Set to text from the King James Bible, George Frideric Handel's 1741 Messiah is rich in tuneful arias and magnificent choruses, and has become a Christmas favorite. Following his biography of Handel, Jonathan Keates recounts the history and influence of the composer's best-loved work, discussing its early performances, its relationship with spirituality in the age of the Enlightenment, and how this sprawling oratorio became an essential component of our musical canon. The book includes 16 black and white illustrations, a chronology of Handel's life, and the complete libretto of Messiah.