Composed in just three weeks, Handel’s Messiah remains a beloved classic nearly 300 years on. Its origin story is marked by scandal and links to slavery.

Georgetown professor Charles King tells the story in his book "Every Valley: The Desperate Lives and Troubled Times That Made Handel's Messiah." ...

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their ...

Journal Editorial Report: The week’s best and worst from Kim Strassel, Allysia Finley and Kyle Peterson. Photo: Jenny Kane/AP/Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP/Jon Elswick/AP We wouldn’t ...

The story within Handels famous piece is what drives its enduring popularity, and it is also what keeps D.C.s Metropolitan Chorus excited for their annual performance.