As is well known, the oratorios of Georg Friedrich Händel were performed throughout the 19th century. Although Händel performances have already been dealt with in numerous studies, there still lacks an overall assessment of oratorio performances in this period. For the first time this documentation provides such a survey of performance traditions and pusblished criticisms in selected music periodicals from 1800 to 1900. Besides general information on the performances (work, date and venue), it also records details of the renditions and interpretations performed, the performers and the performance contexts, taking not only complete performances but also the presentation of parts or single arias into account. Introductory studies on selected aspects open up perspectives for further studies.

Dr. Dominik Höink leitet ein musikwissenschaftliches Forschungsprojekt zum Oratorium vom 18. bis 20. Jahrhundert an der Universität Münster. Dr. Rebekka Sandmeier ist an der University of Cape Town Associate Professor für Musikwissenschaft.