You've answered your own question, Don B

It werbles on amorphously, in a kind of kaleidoscopic cut-and-paste exercise from Holy Scripture that lacks the dramatic structure and incisive story-telling of the Bach or Schutz Passions.  

I greatly suspect it remains in repertoire because it gives choral singers some busywork - and choruses in Britain don't expect to be paid.  In fact, they frequently pay themselves (in the form of Society Memberships) to give performances.

But perhaps you are right - perhaps the Messiah's indubitable "warhorse" status, and many exposures to utterly execrable performances,  have left me deadened to the work...  which I no longer even make polite excuses to avoid.  However, my bro is hoping to top-up his pension very nicely from chamber-organ and harpsichord rentals next year (250th Anniv of Handel's demise), and one of the Torheit nephews has nearly outgrown his 3/4-size cello... so I have ulterior motives for the never-ending popularity of what, to me, is penitential puritanical boredom from start to finish


Ekzackly so - there is no narrative plot.  But they have witch-burnings for people like you or I who say so

But great numbers of people truly love this work, and love performing it, viz:


THE MESSIAH in performance at the great Handel Commemorative Festival, 1859, Crystal Palace, S London.

"You always know you're in trouble when there's more people on stage than in the audience!" - (c) R Torheit, passim

Perhaps a lollipop's a popular sweetie given to an audience as a reward for good behaviour having sat uncomplainingly through yet another performance of a warhorse?

No need. An Hegelian synthesis is now available in all good tack (and tuck) shops.

I have to agree with Don Balisio, strong narrative based on, l I think 32 Chapters of the Bible (which, like Ulysses all are expected to know).  Never mind this Jenners fellow.

You know, you can analyse music too much.  And then yor speling goes cos yor brian is overloded.

Agree with Tommo re Beethoven 5th.  Marbleflugel was playing it one night to drown out the Ghanain Bishops at the Synod (or the row in the flat next door!) and I put it on, got it on now.  Fantastic.

I suppose the definition of a Warhorse is a work which is played so often and so well known that it is kind of ignored and taken for granted which is a shame . I find if i dont play certain works but replay after a long period it still comes out fresh - an example recently while driving was performance of Dvorak New World Symphony which because of the time lapse found really enjoyable and realize what a wonderful work this is - so my answer is enjoy these warhorses but not too often !!

This all off topic.  Messiah is almost certainly musically over-rated, and Jennens may not have been a very nice man, but the libretto works very well.

As a baroque violinist I end up playing, oh, several Messiahs a year.  Every year I dread the repetition.  Yet every year I'm surprised again (and again and again) by what a remarkable piece it is.  It really is fantastic - sorry if some of you disagree - but instrumentally it's a delight to play, every time.  Handel knew what he was doing, and the Messiah is not one of his lazier rehashes.

I hesitate to compare it with the Bach passions (or anything) - they're so different.


Don't know if it qualifies as a warhorse but it's definitely had more than its share of overexposure - I've recently played Pachelbel's Canon (and even the Gigue) a few times, and really enjoyed it.  A shame it's forever associated with adverts for chocolates, cars, vertical blinds, etc ...

 

What is this?  Bizarre and sinister.