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.
Extra: A Modern Whaler Speaks Up (Update)
Bjørn Andersen has killed hundreds of minke whales. He tells us how he does it, why he does it, and what he thinks would happen if whale-hunting ever stopped. (This bonus episode is a follow-up…
What Can Whales Teach Us About Clean Energy, Workplace Harmony, and Living the Good Life? (Update)
In the final episode of our whale series, we learn about fecal plumes, shipping noise, and why Moby-Dick is still worth reading. (Part 3 of “Everything You Never Knew About Whaling.“) SOURCES: Michele Baggio,…
Why Do People Still Hunt Whales? (Update)
For years, whale oil was used as lighting fuel, industrial lubricant, and the main ingredient in (yum!) margarine. Whale meat was also on a few menus. But today, demand for whale products is at a…
The First Great American Industry (Update)
Whaling was, in the words of one scholar, “early capitalism unleashed on the high seas.” How did the U.S. come to dominate the whale market? Why did whale hunting die out here — and continue…
Why Does Tipping Still Exist? (Update)
It’s a haphazard way of paying workers, and yet it keeps expanding. With federal tax policy shifting in a pro-tip direction, we revisit an episode from 2019 to find out why. SOURCES: John List,…
643. Why Do Candles Still Exist?
They should have died out when the lightbulb was invented. Instead they’re a $10 billion industry. What does it mean that we still want tiny fires inside our homes? SOURCES: Tim Cooper, professor emeritus…
642. How to Wage Peace, According to Tony Blinken
The former secretary of state isn’t a flamethrower, but he certainly has strong opinions. In this wide-ranging conversation with Stephen Dubner, he gives them all: on Israel, Gaza, China, Iran, Russia, Biden, Trump — and…
Why Does One Tiny State Set the Rules for Everyone? (Update)
Until recently, Delaware was almost universally agreed to be the best place for companies to incorporate. Now, with Elon Musk leading a corporate stampede out of the First State, we revisit an episode from 2023…
641. What Does It Cost to Lead a Creative Life?
For years, the playwright David Adjmi was considered “polarizing and difficult.” But creating Stereophonic seems to have healed him. Stephen Dubner gets the story — and sorts out what Adjmi has in common with Richard…
640. Why Governments Are Betting Big on Sports
The Gulf States and China are spending billions to build stadiums and buy up teams — but what are they really buying? And can an entrepreneur from Cincinnati make his own billions by bringing baseball…