Part 1, scene v, no. 20 Air: Isaiah 40:11, Matthew 11:28-29
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: and he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. Come unto him, all ye that labour, come unto him, ye that are heavy laden, and he will give you rest. Take his yoke upon you, and learn of him; for he is meek and lowly of heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
In this last aria of the first section, Handel returns to the gentle rocking sicilienne that we heard in the Pifa. A sicilienne is in a slow compound meter and pastoral in nature, reminding us again of the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks.
This is the perfect style for a text that prophesies the Good Shepherd. In a brilliant pairing of texts by Jennens, the Isaiah passage is linked to the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew, “Come unto me, all ye that labor… and ye shall find rest.” Jennens slightly changes the text – me to him – to create a heartening commentary rather than a direct quote.
This is, in my opinion, one of the most comforting pieces of music ever written. The initial music is given to the alto in a beautiful stepwise descending scale on the Good Shepherd text. In the alto voice it is warm and protective. The same music, but transposed up a perfect fourth, is then taken up by the soprano, and given the companion text from Matthew. When the soprano sings it, the music becomes pure and uplifting.
In this recording, we hear two of my favorite singers, and one of the best interpretations of this work. At the end of the aria, the music segues immediately into the final chorus, which we will study tomorrow. Listen to how gently Anne Sophie von Otter and Sylvia McNair deliver this beautiful music. A loving statement that we are cared for and a sweet invitation to rest is perfect for where we are at the end of 2020.
Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and let this music wash over you, comfort you, and give you peace.
