Messiah has been around since 1741 and while it has gained popularity since then, it also has undergone some adaptions to revamp Handel's original Messiah. This page will explore a few of those adaptations from some of the songs performed in Messiah.Â
Starting off with size, when Handel originally wrote Messiah, it was performed with orchestra and choir sizes that were on the smaller end. In today's society, you can find Messiah performances with very large orchestras and choirs. Below is an example of a very large orchestra and choir performing "And the Glory of the Lord" from Messiah:
Another adaptation of Messiah would be Too Hot to Handel: The Gospel Messiah. This adaptation offers a contemporary, American interpretation of Handel's original version of Messiah. The author(s) of this new adaptation seemed to take away the classical sense of this piece and add gospel music to the mix to make it more upbeat and fun to groove to. Below is an example of this adaptation:
Another adaptation of Messiah would be Handel's Messiah - A Soulful Celebration. This adaptation is a reinterpretation of Handel's oratorio and it uses multiple genres of African-American music which includes spirituals, blues, ragtime, big band, jazz fusion, R&B, and hip hop. Below is an example of this adaptation: