For unto us a Child is born

For unto us a Child is born,
unto us a Son is given,
and the government shall be upon His shoulder;
and his name shall be called
Wonderful,
Counsellor,
the Mighty God,
the Everlasting Father,
the Prince of Peace.

From the musical score of Georg Friedrich Handel's Messiah, based on Isaiah: 9:6-7.

Handel wrote his masterful music for Messiah in an amazing 24 days and was passionately moved by the Scriptures describing Jesus' incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and coronation as King of Kings. He worked on his masterpiece almost non-stop, with little sleep or food. One day his servant opened the door to find Handel at his work, with tears streaming down his face. Handel looked up and cried out, "I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself."

Hear this piece performed by the Peabody Concert Orchestra, under the direction of Hajime Teri Murai.

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Download this piece here.

Hear / download MP3 files giving (separately) the soprano, alto, tenor and bass parts of the song here.

Finally, here's a clip from YouTube of "Unto us a Child is born" performed by the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford at St. Jacob's Church, Prague on 23 December 1990.




Painting: Mystical Nativity, by Sandro Botticelli.