Messiah, an oratorio composed by Handel in 1742, is one of the most famous works of classical music. It consists of three parts and includes arias, choruses, and recitatives. An ARIA is a solo vocal piece with instrumental accompaniment. Saul is an oratorio composed by Handel in 1738, which tells the story of King Saul's life. Esther is an oratorio composed by Handel in 1718, which tells the story of Queen Esther from the Bible.