When the Duke of Devonshire invited George Fredic Handel to perform a benefit concert for charity he most likely had no idea of the impact. First performed on April 13, 1742 at the Fishamble Street Music Hall in Dublin, Ireland (pictured here) Handel wanted it to be easily performed by a smaller orchestra. He had already suffered a stroke when he took only 23 days to write the two-hour piece. Asked about the all-famous Hallelujah Chorus he later said, “I did think I did see all heaven before me and the great God himself!”
