Freakonomics Radio
Why does an 18th-century Christian oratorio lend such comfort to our own turbulent times? Stephen Dubner sets out for Dublin to tell the story of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah. (Part one of “Making Messiah.”)
- SOURCES:
- Charles King, political scientist at Georgetown University.
- Katrine Nyland Sørensen, Danish broadcaster, host of Handel’s Messiah – The Advent Calendar.
- Mark Risinger, teacher at St. Bernard’s School.
- Michael and Aileen Casey, Dublin conservationists.
- Proinnsías Ó Duinn, conductor and music director of Our Lady’s Choral Society.
- Stuart Kinsella, tenor soloist and consort singer.
- RESOURCES:
- Every Valley: The Desperate Lives and Troubled Times That Made Handel’s Messiah, by Charles King (2024).
- “Two Men Wrote ‘Messiah.’ You Know One of Them.” by Charles King (New York Times, 2024).
- “On Fishamble Street, family lives among four centuries of relatives’ keepsakes,” by Zuzia Whelan (Dublin Inquirer, 2018).
- Hallelujah: The Story of a Musical Genius & the City That Brought His Masterpiece, by Jonathan Bardon (2016).
- George Frideric Handel: A Life with Friends, by Ellen Harris (2014).
- Handel: The Man & His Music, by Jonathan Keates (2010).
- “Handel’s Messiah,” performed by The London Symphony Orchestra (2007).
- Handel’s Messiah The Advent Calendar, podcast series.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
591. Signs of Progress, One Year at a Time
Every December, a British man named Tom Whitwell publishes a list of 52 things he’s learned that year. These fascinating facts reveal the spectrum of human behavior, from fraud and hypocrisy to Whitwell’s steadfast belief…
EXTRA: The Opioid Tragedy — How We Got Here
An update of our 2020 series, in which we spoke with physicians, researchers, and addicts about the root causes of the crisis — and the tension between abstinence and harm reduction. SOURCES: Gail D’Onofrio, professor…
590. Can $55 Billion End the Opioid Epidemic?
Thanks to legal settlements with drug makers and distributors, states have plenty of money to boost prevention and treatment. Will it work? (Part two of a two-part series.) SOURCES: Keith Humphreys, professor of psychiatry…
589. Why Has the Opioid Crisis Lasted So Long?
Most epidemics flare up, do their damage, and fade away. This one has been raging for almost 30 years. To find out why, it’s time to ask some uncomfortable questions. (Part one of a two-part…
Extra: Car Colors & Storage Units
Presenting two stories from The Economics of Everyday Things: Why does it seem like every car is black, white, or gray these days? And: How self-storage took over America. SOURCES: Tom Crockett, classic car enthusiast.…
588. Confessions of a Black Conservative
The economist and social critic Glenn Loury has led a remarkably turbulent life, both professionally and personally. In a new memoir, he has chosen to reveal just about everything. Why? SOURCE: Glenn Loury, professor…
587. Should Companies Be Owned by Their Workers?
The employee ownership movement is growing, and one of its biggest champions is also a private equity heavyweight. Is this meaningful change, or just window dressing? SOURCES: Marjorie Kelly, distinguished senior fellow at The…
586. How Does the Lost World of Vienna Still Shape Our Lives?
From politics and economics to psychology and the arts, many of the modern ideas we take for granted emerged a century ago from a single European capital. In this episode of the Freakonomics Radio Book…
Extra: Why Is 23andMe Going Under? (Update)
Five years ago, we published an episode about the boom in home DNA testing kits, focusing on the high-flying firm 23andMe and its C.E.O. Anne Wojcicki. Their flight has been extremely bumpy since then. This…
585. A Social Activist in Prime Minister’s Clothing
Justin Trudeau, facing record-low approval numbers, is doubling down on his progressive agenda. But he is so upbeat (and Canada-polite) that it’s easy to miss just how radical his vision is. Can he make it…
