词汇提示

1.granted 授予

2.pension 养老金

3.permanent 永久的

4.scenery 布景

5.props 道具

6.oratorios 清唱剧

7.feverishly 狂热地

8.lietenant 中尉

9.luggage 行李

10.rehearse 彩排

11.squeezed 挤

12.swords 剑

13.exquisite 精致的

14.proceeds 收入

15.choirs 唱诗班

16.debut 处女秀

17.initiated 发起

18.collapsed 病倒

19.sentiments 情绪

20.salvation 拯救

21.angelic 天使的

原文

Handel's “Messiah”

George Frederick Handel was a native of Germany and spoke with a German accent all his life.

Most of that life, however, was spent in London, England as a young musician.

Handel's sponsor was the elector of Hanover.

Later on, when the elector became King GeorgeⅠof England, he continued to sponsor Handel.

The young Handel went to Italy to study opera.

Opera had become a very fashionable entertainment for the upper classes.

Handel traveled to England in 1711 and made an immediate success with his operas.

Queen Anne granted him a royal pension for life in 1713.

Because of this initial success, Handel tried to start a permanent opera company in London, but this failed, and Handel lost money.

Since operas used full stage settings with costume scenery and props, they were expensive to produce, Handel decided to produce oratorios, in which the parts were simply sung without actions.

On august 22 1741, Handel began to work on his oratorial “The Messiah”.

The text was made up of passages from the Bible relating to the birth, life and death of Jesus.

Handel worked on it feverishly, missing meals and going without sleep.

He finished it 24 days later.

When he was asked how he felt on completing it, Handel said, “I thought I saw all heaven before me and the Great God Himself”.

In the fall of 1741, Handel received an invitation from the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to present operas and concerts.

There Handel traveled from London to Dublin with his entire luggage and many of his singers.

However, in order to rehearse on the way, he had to hire local people to fill in.

Once the composer soundly criticized one local singer who failed to meet his standards.

Handel was warmly received in Dublin, where his concerts were sold out, even his rehearsals were considered newsworthy by the local papers.

“The Messiah”was first publicly performed on April 13, 1742.

700 people squeezed into a 600-seat theater to hear it.

Notice had requested that ladies attend in hoopless skirts, and that gentlemen come without their swords.

A Dublin paper reported“words are wanting to express the exquisite delight it afforded to the admiring crowded audience” .

All proceeds were donated to charity, as the church choirs had refused to participate, except on those conditions.

Handel returned to London in August 1742 and prepared the oratorio for the London stage.

“The Messiah”made its London debut on March 23, 1743, with King George Ⅱ in the audience.

It was during the Hallelujah Chorus that the king jumped to his feet and so initiated a tradition that has lasted ever since.

With such oratories, Handel was able to re-establish his popularity and restore his finances in London.

“The Messiah”continued to be performed.

After conducting it on April 6, 1759, the old composer collapsed and had to be carried home.

He died eight days later.

“The Messiah”remains Handel's most popular work, combining wonderful music with inspiring religious sentiments.

The Biblical text speaks of hope and salvation, and the music allows the text to soar into angelic songs.

翻译

亨德尔的“弥赛亚”

乔治·弗雷德里克·亨德尔是土生土长的德国人，一生都带着德国口音。
然而，他的大部分时间是在英国伦敦度过的，他是一位年轻的音乐家。
亨德尔的赞助人是汉诺威的选举人。
后来，当选举人成为英国国王乔治一世时，他继续赞助亨德尔。
年轻的亨德尔去意大利学习歌剧。
歌剧已经成为上流社会的一种非常时尚的娱乐。
1711年，亨德尔前往英国，他的歌剧立即获得成功。
1713年，安妮女王授予了他终身的皇家养老金。
由于最初的成功，亨德尔试图在伦敦建立一个永久性的歌剧公司，但失败了，亨德尔赔了钱。

由于歌剧使用的是带有戏服布景和道具的全舞台布景，制作成本很高，亨德尔决定制作清唱剧，其中的部分只是简单地唱出来，没有动作。
1741年8月22日，亨德尔开始着手他的演讲《弥赛亚》。
这本书是由《圣经》中有关耶稣出生、生活和死亡的段落组成的。
韩德尔拼命地工作，不吃饭，不睡觉。
他在24天后完成了它。
当被问及完成后的感受时，韩德尔说:“我觉得我看到了整个天堂和伟大的上帝。”
1741年秋，亨德尔收到了爱尔兰中尉勋爵的邀请，邀请他演出歌剧和音乐会。
在那里，亨德尔带着他的全部行李和许多歌手从伦敦来到都柏林。
然而，为了在路上排练，他不得不雇佣当地人来进行彩排。
有一次，这位作曲家严厉地批评了一位当地歌手，因为他没有达到他的标准。
亨德尔在都柏林受到热烈欢迎，他的演唱会门票售罄，当地报纸甚至认为他的排练有新闻价值。
《弥赛亚》于1742年4月13日首次公开演出。
700人挤在一个能容纳600人的剧院里听音乐会。
通知要求，女士们要穿无箍裙，先生们要不带刀剑。
都柏林的一份报纸报道说:“人们希望用文字来表达欣赏它的拥挤的观众带来的微妙的喜悦。”
所有收益都捐献给了慈善机构，因为教堂唱诗班除非有这些条件否则拒绝参加，。
1742年8月，亨德尔回到伦敦，为伦敦舞台准备了清唱剧。
“弥赛亚”于1743年3月23日在伦敦首次亮相，国王乔治二世在观众席。
正是在哈利路亚合唱的时候，国王跳了起来，由此开创了一项一直延续至今的传统。
有了这样的清唱剧，亨德尔得以在伦敦重新建立起自己的声望，并恢复了自己的财务状况。
《弥赛亚》继续在上演。
1759年4月6日，在指挥了这首曲子后，这位老作曲家病倒了，不得不被抬回家。
八天后，他去世了。
《弥赛亚》仍然是亨德尔最受欢迎的作品，它将美妙的音乐与鼓舞人心的宗教情感结合在一起。
圣经经文讲述了希望和救赎，音乐让经文翱翔成天使般的歌声。

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Level 4-Day 6.Handel's “Messiah”