Bound manuscript of Handel's 'Messiah' transcribed by John Christopher Smith
Object No. A8213-15
Music manuscript, bound, 'Messiah', paper / cardboard / leather, composed by George Frideric Handel, words by Charles Jennens, 1741, transcribed by John Christopher Smith, probably London, England, 1742-1759, date of binding unknown
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Summary
Physical Description
Leather-bound book containing handwritten music sheets of Handel's 'Messiah'. The book has a black leather cover with a red rectangle in the upper left corner with the words 'Messiah An Oratorio. Part 2.' in gilt lettering. A double line gilt border runs around the edges of the book's front and back covers. There is also gilding along the spine.
DIMENSIONS
Height
37 mm
Width
303 mm
Depth
245 mm
PRODUCTION
Notes
The work was handwritten by John Christopher Smith, probably in London, England, 1742-1759.
HISTORY
Notes
This copy was done during Handel's lifetime by his amanuensis John Christopher Smith. It was one of three sets that were made. This section is the second part of one of the sets and features the Hallelujah Chorus. On Handel's death in 1759 it was given to Messiah's librettist Charles Jennens. Jennens bequeathed it to his cousin, Heneage Finch, the Earl of Aylesford, where it entered the library of the Earls of Aylesford in about 1774 until it was sold in 1917. Soon after, the publisher and Handel author Sir Newman Flower bought the manuscript along with others. He in turn gave it to the English contralto Phyllis Lett, for a wedding present. Phyllis Lett had sung in several performances of Messiah, and briefly came to Australia in 1925 with her husband who owned property in Northern Queensland. She died in 1962 and it is uncertain what became of the manuscript until it was bought by collector and museum benefactor Mr EA Crome and then acquired by the Powerhouse Museum in 1981. References: Donald Burrows & Watkins Shaw, "Handel's Messiah: Supplementary Notes On Sources", in Music & Letters, Vol.76, No.3 August 1995, pp.356-368. E van der Straeten, "A Remarkable Handel Collection: Christopher Smith's Transcripts of Handel's Works" in The Musical Times, Vol.63, No.951, May 1, 1922, pp322-324. "English Contralto: Miss Phyllis Lett in Australia", The Argus newspaper, Melbourne, 21 May 1925, p.11. "Phyllis Lett: Australian Concert Tour", The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney, 14 December 1926, p.14. "Phyllis Lett: Arrival In Australia", The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney, 26 January 1927, p.12. Michael Lea Curator, music & musical instruments, April 2010.
SOURCE
Acquisition Date
21 May 1982
Copyright for the above image is held by the Powerhouse and may be subject to third-party copyright restrictions. Please submit an Image Licensing Enquiry for information regarding reproduction, copyright and fees. Text is released under Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivative licence.
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