Irish Arts Review

Handel in DublinAuthor(s): Hugo ColeSource: Irish Arts Review (1984-1987), Vol. 1, No. 2 (Summer, 1984), pp. 28-30Published by: Irish Arts ReviewStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20491609 .

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IRISH ARTS REVIEW

HANDEL IN DUBLIN

n Wednesday, 18th November 17419 'a Gentleman universally

known by his excellent Compositions in all kinds of Musick, and particularly for his Te Deum, Jubilate, Anthems, and other compositions in Church Musick' arrived in Dublin by the Holyhead packet boat. The visit had been carefully planned; perhaps at the time when the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, the Duke of Devonshire, had visited London the pre vious February. Handel's favourite contralto, Mrs. Cibber, had preceded him to Ireland - an Italian soprano, Signora Avoglio, engaged for the season, followed a few days later. An old friend, the violinist Mathew Dubourg, had set tled in Dublin as leader of the viceregal band, and was ready to take charge of orchestral arrangements. Handel brought with him an organist named

Maclaine and his wife, a competent singer from Chester, having met them en route to Dublin. He also brought a chamber organ and, we must presume, one or two trunkfuls of music.

Dublin was also ready for Handel. The city was enjoying a golden age of music. Italian opera had reached Dublin as early as 1711 , soon after which the Crow

Street Music Hall had been built'for the practice of Italian Musick'. The Beggar's Opera had been quickly succeeded by a number of Irish ballad operas. Handel's music was much performed - according to Faulkner's Journal, the entertainment at the Round Church 'which have so greatly contributed to support the Charity of Mercer's Hospital' had for some years past principally consisted of his works.

It was politic as well as generous of Handel to take part in a charity concert at the Round Church on December 14, a few days after his arrival, when he played an organ concerto; almost always one of the attractions at his concerts. The charities played an important part in Dublin's musical life. Neal's Music Hall in Fishamble Street, where most of his

concerts were to take place, had been built by a consortium of the three prin cipal charities, Neal himself being impresario, music publisher, and secretary of the Dublin Charities' Com

mission. Precise details of the ways in which money raised was distributed was printed in concert programmes; Handel's old friend Mrs. Delany noted, after a performance of Messiah, that 'her

The London based musicologist and critic Hugo Cole describes

Handel's successful visit to Ireland where he stayed for nine months

and where his Messiah was first performed in 1742.

Mrs Cibber, who sang in the first

performance of Messiah in Dublin.

7; ~2

Neal's Music hall in Dublin where Messiah was first perfortned.

pleasure was greatly heightened by con sidering how many poor prisoners would be released by it'.

With the support of the Viceroy and the charities commission, Handel was strongly placed. And in fact, the only hitch in his arrangements seems to have occurred when Dean Swift suddenly withdrew the permission already granted for the use of the choirmen of St. Patrick's Cathedral at Handel's concerts, 'intreating my Sub-Dean and Chapter to punish such vicars as shall ever appear there, as songsters, fiddlers, pipers, trum peters, drummers, drum-majors, or in any sonal quality...' But this difficulty was got over through the intervention of influential friends.

Handel lost no time in announcing his own series of subscription concerts, the first of which took place at Neal's

Music Hall on December 23, the pro gramme consisting of 'all three parts of L'Allegro, two concertos for several instruments, and a concerto on the

Organ.' Handel's friend Jennens had added an insipid third part to Milton's L'Allegro, and Handel soon wrote to him to inform him of the great success of the concert: 'without Vanity the Perform ance was received with a general Approbation. Sigra Avoglio, which I brought with me from London pleases extraordinary... the Basses and Counter Tenors are very good, and the rest of the Chorus Singers (by my Direction) do exceedingly well, as for the Instruments they are really excellent... the Musick sounds delightfully in this charming Room, which puts me in such spirits (and my Health being so good) that I exert my self on my Organ with more than usual success. I opened with the

Allegro, Penseroso, and Moderato, and I assure you that the Words of the

Moderato are vastly admired.' (None theless, Handel dropped II Moderato from subsequent performance.) He goes on to describe the audience, which include the 'Flower of Ladyes of Distinc tion and other People of the greatest quality', as well as 'Heads of the Colledge, the Chancellor, Auditor General &ct.'

Knowing what we know of Handel's powers as director of his own music, we can believe the Dublin Journal's report that this first subscription concert 'was superior to any Thing of the Kind in this Kingdom before.' But we should not put

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IRISH ARTS REVIEW

HANDEL IN DUBLIN

faith in everything reported by the papers of Handel's visit to Ireland. Thus, the 'new Serenata' advertised for

Handel's second subscription series (starting in February 1742) was in fact the second-hand opera Imeneo, which had been given with small success just before Handel left England. It is very doubtful whether Messiah was 'specially composed for the Noble and Grand Charity of Mercer's Hospital' as the Dublin Journal reported. Certainly, the alto arias were composed with Mrs. Cibber in mind - but would Handel have risked writing those elaborate bass arias for a still-unknown singer drawn from one of Dublin's two cathedral choirs? We may even suspect that the advertisements begging ladies not to wear hooped skirts to the concerts, in view of the anticipated crush, were forms of the puff preliminary - for if you convince the public that seats are likely to be in demand, they are all the more likely to rush to the box office.

The second concert series was as suc

cessful as the first, and by the end of March Handel was ready to announce his 'new Grand Oratorio, called the

Messiah... with some Concertos on the Organ by Mr. Handell.' Tickets for the

preliminary rehearsal were given gratis with the tickets for the concert itself.

There was a real risk involved. An

oratorio, even when performed for charity, was still 'a fine entertainment'

and Handel laid himself open to charges of profanity. Later, many sermons were

to be preached and poems written

against Messiah. But Handel had the

clergy and nobility behind him in Dublin, and the only poem produced on

the occasion was Laurence Whyte's eulogy, beginning: 'What can we offer

more in Handel's praise/Since his Messiah gain'd him groves of bays...'

Success, as we all know, was complete. Faulkner's Journal scarcely knew how to describe this 'most finished piece of

Musick. Words are wanting to express the exquisite Delight it afforded to the

admiring crowded Audience. The Sublime, the Grand, and the Tender, adapted to the most elevated, majestick and moving Words, conspired to

transport and charm the ravished Heart and Ear.' Handel and the performers gave their services free; ?400 was raised, to be distributed equally between

Dublin's three 'great and pious

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IRISH ARTS REVIEW

HANDEL IN DUBLIN

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Charities', and 142 imprisoned debtors were released.

A second performance followed on June 3, this time for Handel's own benefit, tickets being available from his lodgings in Abbey Street. Mrs. Cibber and Signora Avoglio also had their benefit concerts. During Handel's visit, Dubliners had also heard Acis and Galatea, the Ode to St. Cecilia's Day, Esther, Alexander's Feast, and many concertos.

These performances must have taxed Dublin's resources to the limit; we know that on one occasion, M. de Rheiner, 'a distress'd foreign Gentleman', had to put off his Day, because 'all the best Musick

was engaged to Mr. Handel's Concert'. The performance of Saul at the end of May was the most spectacular event of the visit, calling for trombones and a peal of bells. Before Handel left for England on August 13, he is said to have visited Cork and to have remarked to Charles O'Conor of Belanagare that he would rather have written Eibhlin a ruin than all his own compositions. He visited Swift, though by that time the Dean was too far gone in madness to hold sensible converse with him; he saw Garrick act Hamlet in Dublin, and must have met Arne, who arrived there at the end of June and was to stay for three years.

Handel's music continued to be much played after his departure. In 1743 Arne and Dubourg put on a series of six Handel oratorio concerts; Messiah was performed twice in 1744 and revived each year for many years thereafter. Handel himself meant to return to Ireland the next year. But in London he

was rapidly drawn back into the old round of concert-giving and composing, generally working against time, against anti-Handelian factions, and against his own growing infirmities. He never went back to the city where, for nine months, he had been so singularly happy, healthy, and successful.

Hugo Cole

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