new church life: november/december 2016
1739, he was all set for the Messiah – not yet an idea in his mind.
For just prior to the Messiah, Handel decided to “stress the effects of
orchestra and soloists” by using “melisma” – the voice carrying several
syllables over long transitions – and “syllabic painting” – placing one word
on each syllable, but following the effect of the music. “Handel’s use of word
painting excites nerves by rending the Messiah the exquisite air of ingenuity,
grace, perspicuity, eloquence and animation. Word painting is the musical
depiction of words by mirroring music to convey the literal meaning of the
text of a song.”2 It is to music what onomatopoeia is to prose.
One prime example is the text, “Every valley shall be exalted.” The music
is raised on “valley,” and “exalted” stays on that level, and for “every mountain
and hill made low,” the music then goes low! The “crooked” sounds crooked.
“Made straight” sounds straight, and the “rough places plain” leads to a long
Figure 1
plain sounding phrase. (From Isaiah 40:4; Fig. 1)
When it comes to, “We like sheep have gone astray,” the music is hard to
follow, if you recall the phrase. The music literally follows those stray sheep.
Another example is, “we have turned everyone to his own way.” The music turns,
remember? The melisma with syllabic painting, “We have tuuuuuuuuuuuurned
. . . .” I think gives the musicians – let alone the performer – some great fun
keeping track of all that intricate turning.
The music becomes majestic, when the “government shall be upon
His shoulder,” for the music climbs up and up, “with Government shall be,
shall be,” and then descends, on to “His shoulder.” And then each phrase of
“Wonderful, Counsellor” descends on the shoulder, the rest of the names do a
flourish before “Prince of Peace” descends back down – yes, on His shoulder!
When it comes to, “He was despised, rejected,” one can almost hear the
contempt and spitting – hence Mr. Delaney’s spontaneous praise. And “Glory
to God in the highest” goes up to God, then an octave down to heaven, then
from “angelic heavenly host” prophesying the Advent of the “Prince of Peace”
an octave down with “Peace on earth.”
2 Wikipedia
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