Singing Your Heart Out With Händel's Hallelujah
The Best Moments
Messiah, HWV 56: Hallelujah Chorus
I'm Händel, and what follows are the best moments of my Hallelujah. You'll catch the moment at "And He shall reign for ever and ever" when the trumpets return, and you'll feel why it lifts the whole chorus higher than anything before it. On this site my fellow composers and I also teach you to recognize our pieces the moment they begin, so give the Trainer a go and see for yourself.
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Hallelujah, Before You Find Your Seat
I start the Hallelujah chorus, which closes Part II of my oratorio Messiah, with the singers cheerfully calling out "Hallelujah" before you've even settled in. The trumpets and timpani join the strings in D major, and it feels like a surprise party where everyone jumps out at once, though I promise it only lasts about four minutes.
One Voice, Many Throats
I know that even a lively party needs a moment where everyone pays attention, so at "For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth" I have all the voices sing the same tune together in unison. After all the bustle, that plain, firm sound is like a whole room turning to face you for an announcement.
The Ending That Won't Leave
I bring the trumpets back at "And He shall reign for ever and ever", and I admit I had fun making an ending that sounds as if it never plans to stop. You may have heard that a king stood up for this chorus, though nobody has found any evidence of it, and the first written mention of an audience standing dates from 1756, so your tired knees can blame the tradition rather than me.
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So that was my little tour of the moments in Hallelujah that I treasure most. Did you enjoy learning about them? Four minutes is a short stretch of time, yet I still hear something new each time the voices and trumpets come together. There is a lot more to explore in Hallelujah. I wrote it for Messiah, which was first heard in Dublin in 1742, and I originally meant that oratorio for Easter rather than Christmas. Then there is the custom of standing up when the chorus begins. The story goes that the king rose to his feet, but nobody has found evidence for it, and the earliest written mention of an audience standing dates from 1756. If you'd like to go further, please click on the links below and keep exploring Hallelujah. I'd be glad to have you along, and I hope that the next time you hear the chorus, you'll listen with fresh ears.