Messiah: still going strong after 265 years

The Guardian discusses why Handel's Messiah has lasted so well:

"Messiah represents Handel's direct, personal response to the Bible, but the pacing remains essentially operatic. He was always an opera man, anxious to tell his story dramatically. The overture brilliantly sets the mood for the rest of the parts, filling us with a sense of hope and lightness. Then Handel launches into the sublime Comfort Ye, which calms everyone down. It's Handel saying: "I'm going to make you listen, because this is a long story." He takes you into another world and has this ability to uplift people, then calm them, before taking them up again. As a result, Messiah never fails."

Virtual book: Handel’s Messiah

For many people, listening to Handel's Messiah is part of their Christmas ritual. The British Library has recently added Handel’s Messiah (from the draft score of the composer’s most famous work), using the BL's 'Turning the Pages™' system to view great books and magnify the details.

Sing Hallelujah

Sing Hallelujah is a nationwide project which encourages people to find their voice and discover the joy of singing through Handel's famous "Hallelujah Chorus". Sing Hallelujah is a project from the BBC, led by BBC Radio 3, and English National Opera (ENO).

Everyone from beginners to established choirs is invited to learn the Hallelujah Chorus, with the help of the BBC and ENO, and encouraged to perform the work during November and December 2009 to help mark the 250th anniversary year of Handel's death.