Written by Georg Frideric Handel (1685-1759) in 1746, the 3-act oratorio Judas Maccabaeus (also spelled Judas Maccabeus) is based on 1 Maccabees, one of the deuterocanonical (or apocryphal) books of scripture. It tells the story of the Jewish people under the Seleucid Empire, which sought to destroy the Jewish religion, and the leader Judas Maccabaeus who inspired his people to victory. It premiered at Covent Garden in London on April 1, 1747, with Handel conducting. The chorus Hallelujah, Amen is the final chorus of the oratorio, after victory has been acheived by the Jewish people and news arrives that Rome will form an alliance with Judas to defeat the Seleucid Empire. Instrumentation: 0.2.0.1: 0.3.0.0: Timp: Org: Str (2-2-2-1-1 in set): Mix Chorus (Choral scores not included).