Handel's Messiah

Without Words

You can download the files (instead of playing them) here.
You can get the Performance (Accompaniment) CD from Amazon ($25) here.
You can get the Parts and Solo Practice MP3 CD from Amazon ($25) here.
Sheet music (.pdf, vocal with piano, 37mb) is available here.

Performance
(no voices)
All Voices Solos
Soprano Alto Tenor Bass
01 Overture
02 Comfort Ye My People
03 Every Valley
04 And the Glory of the Lord
05 Thus Saith the Lord
06 Who May Abide
07 And He Shall Purify
08 Behold a Virgin Shall Conceive
09 O Thou that Tellest Good Tidings to Zion
10 Behold Darkness Shall Cover the Earth
11 People that Walked in Darkness
12 For Unto Us a Child is Born
13 Pastoral Symphony
14 There were Shepherds Abiding in the Field
15 The Angel Said Unto Them
16 Suddenly There Was with the Angel
17 Glory to God
18 Rejoice Greatly O Daughter of Zion
19 Then Shall the Eyes of the Blind be Opened
20 He Shall Feed His Flock
21 His Yoke is Easy
22 Behold the Lamb of God
23 He Was Despised
24 Surely He hath Borne Our Griefs
25 With His Stripes We are Healed
26 All We Like Sheep have Gone Astray
27 All They that See Him
28 He Trusted in God
29 Thy Rebuke hath Broken His Heart
30 See If There Be Any Sorrow
31 He Was Cut Off
32 Thou Didst Not Leave His Soul in Hell
33 Lift Up Your Heads, O Ye Gates
34 Unto Which of the Angels
35 Let All the Angels of God Worship Him
36 Thou Art Gone Up on High
(116 measure version)
36 Thou Art Gone Up on High
(124 measure version)
37 The Lord Gave the Word
38 How Beautiful are the Feet
39 Their Sound is Gone Out
40 Why do the Nations so Furiously Rage Together
41 Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder
42 He that Dwelleth in Heaven
43 Thou Shalt Break Them
44 Hallelujah
45 I Know that My Redeemer Liveth
46 Since by Man Came Death
47 Behold I Tell You a Mystery
48 The Trumpet Shall Sound
49 Then Shall be Brought to Pass
50 O Death Where is Thy Sting, Thanks Be to God
52 If God Be For Us
53 Worthy is the Lamb, Amen


We've been singing Handel's Messiah once every (or most) Christmas seasons. Here's the accompaniment we use now (in the "Performance" column). In addition to the accompaniment, there is a version with computer generated voices (no words, just "ahh"), and a practice version of the choruses for soprano, alto, tenor, and bass with those parts on the piano.

Each "download" link goes to an .mp3 file. There are two versions of "Thou Art Gone Up on High," #36. The second (longer) version goes with the Schirmer music (and some others). The first, shorter one is the one performed by Robert Shaw.

I put it together several years ago and have updated it several times since. Let me know if you find any mistakes or have any suggestions (such as "Stick to programming, you dummy!"):  bob@xpda.com

Update 11/18/2014
02 Comfort Ye My People - Changed accompaniment style a little, less mechanical.
23 He Was Despised - Changed to solo strings for slow part.
Choruses: Raised piano volume in parts practice versions (soprano, alto, tenor, bass).

Update 2/6/2015
Upgraded music software, improvement in string section stacatto and trills.
A few minor changes in tempo, style, or volume.

Handel's Messiah at the Crystal Palace, 1857
An 1857 Performance of Handel's Messiah

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