|
SCRIPTURE
READINGS
|
Acts |
3:13-15,
17-19 |
| Psalm |
4 |
| I
John |
2:1-5 |
| John |
24:35-48 |
Let
us pay tribute to George Frederick Handel and thank
God for this great and attractive composer. The
250th anniversary of his death fell on April 14th
. If, like me, you tune in regularly to Radio 3
and Classic FM, you would have heard a great deal
of his music over the past weeks. He was a near
neighbour, living for some years in a house in Brook
Street (now a Handel
Museum
). Of course, that was a century
before Farm Street
Church
was built.
His
life and music may justly be described as "cosmopolitan"
(says Wikipedia). He was born in Germany
, in Halle
in Saxony-Anhalt, trained
in Italy
and spent most of his life in England
. He settled in London
when the Elector of his native
state of Hanover
became King George I of Great
Britain in 1712 and Handel
was a naturalized British citizen in 1727.
His
popular and appealing musical output is tremendously
varied: the Messiah, other oratorios on biblical
and classical themes, Water Music, Music for the
Royal Fireworks (to be performed in Green Park,
its original setting), many concerts, and a considerable
number of operas that have come back into fashion
today. Very much a citizen of Europe
, he took pains to learn English
and his setting of English texts to music is recognised
as highly accomplished.
Handel
was a committed Christian, a devout Lutheran who
was a regular worshipper at St.
George's , Hanover
Square and became a churchwarden
there. His music has had a considerable Christian
influence. Texts from Scripture, carefully chosen
to form the Messiah, have helped many people of
all denominations to enter into the meaning of Our
Lord's birth, His suffering and death and His victory
over death in the Resurrection. Through the power
of the music we can come to know Christ in a heartfelt
way, adore Him, and experience His love for the
sinner. Performed frequently down the ages in churches,
chapels and concert halls, the Messiah has become
a window into the spiritual for many people not
otherwise engaged in religion as such. Not only
did it show his strong faith but also his practical
generosity of spirit. He gave a substantial sum
from the proceeds for the education of orphans and
abandoned children in the Foundling
Hospital
by Coram's Fields in Central
London . It is now a museum
and contains a room dedicated to this great man.
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