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657. Whose “Messiah” Is It Anyway?

December 19, 2025 • 48m

Summary

⏱️ 9 min read

Overview

This episode explores Handel's Messiah through the perspective of conductor Jane Glover, who has conducted over 120 performances. The discussion covers the piece's origins in 18th-century London, its evolution through different interpretations by composers like Mozart and conductors like Leonard Bernstein, and addresses controversies around its anti-Semitic elements. Glover prepares for her 2025 New York Philharmonic performance while sharing insights into Handel's life, the historical context of the work, and its enduring cultural significance.

Jane Glover's Lifelong Connection to Messiah

Jane Glover, an early music scholar and prolific conductor, recounts her first encounter with Messiah at age nine in Lincoln Cathedral. The experience profoundly moved her, particularly the contemplative pieces like 'I Know That My Redeemer Liveth.' This early connection sparked a lifelong relationship with Handel's work, leading to over 120 performances of Messiah throughout her career. She describes how the story continues to move her emotionally with every performance.

  • Jane Glover has conducted over 120 performances of Messiah
  • Her first Messiah experience was at Lincoln Cathedral when she was nine years old
  • The contemplative movements, especially 'I Know That My Redeemer Liveth,' made the deepest impression
  • She instinctively knew that Handel would be important to her musical life
" Something rang a chord within me, and I couldn't really articulate it at the age of nine, but I somehow knew instinctively that music was going to be important and that Handel was going to be important to me. "

Handel's Business Acumen and Financial Success

Unlike Mozart who struggled financially, Handel demonstrated exceptional business sense throughout his career. He made shrewd investments in the London markets, including buying and selling shares in the South Sea Company at exactly the right times, avoiding the crash that ruined many of his contemporaries. Handel's financial wisdom extended to his concert productions, where he knew how to price tickets and manage operations effectively, ensuring his economic stability.

  • Handel was exceptionally good with money, unlike Mozart who was hopeless with finances
  • Handel bought shares in the South Sea Company and sold before the crash
  • Many of Handel's patrons were ruined by the South Sea bubble, but he escaped
  • He had strong business acumen in running his concert series and pricing tickets
" He was so good with money. As somebody who's also written about Mozart, who was hopeless with money, completely rubbish with money. "

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