The name of the oratorio is taken from Judaism and Christianity's concept of the messiah ("the anointed one"). In Christianity, the Messiah is Jesus. Handel himself was a devout Christian, and the work is a presentation of Jesus's life and its significance according to Christian doctrine, with the text of the oratorio taken from the King James Bible.
Messiah is Handel's most famous work (approached only by his Water Music) and remains immensely popular among concert-goers in the English-speaking world.The most famous movement is the Hallelujah chorus, which concludes the second of the three parts.
In many parts of the world, it is the accepted practice for the audience to stand for this section of the performance. Tradition has it that on first hearing the chorus, King George II was so moved that he rose to his feet. As is true today, when the King stands, so do all subjects also rise; thus engendering the tradition. However, modern scholarship holds its origins in doubt: the King may not have even been present at the premiere.
