Part 1, scene ii, no. 6 Air: Malachi 3:2
“But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire.”
“But who may abide the day of his coming?” begins in a slow lilting triple meter in the key of d minor. Key selection was important to Baroque composers because they felt that inward emotions could be conveyed by outward signs and that music could be used to invoke specific emotions. In this case the key of d minor signified something serious. What could be more serious than contemplating the day of judgement?
Handel interrupts this contemplative section by changing key, meter, and tempo. He bursts into a fiery, fast, almost frantic depiction of the text that leaves the singer and listener breathless. Handel also indicates the contrasts of forte and piano, which was uncommon in his era. It was generally assumed the performer was clever enough to figure it out, but clearly it was important to Handel that his dynamic markings be followed closely in this section. We hear the crackling and fluctuations of an intense fire.
He repeats these two sections in an abbreviated format allowing us to contemplate both the dread AND fear of judgement. But we aren’t left without hope – the refiner’s fire is not intended to consume everything, only the dross leaving the pure gold at the end. While unpleasant, it leaves the final product perfect and pure.
I love this recording from 1987 featuring Robert Shaw conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and featuring Marietta Simpson as the alto soloist. Her stillness and accuracy is breathtaking. She sings this intense solo with dignity and strength. My senior year in college I had the privilege of singing the St. Matthew Passion under the direction of Maestro Shaw, and I can attest to his attention to the detail and intention of the composer as well as his immense musicality. He would conduct staring at his left shoelace, but if something wasn’t as he wanted it, his head would shoot up and piercing blue eyes would immediately find the source of the problem. His ear for the music was impeccable. I learned so much in the short time we had with him about the importance of freedom of expression within the boundaries of what the composer wrote – accuracy was important but so was emotional context.
This is a good life lesson.
Maybe we are living within a refiner’s fire now. So many things we deemed important are being stripped away leaving us with what truly matters. Maybe the end result will be worth the current discomfort.