Lists of Musicians for Performances of Handel's Messiah at the Foundling Hospital, 1754–1777

Abstract

Beginning in 1750, Handel gave annual performances of Messiah in the Chapel of the Foundling Hospital in London, and the series was continued by others after his death, until 1777. The Hospital's archives include complete itemised lists of performers for many of these events, and provide information about income and expenditure relating to all of the performances. The performers’ lists from 1754, 1758 and 1759 are well known, since they provide the only detailed contemporary record of singers and players for Handel's oratorio performances. However, the complete run of surviving lists enables us to track individual performers in London over a longer period, as well as revealing changes in the management, composition and remuneration of the ensembles. Transcriptions of the lists are here accompanied by an index of names and a summary analysis of the financial accounts for each performance.