History Extra podcast

Handel's Messiah: the scandalous birth of a classical masterpiece


Listen Later

Even if you're not a fan of classical music, chances are you will have heard Handel's Messiah. Going behind the scenes of its creation, Charles King delves into the shifting politics of the Hanoverian court, the sex scandals of London’s West End, and the surprising role of the transatlantic slave trade in financing the arts. Speaking to Elinor Evans, he reveals why, despite the complex circumstances of its creation, this legendary composition still resonates today.


(Ad) Charles King is the author of Every Valley: The Story of Handel’s Messiah (Bodley Head, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Every-Valley-Story-Handels-Messiah/dp/1847928455/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty.


The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

History Extra podcastBy Immediate Media

  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4

4.4

2,773 ratings


More shows like History Extra podcast

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,395 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,892 Listeners

Dan Snow's History Hit by History Hit

Dan Snow's History Hit

4,595 Listeners

Historic Royal Palaces Podcast by Historic Royal Palaces

Historic Royal Palaces Podcast

420 Listeners

The English Heritage Podcast by English Heritage

The English Heritage Podcast

208 Listeners

Talking Tudors by Natalie Grueninger

Talking Tudors

645 Listeners

The Ancients by History Hit

The Ancients

2,801 Listeners

The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

The Rest Is History

12,328 Listeners

Gone Medieval by History Hit

Gone Medieval

1,690 Listeners

Not Just the Tudors by History Hit

Not Just the Tudors

1,921 Listeners

Short History Of... by NOISER

Short History Of...

2,479 Listeners

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society by History Hit

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

1,091 Listeners

Empire by Goalhanger

Empire

1,864 Listeners

History's Greatest Cities by History Extra

History's Greatest Cities

53 Listeners

HistoryExtra Long Reads by History Extra

HistoryExtra Long Reads

46 Listeners

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal by History Hit

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal

775 Listeners

History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories by History Extra

History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories

23 Listeners

History's Greatest Scandals by History Extra

History's Greatest Scandals

15 Listeners

History's Greatest Battles by History Extra

History's Greatest Battles

2 Listeners