D. Stephen Heersink writes:

>Handel, on the other hand never wrote a composition for a major choral
>work of Mass or Requiem, but wrote numerous anthems, and six or seven
>Oratorios and about an equal number of Operettas.

Six or seven Oratorios? Schwann Opus lists 23 of them, and there are likely
a few more.  Handel never wrote any operettas, but he did write operas and
many more than six or seven.

>With the exception of the Messiah, and the anthem "I know my Redeemer
>liveth," there's not much memorable as a whole.

I think that many of Handel's Oratorios are quite memorable as far as the
music is concerned.  There's a prevalent opinion that the Messiah is the
only Handel Oratorio worth very much; I can't go with that premise when
there's so much great music in works such as Alexander Balus, Acis &
Galatea, Joseph & His Brethen, Joshua, Solomon, Saul, Susanna, Theodora,
Hercules, Judas Maccabaeus, and Belshazzar.

Stephen wrote concerning Bach:

>While his compositional skills are unparalleled, they tire easily.

That seems like an odd combination, particularly when adding in Stephen's
praise of Bach as a choral composer.  What is it about his unparalleled
compositions that makes one tired of hearing them?

Don Satz
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