George Frideric Handel is considered England’s first and foremost composer of oratorios. Above all, the Messiah is regarded as the epitome of sacred music and in German-speaking countries it is also one of the most often performed works in the genre. The version of the Messiah which is most often performed today is a combination of various versions. Consequently, the present critical edition by Ton Koopman contains all the surviving alternative versions of the solo movements. A concordance makes