Oratorio is musical drama. Good oratorio contains the same elements that make for good drama without music: an engaging protagonist, tension and release, crisis and resolution, vicarious involvement of the audience, colorful figures, strong emotional reactions, etc. Good oratorio is, therefore, much more than a concert of sequential musical numbers on a given theme or set of themes. Originally, in the case of Handel’s oratorios and others, e.g., Mendelssohn’s Elijah, the drama was effective largely because the audiences were already familiar with the stories. Because this was the case, only a minimal, referential narration was needed, and no acting was necessary. At a glance, the oratorios, as drama, may appear to be .quite deficient in detail, when, in fact, the audience was “filling in between the lines” and bringing to bear its much more detailed knowledge of the story to its musical portrayal.
The contemporary problem is that it cannot be assumed today that the audience has “read the book,” or even that the performers have read it. The dramatic impact that should be realized from a performance of the work is often missing. Obviously, in the case of Messiah, the drama is not lost altogether. A number of the movements reference commonly known events and ideas, e.g., the Christmas story, Jesus’ suffering, His loving nature, etc. Numerous other movements, however, are either vaguely understood or misunderstood altogether. The enduring music of Messiah along with the several textual themes to which persons more easily relate carry the day. However, the oratorio, in its true and complete character, is not enjoyed.
Ronald Richard Duquette says