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DESCRIPTION:  This account presents the remarkable story of the creation of the world-famous Messiah by George Frideric Handel. Revealing that the work was composed during a tumultuous period of Handel’s life and molded through many unlikely circumstances, this chronicle tells of how this musical masterpiece was crafted and how it became a glorious production that is now performed around the world every Christmas season. Images of significant sites and artifacts of note, including the church where Messiah was first performed, accompany the text to accurately place this rich tale in its historical context. A bonus CD featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s rendition of Messiah is also included.

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SITE RATING:  9/10 SITE REVIEW:  I stumbled upon Messiah: The Little-Known Story of Handel's Beloved Oratorio by Tim Slover in a local book store which was liquidating its Christmas stock, and after purchasing it, was pleasantly surprised by its brief, but attractive layout, and the informal layman's tone set by the author.  The author is a dramatic literature professor and playwright, which surprised me, for while Messiah isn't solely the domain of musicians, its odd to find a published work on Messiah coming from a quarter other than the music field.  Such is Dr. Slover's passion for Handel's work, however, that his relative unfamiliarity with musical terms is not missed.  This book doesn't concern itself much with the music anyway, but rather tells the story of its creation, reception, and message; the author relates in clear, bright prose the well-known facts about Messiah's creation; he also delves deeply into the controversy of Messiah; from Handel's casting of the notorious Susanna Cibber, the scarlet lady of the theater who had been publicly shamed during a divorce trial, to Messiah's controversial use of scripture for its text; the public outcry which resulted from Handel's using "actors" to sing sacred material - and in theaters!  Slover happily recounts each controversy and triumph.  The book itself is very attractive - obviously intended to be a "gift" item: it's small, filled with color illustrations on nearly every page, and, as an additional bonus, it features a 72-minute highlights CD featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir conducted by Sir David Willcocks.  An attractive, accessible, and even illuminating book which is a personal favorite.

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