One of the most famous pieces of sacred music, Handel’s Messiah debuted in 1741! A composer for the Chapel Royal in London, Handel was said to “frequently declare pleasure in setting the Scriptures to music....” But in 18th-century London, such the idea of “performing” words of the Bible was highly controversial. When Charles Jennens wrote the text for a musical performance about the life of Christ—completely taken from the Bible—he asked Handel to compose the music. In 24 days, Handel completed