The King’s Consort

England has a long tradition of choral singing – one that is upheld to this day by ensembles such as the King’s Consort. The British Isles were also excellent hunting grounds for Handel, with his »Messiah« proving to be a great hit in Dublin and London in 1742. With around 70 performances during the composer’s lifetime, the oratorio was one of his most-performed works – and very little has changed in that regard over the years. This is not least, perhaps, due to the famous »Hallelujah« chorus, one of the most popular classical hits of all time. But the spirit of the work also played a key role in its enduring popularity: the »Messiah« is, despite the Biblical themes, not sacred music in the true sense of the term, but simply excellent entertainment music from Handel’s time.