Abbey in 1784, when the largest choir and
band that had ever assembled before, with the renowned Madame Mara at the
head of the soloists, first gave the "Messiah" to the world in accordance
with the grand ideal of the composer. The orchestra was composed as
follows: First violins, 40; second violins, 47; tenors, 26; first oboes,
13; second oboes, 13; flutes, 6; violoncellos, 21; double-basses, 15;
bassoons, 26; double-bassoon, 1; trumpets, 12; trombones, 6; horns, 12;
kettledrums, 3; double-kettledrum, 1: total, 242. The choir was made up
as follows: Sopranos, 60, of whom 45 were choir-boys; counter-tenors
(altos), 40; tenors, 83; basses, 84: making the entire number of singers
267. Of the performance of the band upon this occasion, Burney quaintly
says:--

"Dante in his _Paradiso_ imagines nine circles, or choirs, of cherubs,
seraphs, patriarchs, prophets, martyrs, saints, angels, and archangels,
who with hand and voice are eternally praising and glorifying the
Supreme Being, whom he places in the centre, taking the idea from _Te
Deum laudamus_, where it is said: 'To Thee Cherubim and Seraphim
continually do cry,' etc. Now, as the orchestra in Westminster Abbey
seemed to ascend into the clouds and unite with the saints and martyrs
represented on the painted glass in the west window, which had all the
appearance of a continuation of the Orchestra, I could hardly refrain,
during the performance of the Allelujah, to imagine that this
Orchestra, so admirably constructed, filled, and employed, was a point
or segment of one of these celestial circles. And perhaps no band of
mortal musicians ever exhibited a more respectable appearance to the
eye, or afforded a more ecstatic and affecting sound to the ear, than
this."

He is equally enthusiastic over the chorus; and of Madame Mara's singing
of the aria, "I know that my Redeemer liveth," he says:--

"Her power over the sensibility of the audience seemed equal to that of
Mrs. Siddons. There was no eye within my view which did not 'silently a
gentle tear let fall,' nor, though long hackneyed in music, did I find
myself made of stronger earth than others."

The oratorio is divided into three parts. The first illustrates the
longing of the world for the Messiah, prophesies his coming, and
announces his birth; the second part is devoted to the sufferings, death,
and exaltation of Christ, and develops the spread and ultimate triumph of
the