Today, 23 February, in 1685 George Frideric Handel was born in Halle, Germany. Handel was a composer who became known for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. He is linked to Dublin because it was in the Musick Hall on Fishamble Street that Handel first performed his oratorio Messiah on 23 December 1741.
Handel arrived in Dublin in November 1741 and, luckily for him, it was only a month or so later that the Musick Hall opened. In John Thomas Gilbert's A History of the City of Dublin he recalls that Handel advertised his up and coming oratorio as follows
'At the new Musick Hall in Fishamble-street, on Wednesday next, being the 23rd day of Dec., (1741). Mr. Handel’s Musical Entertainments will be opened, in which will be performed L’Allegro il Penseroso, il Moderato, with two Concertos for several instruments, and a Concerto on the Organ.
To begin at 7 o’Clock.
Tickets for that night will be delivered to the Subscribers (by sending their Subscription Ticket), on Tuesday and Wednesday next, at the place of Performance, from 9 o’Clock in the Morning till 3 in the afternoon; and attendance will be given this Day and on Monday next, at Mr. Handel’s House in Abby-street near Liffey-street, from 9 o’Clock in the morning till 3 in the afternoon, in order to receive the subscription money, at which time each Subscriber will have a ticket delivered to him, which entitles him to three tickets each night, either for ladies or gentlemen.
N.B., Subscriptions are likewise taken in at the same place. Books may be had at the said place, price, a British sixpence.'
A lot of research has and is being carried out on the effect of these charitable concerts in Dublin during the 18th century. To find out more about this interesting research click on the links below
RFMI Music for Mercer's
RISM Mercer's Hospital Music Collection
To find out more about what other archival gems are in the Charitable Infirmary Charitable Trust Collection (RCSI/CICT) visit our online catalogue and have a look!
- Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy
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| George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) by Balthasar Denner |
Handel arrived in Dublin in November 1741 and, luckily for him, it was only a month or so later that the Musick Hall opened. In John Thomas Gilbert's A History of the City of Dublin he recalls that Handel advertised his up and coming oratorio as follows
'At the new Musick Hall in Fishamble-street, on Wednesday next, being the 23rd day of Dec., (1741). Mr. Handel’s Musical Entertainments will be opened, in which will be performed L’Allegro il Penseroso, il Moderato, with two Concertos for several instruments, and a Concerto on the Organ.
To begin at 7 o’Clock.
Tickets for that night will be delivered to the Subscribers (by sending their Subscription Ticket), on Tuesday and Wednesday next, at the place of Performance, from 9 o’Clock in the Morning till 3 in the afternoon; and attendance will be given this Day and on Monday next, at Mr. Handel’s House in Abby-street near Liffey-street, from 9 o’Clock in the morning till 3 in the afternoon, in order to receive the subscription money, at which time each Subscriber will have a ticket delivered to him, which entitles him to three tickets each night, either for ladies or gentlemen.
N.B., Subscriptions are likewise taken in at the same place. Books may be had at the said place, price, a British sixpence.'
This was a charitable event. By subscribing and buying a ticket the performance was raising money for the Charitable Infirmary and Mercer's Hospital.
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| Illustration of Mercer's Hospital |
The Charitable Infirmary Charitable Trust (CICT) Collection (RCSI/CICT) is housed in the RCSI Heritage Collections. Amongst the CICT's records there are the trusts subscriptions and expenditures books dating from 1784 to 1834. As the dates suggest, these subscription books just miss out on this famous first performance of Handel's Messiah. But they show that other oratorios by Handel were performed as charitable events in the following decades.
Below is a list of subscribers for the 1752 performance of Handel's Deborah. This oratorio was first performed in London in 1733 and is about a prophetess (called Deborah) who foretells the death of the leader of the Canaanites, who have been suppressing the Israelites for over 20 years.
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| List of sundry subscribers from 1752 (RCSI/CICT/ACC/11) |
A lot of research has and is being carried out on the effect of these charitable concerts in Dublin during the 18th century. To find out more about this interesting research click on the links below
RFMI Music for Mercer's
RISM Mercer's Hospital Music Collection
To find out more about what other archival gems are in the Charitable Infirmary Charitable Trust Collection (RCSI/CICT) visit our online catalogue and have a look!
- Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy