took captive captive, accepted gifts for people, so that even those who resist could dwell with the Lord God. Ps. 67:12 The Lord gave the word: great was the company of the preachers. The Lord will give the word: there are a great multitude of heralds. Rome. 10:15 How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim peace, who proclaim good things! Rome. 10:18 Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words unto the ends of the world. Their voice went through all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. Scene 6. The world rejects the gospel Ps. 2:1, 2 Why do the nations so furiously rage together? why do the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take consel together against the Lord, and against His Annointed. Why do the peoples rage, and the tribes plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up, and the princes confer together against the Lord and against His Anointed One. Ps. 2:3 Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us. Let us loose their bands, and let us cast off their fetters. Ps. 2:4 He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision. He who lives in heaven will laugh, the Lord will mock them. Scene 7. Triumph of the Lord Ps. 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. You will strike them with a rod of iron; break them like a potter's vessel. open 19:6; 11:15; 19:16 HALLELUJAH! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ: and He shall reign for ever and ever. KING OF KINGS , and LORD OF LORDS , HALLELUJAH ! Alleluia! for the Lord God Almighty reigned. The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and will reign forever and ever. King of kings and Lord of lords. THE THIRD PART Scene 1. The promise of eternal life no. 45. Aria (soprano): I know that my Redeemer liveth Job. 19:25, 26 I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the last day upon the earth: And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. But I know that my Redeemer lives, and on the last day He will raise my decaying skin from the dust, and I will see God in my flesh. 1 Cor. 15:20 For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first-fruits of them that sleep. But Christ has risen from the dead, the firstborn of the dead. no. 46. Choir: Since by man came death 1 Cor. 15:21, 22 Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. For as death is through man, so is the resurrection of the dead through man. As in Adam all die, so in Christ all shall be made alive. Scene 2. Judgment Day no. 47. Accompanied recitative (bass): Behold, I tell you a mystery 1 Cor. 15:51, 52 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep; but we shall all be changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. I tell you a secret: not all of us will die, but we will all change suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. no. 48. Aria (bass): The trumpet shall sound 1 Cor. 15:52, 53 The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised in corruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. Scene 3. Victory over sin no. 49. Recitative (alto): Then shall be brought to pass 1 Cor. 15:54 Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. Then the word that is written will come true: "Death is swallowed up in victory." no. 50. Duet (alto and tenor): O death, where is your sting? 1 Cor. 15:55, 56 O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law."Death! where is your pity? hell! where is your victory? The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law. no. 51. Choir: But thanks be to God 1 Cor. 15:57 But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God who gave us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! no. 52. Aria (soprano): If God be for us, who can be against us? Rome. 8:31, 33, 34 If God be for us, who can be against us? who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is at the right hand of God, who makes intercession for us. If God is for us, who can be against us? Who will blame the elect of God? God justifies them. Who condemns? Christ Jesus died, but also rose again: He is also at the right hand of God, He also intercedes for us. Scene 4. Glorification of Jesus Christ no. 53. Choir: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain open 5:12, 13 Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. Blessing and honor, glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. Amen. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

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Excerpt characterizing the Messiah (oratorio)

- Il faut que vous sachiez que c "est une femme, [Know that this is a woman] - said Andrei to Pierre.
Andre, au nom de Dieu! [Andrey, for God's sake!] - repeated Princess Marya.
It was evident that Prince Andrei's mocking attitude towards the wanderers and Princess Mary's useless intercession for them were habitual, established relations between them.
- Mais, ma bonne amie, - said Prince Andrei, - vous devriez au contraire m "etre reconaissante de ce que j" explique a Pierre votre intimite avec ce jeune homme ... [But, my friend, you should be grateful to me that I explain to Pierre your closeness to this young man.]
– Vrayment? [Really?] - said Pierre curiously and seriously (for which Princess Mary was especially grateful to him), peering through glasses at the face of Ivanushka, who, realizing that it was about him, looked around at everyone with cunning eyes.
Princess Marya was quite unnecessarily embarrassed for her own people. They didn't hesitate at all. The old woman, lowering her eyes, but glancing askance at the newcomers, knocking her cup upside down on a saucer and placing a bitten piece of sugar beside her, calmly and motionlessly sat on her chair, waiting to be offered more tea. Ivanushka, drinking from a saucer, looked at the young people with sly, feminine eyes from under his brows.
- Where, in Kyiv was? Prince Andrei asked the old woman.
- There was, father, - the old woman answered loquaciously, - on Christmas itself, she was honored with the saints, heavenly secrets from the saints. And now from Kolyazin, father, great grace has opened ...
- Well, is Ivanushka with you?
“I’m walking on my own, breadwinner,” Ivanushka said, trying to speak in a bass voice. - Only in Yukhnov did they agree with Pelageyushka ...
Pelageyushka interrupted her comrade; She seemed to want to tell what she saw.
- In Kolyazin, father, great grace has opened.
- Well, new relics? asked Prince Andrew.
“Enough, Andrei,” said Princess Mary. - Don't tell me, Pelageushka.
- No ... what are you, mother, why not tell? I love him. He is kind, exacted by God, he gave me, a benefactor, rubles, I remember. As I was in Kyiv, Kiryusha the holy fool tells me - truly a man of God, he walks barefoot in winter and summer. Why are you walking, he says, out of your place, go to Kolyazin, there is a miraculous icon, Mother Blessed Virgin Mary has opened. With those words, I said goodbye to the saints and went ...
Everyone was silent, one wanderer spoke in a measured voice, drawing in air.
- My father, the people came to me and they say: great grace has opened, at Mother Blessed Virgin Mary drops from her cheek ...
“Well, well, well, you’ll tell me later,” Princess Marya said, blushing.
“Let me ask her,” said Pierre. - Did you see it yourself? - he asked.
- How, father, she herself was honored. The radiance on her face is like the light of heaven, and from mother’s cheek it drips and drips ...
“But this is a deception,” Pierre said naively, listening attentively to the wanderer.
“Ah, father, what are you talking about!” - Pelageyushka said with horror, turning to Princess Marya for protection.
“They are deceiving the people,” he repeated.
- Lord Jesus Christ! – crossed said the stranger. “Oh, don’t talk, father. So one anaral did not believe, said: “the monks are deceiving”, but as he said, he went blind. And he dreamed that Mother Pecherskaya came to him and said: "Trust me, I will heal you." So he began to ask: take me and take me to her. I'm telling you the truth, I saw it myself. They brought him blind right to her, came up, fell down, said: “heal! I will give it to you, he says, in what the king complained. I saw it myself, father, the star is embedded in it like that. Well, it has dawned! It's wrong to say that. God will punish, ”she addressed Pierre instructively.
- How did the star find itself in the image? Pierre asked.
- Did you make your mother a general? - said Prince Andrei smiling.
Pelageushka suddenly turned pale and clasped her hands.
“Father, father, sin on you, you have a son!” she spoke, suddenly turning from pallor into a bright color.
- Father, what did you say, God forgive you. - She crossed herself. “God, forgive him. Mother, what is this? ... - she turned to Princess Marya. She got up and almost crying began to collect her purse. She was evidently both frightened and ashamed that she enjoyed the blessings in the house where they could say this, and it was a pity that she now had to be deprived of the blessings of this house.
- Well, what are you looking for? - said Princess Mary. Why did you come to me?...
“No, I’m joking, Pelageushka,” said Pierre. - Princesse, ma parole, je n "ai pas voulu l" offerr, [Princess, I really didn’t want to offend her,] I just did. Don't think, I was joking, - he said, smiling timidly and wanting to make amends for his guilt. - After all, it's me, and he was just joking.
Pelageyushka stopped incredulously, but there was such sincerity of repentance in Pierre’s face, and Prince Andrei looked so meekly at Pelageyushka and then at Pierre that she gradually calmed down.

The wanderer calmed down and, brought back to conversation, then talked for a long time about Father Amphilochius, who was such a holy life that his hand smelled of his hand, and how the monks she knew on her last journey to Kiev gave her the keys to the caves, and how she, taking crackers with her, spent two days in caves with saints. “I will pray to one, I will read, I will go to another. Pine, I’ll go and kiss again; and such, mother, silence, such grace that you don’t even want to go out into the light of God.
Pierre listened to her attentively and seriously. Prince Andrei left the room. And after him, leaving the people of God to finish their tea, Princess Mary led Pierre into the living room.
“You are very kind,” she told him.
“Ah, I really didn’t think to offend her, as I understand and highly appreciate these feelings!
Princess Mary looked at him silently and smiled tenderly. “After all, I have known you for a long time and love you like a brother,” she said. How did you find Andrew? she asked hastily, not giving him time to say anything in response to her kind words. “He worries me a lot. His health is better in winter, but last spring the wound opened, and the doctor said that he must go for treatment. And morally, I'm very afraid for him. He is not a character like us women to suffer and cry out his grief. He carries it inside himself. Today he is cheerful and lively; but it was your arrival that had such an effect on him: he is rarely like that. If you could persuade him to go abroad! He needs activity, and this smooth, quiet life is ruining him. Others do not notice, but I see.
At 10 o'clock the waiters rushed to the porch, hearing the bells of the old prince's carriage approaching. Prince Andrei and Pierre also went out onto the porch.
- Who is this? asked the old prince, getting out of the carriage and guessing Pierre.
– AI is very happy! kiss, - he said, having learned who the unfamiliar young man was.
old prince was in a good spirit and kindly treated Pierre.
Before dinner, Prince Andrei, returning back to his father's study, found the old prince in a heated argument with Pierre.
Pierre argued that the time would come when there would be no more war. The old prince, teasing, but not angry, challenged him.
- Let the blood out of the veins, pour water, then there will be no war. Woman’s nonsense, woman’s nonsense, ”he said, but still affectionately patted Pierre on the shoulder, and went up to the table at which Prince Andrei, apparently not wanting to enter into a conversation, was sorting through the papers brought by the prince from the city. The old prince approached him and began to talk about business.
- The leader, Count Rostov, did not deliver half of the people. He came to the city, decided to call for dinner, - I asked him such a dinner ... But look at this one ... Well, brother, - Prince Nikolai Andreevich turned to his son, clapping Pierre on the shoulder, - well done your friend, I fell in love with him! Fires me up. The other one speaks smart words, but I don’t want to listen, but he lies and inflames me, old man. Well, go, go, - he said, - maybe I will come, I will sit at your supper. I'll bet again. Love my fool, Princess Mary, ”he shouted to Pierre from the door.
Pierre now only, on his visit to the Bald Mountains, appreciated the full strength and charm of his friendship with Prince Andrei. This charm was expressed not so much in his relations with himself, but in relations with all relatives and household. Pierre, with the old, stern prince and with the meek and timid Princess Mary, despite the fact that he hardly knew them, immediately felt like an old friend. They all already loved him. Not only Princess Mary, bribed by his meek attitude towards wanderers, looked at him with the most radiant eyes; but the little, one-year-old Prince Nikolai, as his grandfather called him, smiled at Pierre and went into his arms. Mikhail Ivanovich, m lle Bourienne looked at him with joyful smiles when he talked with the old prince.
The old prince went out to supper: this was obvious to Pierre. He was with him both days of his stay in the Bald Mountains extremely affectionate, and ordered him to come to him.
When Pierre left and all the members of the family got together, they began to judge him, as it always happens after the departure of a new person, and, as rarely happens, everyone said one good thing about him.

Returning this time from vacation, Rostov for the first time felt and learned to what extent his connection with Denisov and with the entire regiment was strong.
When Rostov drove up to the regiment, he experienced a feeling similar to the one he experienced when driving up to the Cook's House. When he saw the first hussar in the unbuttoned uniform of his regiment, when he recognized the red-haired Dementyev, he saw the hitching posts of the red horses, when Lavrushka joyfully shouted to his master: “The count has arrived!” and shaggy Denisov, who was sleeping on the bed, ran out of the dugout, hugged him, and the officers converged on the newcomer - Rostov experienced the same feeling as when his mother, father and sisters hugged him, and tears of joy that came to his throat prevented him from speaking . The regiment was also a home, and the home was invariably sweet and expensive, just like the parental home.
Appearing to the regimental commander, having received an assignment to the former squadron, going on duty and foraging, entering into all the small interests of the regiment and feeling deprived of freedom and shackled in one narrow, unchanging frame, Rostov experienced the same calm, the same support and the same consciousness the fact that he was here at home, in his place, which he felt under his parents' roof. There was no all this disorder of the free world, in which he did not find a place for himself and made mistakes in the elections; there was no Sonya with whom it was necessary or not to explain. It was not possible to go there or not to go there; there were no those 24 hours of the day, which could be used in so many different ways; there was not this innumerable multitude of people, of whom none was closer, none was farther; there was no such obscure and indefinite monetary relationship with his father, there was no reminder of the terrible loss to Dolokhov! Here in the regiment everything was clear and simple. The whole world was divided into two uneven divisions. One is our Pavlograd regiment, and the other is everything else. And the rest didn't matter. Everything was known in the regiment: who was a lieutenant, who was a captain, who was a good man, who was a bad person, and most importantly, a comrade. The shopper believes in debt, the salary is a third; there is nothing to invent and choose, just do not do anything that is considered bad in the Pavlograd regiment; but they will send, do what is clear and distinct, determined and ordered: and everything will be fine.
Entering again into these certain conditions of regimental life, Rostov experienced joy and calmness, similar to those that a tired person feels when he lies down to rest. This regimental life was all the more gratifying for Rostov in this campaign because, after losing to Dolokhov (an act that, despite all the consolations of his relatives, he could not forgive himself), he decided to serve not as before, but in order to make amends for his guilt, to serve well and to be a completely excellent comrade and officer, that is, a wonderful person, which seemed so difficult in the world, and so possible in the regiment.
Rostov, since his loss, decided that he would pay this debt to his parents at the age of five. He was sent 10 thousand a year, but now he decided to take only two, and give the rest to his parents to pay the debt.

Our army, after repeated retreats, offensives and battles at Pultusk, at Preussisch Eylau, concentrated near Bartenstein. They were waiting for the arrival of the sovereign to the army and the start of a new campaign.
The Pavlograd regiment, which was in that part of the army that was on the campaign of 1805, being manned in Russia, was late for the first actions of the campaign. He was neither near Pultusk, nor near Preussish Eylau, and in the second half of the campaign, having joined the army in the field, he was assigned to Platov's detachment.
Platov's detachment acted independently of the army. Several times the Pavlograders were part of the skirmishes with the enemy, captured prisoners and once repulsed even the crews of Marshal Oudinot. In the month of April, the inhabitants of Pavlograd stood for several weeks near the empty German village, completely ravaged to the ground, without moving.
There was growth, mud, cold, the rivers broke open, the roads became impassable; for several days they did not give food to either horses or people. Since the supply became impossible, people scattered around the abandoned deserted villages to look for potatoes, but even that was not enough. Everything was eaten, and all the inhabitants fled; those who remained were worse than beggars, and there was nothing to take away from them, and even little - compassionate soldiers often, instead of using them, gave them their last.
The Pavlograd regiment lost only two wounded in action; but from hunger and disease lost almost half of the people. In hospitals they died so surely that the soldiers, sick with fever and swelling, which came from bad food, preferred to serve, dragging their legs in the front by force, than to go to the hospitals. With the opening of spring, the soldiers began to find a plant that looked like asparagus, which for some reason they called Mashkin's sweet root, which was showing up from the ground, and scattered over the meadows and fields, looking for this Mashkin's sweet root (which was very bitter), dug it up with sabers and ate, despite on orders not to eat this harmful plant.
In the spring, a new disease was discovered among the soldiers, a swelling of the hands, feet and face, the cause of which the doctors believed was the use of this root. But despite the prohibition, the Pavlograd soldiers of the Denisov squadron ate mainly Mashkin's sweet root, because for the second week they had been stretching the last crackers, they were giving out only half a pound per person, and the frozen and germinated potatoes were brought in the last parcel. The horses, too, for the second week fed on thatched roofs from the houses, were ugly thin and covered with tufts of winter hair that had strayed.
Despite such a disaster, the soldiers and officers lived exactly the same as always; so now, although with pale and swollen faces and in tattered uniforms, the hussars lined up for calculations, went to clean up, cleaned horses, ammunition, dragged straw from the roofs instead of food and went to dine at the boilers, from which they got up hungry, joking about with their vile food and their hunger. As always, in their free time, the soldiers burned fires, steamed naked by the fires, smoked, took away and baked sprouted, rotten potatoes and told and listened to stories either about the Potemkin and Suvorov campaigns, or tales about Alyosha the rogue, and about the priest's farm laborer Mikolka.
The officers, as usual, lived in twos and threes, in open half-ruined houses. The elders took care of acquiring straw and potatoes, in general, about the means of subsistence for people, the younger ones, as always, were engaged in cards (there was a lot of money, although there was no food), some innocent games - piles and towns. Little was said about the general course of affairs, partly because they did not know anything positive, partly because they vaguely felt that the general cause of the war was going badly.
Rostov lived, as before, with Denisov, and their friendly relationship, since their vacation, had become even closer. Denisov never talked about Rostov's family, but from the tender friendship that the commander showed his officer, Rostov felt that the old hussar's unhappy love for Natasha participated in this strengthening of friendship. Denisov apparently tried to expose Rostov to danger as little as possible, took care of him and, after the deed, especially joyfully met him safe and sound. On one of his business trips, Rostov found in an abandoned devastated village, where he came for provisions, the family of an old Pole man and his daughter, with a baby. They were naked, hungry, and could not leave, and had no means to leave. Rostov brought them to his parking lot, placed them in his apartment, and for several weeks, while the old man was recovering, kept them. Comrade Rostov, talking about women, began to laugh at Rostov, saying that he was more cunning than everyone, and that it would not be a sin for him to introduce his comrades to the pretty Polish woman he had saved. Rostov took the joke for an insult and, flaring up, said such unpleasant things to the officer that Denisov could hardly keep both of them from dueling. When the officer left and Denisov, who himself did not know Rostov's relationship with the Pole, began to reproach him for his temper, Rostov told him:
- How do you want ... She is like a sister to me, and I cannot describe to you how it hurt me ... because ... well, because ...
Denisov hit him on the shoulder, and quickly began to walk around the room, not looking at Rostov, which he did in moments of emotional excitement.
- What an arc "your hellish weather" ode G "Ostovskaya," he said, and Rostov noticed tears in Denisov's eyes.

In the month of April, the troops revived with the news of the arrival of the sovereign to the army. Rostov did not manage to get to the review that the sovereign did in Bartenstein: the people of Pavlograd stood at outposts, far ahead of Bartenstein.
They bivouacked. Denisov and Rostov lived in a dugout dug for them by soldiers, covered with branches and turf. The dugout was arranged in the following way, which then became fashionable: a ditch broke through one and a half arshins wide, two arshins deep and three and a half lengths. Steps were made from one end of the ditch, and this was a descent, a porch; the ditch itself was a room in which the lucky ones, like a squadron commander, on the far side opposite the steps, lay on stakes, a board - it was a table. On both sides, along the ditch, a yard of earth was removed, and these were two beds and sofas. The roof was arranged in such a way that one could stand in the middle, and one could even sit on the bed if one moved closer to the table. Denisov, who lived luxuriously because the soldiers of his squadron loved him, also had a board in the gable of the roof, and in this board there was broken but glued glass. When it was very cold, heat was brought to the steps (to the reception room, as Denisov called this part of the booth), on an iron bent sheet, from soldiers' fires, and it became so warm that the officers, of whom Denisov and Rostov always had many, sat in the same shirts.
In April, Rostov was on duty. At 8 o'clock in the morning, after returning home, after a sleepless night, he ordered to bring heat, changed his rain-soaked linen, prayed to God, drank tea, got warm, put things in order in his corner and on the table, and with a weathered, burning face, in one shirt, lay on his back, his hands under his head. He pleasantly thought about the fact that the next rank for the last reconnaissance should come to him the other day, and he was waiting for Denisov to come out somewhere. Rostov wanted to talk to him.
Behind the hut, Denisov's rolling cry was heard, obviously getting excited. Rostov moved to the window to see who he was dealing with, and saw Sergeant Topcheenko.
“I told you not to let them burn this claw, some kind of Mashkin!” shouted Denisov.
“I ordered, your honor, they don’t listen,” the sergeant-major answered.
Rostov again lay down on his bed and thought with pleasure: “Let him now fuss, bustle, I finished my job and I’m lying - excellent!” From behind the wall he heard that, besides the sergeant-major, Lavrushka, Denisov's perky, roguish lackey, was also speaking. Lavrushka was talking about some kind of carts, crackers and bulls, which he saw when he went for provisions.
Behind the booth, Denisov's retreating cry was heard again and the words: “Saddle! Second squad!
"Where are they going?" thought Rostov.
Five minutes later Denisov entered the booth, climbed onto the bed with dirty feet, angrily smoked his pipe, scattered all his belongings, put on his whip and saber, and began to leave the dugout. To the question of Rostov, where? he answered angrily and vaguely that there was a case.
- Judge me there, God and the great sovereign! - said Denisov, leaving; and Rostov heard the feet of several horses splashing through the mud behind the booth. Rostov did not even bother to find out where Denisov had gone. Having warmed himself in his corner, he fell asleep, and before evening he had just left the booth. Denisov has not yet returned. Evening cleared up; near a neighboring dugout, two officers with a cadet were playing pile, laughingly planting radishes in the loose, dirty earth. Rostov joined them. In the middle of the game, the officers saw wagons approaching them: 15 hussars on thin horses followed them. The wagons escorted by the hussars drove up to the hitching posts, and a crowd of hussars surrounded them.
“Well, Denisov was grieve all the time,” said Rostov, “so the provisions have arrived.”
- And that! the officers said. - That's a happy soldier! - Denisov rode a little behind the hussars, accompanied by two infantry officers, with whom he was talking about something. Rostov went to meet him.
“I’m warning you, captain,” said one of the officers, thin, short and apparently angry.
“After all, he said that I wouldn’t give it back,” Denisov answered.
- You will answer, captain, this is a riot - to beat off transports from your own! We didn't eat for two days.
“But they didn’t eat mine for two weeks,” Denisov answered.
- This is robbery, answer, sir! – raising his voice, repeated the infantry officer.
- What are you doing to me? A? - shouted Denisov, suddenly heated up, - I will answer, not you, but you don’t buzz around here while you are safe. March! he shouted at the officers.
- It's good! - not shy and not driving away, the little officer shouted, - to rob, so I will ...
- To chog "that march with a quick step, while intact." And Denisov turned his horse to the officer.
“Good, good,” said the officer threateningly, and turning his horse, rode away at a trot, shaking in the saddle.
“A dog for godliness, a living dog for godliness,” Denisov said after him - the highest mockery of a cavalryman over a mounted infantryman, and, approaching Rostov, burst out laughing.
- Recaptured from the infantry, recaptured the transport by force! - he said. “Well, why don’t people die of hunger?”
The wagons that drove up to the hussars were assigned to an infantry regiment, but, having been informed through Lavrushka that this transport was coming alone, Denisov with the hussars recaptured it by force. The soldiers were handed out crackers at will, even shared with other squadrons.
The next day, the regimental commander called Denisov to him and told him, closing his eyes with open fingers: “I look at it like this, I don’t know anything and I won’t start business; but I advise you to go to the headquarters and there, in the food department, settle this matter, and, if possible, sign that you received so much food; otherwise, the demand is written to the infantry regiment: things will rise and may end badly.
Denisov went directly from the regimental commander to the headquarters, with a sincere desire to fulfill his advice. In the evening he returned to his dugout in a position in which Rostov had never seen his friend before. Denisov could not speak and was suffocating. When Rostov asked him what was the matter with him, he only uttered incomprehensible curses and threats in a hoarse and weak voice ...
Frightened by the position of Denisov, Rostov offered him to undress, drink water and sent for a doctor.
- To judge me for g "azboy - oh! Give me more water - let them judge, but I will, I will always beat the scoundrels, and I will tell the sovereign." Give me some ice, he said.
The regimental doctor who came said that it was necessary to bleed. A deep plate of black blood came out of Denisov's hairy hand, and then only he was able to tell everything that had happened to him.
“I’m coming,” Denisov said. “Well, where is your boss here?” Showed. Wouldn't you like to wait. “I have a service, I arrived 30 miles away, I have no time to wait, report back.” Well, this chief thief comes out: he also took it into his head to teach me: This is robbery! “Robbery, I say, is not done by the one who takes food to feed his soldiers, but by the one who takes it to put it in his pocket!” So you don't want to be silent. "Fine". Sign, he says, with the commission agent, and your case will be handed over on command. I go to the commissioner. I enter - at the table ... Who is it ?! No, you think! ... Who is starving us, - Denisov shouted, hitting the table with his fist of his sore hand so hard that the table almost fell and the glasses jumped on it, - Telyanin !! “How are you starving us?!” Once, once in the face, deftly it had to be ... “Ah ... rasprotakoy and ... began to roll. On the other hand, I am amused, I can say, - Denisov shouted, joyfully and angrily baring his white teeth from under his black mustache. “I would have killed him if they hadn’t taken him away.”
“But why are you screaming, calm down,” said Rostov: “here again the blood has gone. Wait, you need to bandage it. Denisov was bandaged and put to bed. The next day he woke up cheerful and calm. But at noon the adjutant of the regiment, with a serious and sad face, came to the common dugout of Denisov and Rostov and regretfully showed the uniform paper to Major Denisov from the regimental commander, in which inquiries were made about yesterday's incident. The adjutant said that things were about to take a very bad turn, that a military court commission had been appointed, and that with real severity regarding looting and self-will of the troops, in a happy case, the case could end in a dismissal.
The case was presented by the offended in such a way that, after repulsing the transport, Major Denisov, without any call, appeared in a drunken state to the chief provisions master, called him a thief, threatened to beat him, and when he was taken out, he rushed to the office, beat two officials and dislocated one arm.
Denisov, to Rostov's new questions, laughingly said that it seemed that some other one had turned up here, but that all this was nonsense, trifles, that he did not even think to be afraid of any courts, and that if these scoundrels dare to bully him, he will answer them so that they will remember.
Denisov spoke dismissively about the whole affair; but Rostov knew him too well not to notice that in his heart (hiding this from others) he was afraid of the court and was tormented by this affair, which, obviously, was supposed to have bad consequences. Every day, paper requests began to arrive, demands for the court, and on the first of May Denisov was ordered to hand over the squadron to the senior officer and report to the headquarters of the division for explanations on the case of the riot in the provisions commission. On the eve of this day, Platov made reconnaissance of the enemy with two Cossack regiments and two squadrons of hussars. Denisov, as always, rode ahead of the chain, flaunting his courage. One of the bullets fired by the French riflemen hit him in the flesh of the upper leg. Maybe at another time Denisov would not have left the regiment with such a light wound, but now he took advantage of this opportunity, refused to appear in the division and went to the hospital.