Posted on 12/25/2022 7:45:18 AM PST by SeekAndFind
At Christmas, instead of a lot of pop Christmas songs, I have been listening to passages from Handel's Messiah" oratorio, including the powerfully beautiful Christmas-oriented "For unto us a child is born" based on the writings of the Prophet Isaiah, and the soaringly magnificent Hallelujah Chorus.
To hear these, compared to everything else makes me ask if this was the pinnacle of human musical achievement? Will there ever be anything greater?
An argument can be made for it at least this far.
This oratorio, after all, is touched by eternity. We listen to this joyful piece today, nearly 300 years after it was written, with its variations like angelic choirs, and that fierce lyric "the mighty God" turning the piece to conclusion and can only feel the same emotion that King George II must have felt in 1743 when it was first performed in London and the king unexpectedly stood up for it as if to honor it, to express his joy at its soaring sound.
Yes, he may have been standing up in response to the verses themselves, taken from the Bible, as this writer argues, the lyrics of which speak of the king of kings, meaning, King George recognizes that he's just a little king at the service of the big one, so he needs to stand up same as peasants stand when a king enters the room. But I don't buy it entirely -- King George couldn't hear that oratorio performed in the rough conditions 18th century life, with no telephones, no tech, no flush toilets, no running water, and hear the sound of angels as we do? How could King George have not felt what we feel today when we hear this divine music?
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
The main problem is that the Hallelujah Chorus is an Easter song. It’s from the Easter section of the Messiah.
There are so many great Christmas songs in the Christmas part of the Messiah that should be sung instead.
Having said that, my personal favorite of the whole oratorio is its finale, Worthy is the Lamb; the Amen fugal chorus brings me to tears, for it is when, as Eric Liddell put it, I feel His pleasure.
Some thoughts on why Handel's Messiah at Christmas is so compelling
Because the words are, all and only, scripture.
My favorite part: “And He shall reign forever and ever. Hallelujah, hallelujah!”
Merry Christmas, Free Republic.
I joined a chorus in high school for the presentation of Messiah, and can still sing my bass line after 50 years. I recall the Halleluiah Chorus also performed in a high school assembly. Mrs. Trebelcock stood, and we took her cue, learning a lesson that day. Teachers taught a lot.
RE: There are so many great Christmas songs in the Christmas part of the Messiah that should be sung instead.
Yes, like the part that says “... For Unto Us a Child is Born, Unto Us, a Son is Given” ( Isaiah 9:6 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkdyNUYeuHA
On Saturday, October 30, 2010, the Opera Company of Philadelphia brought together over 650 choristers from 28 participating organizations to perform one of the Knight Foundation's "Random Acts of Culture" at Macy's in Center City Philadelphia. Accompanied by the Wanamaker Organ - the world's largest pipe organ - the OCP Chorus and throngs of singers from the community infiltrated the store as shoppers, and burst into a pop-up rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's "Messiah" at 12 noon, to the delight of surprised shoppers. This event is one of 1,000 "Random Acts of Culture" to be funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation over the next three years. The initiative transports the classical arts out of the concert halls and opera houses and into our communities to enrich our everyday lives. To learn more about this program and view more events, visit http://www.randomactsofculture.org. The Opera Company thanks Macy's and the Friends of the Wanamaker Organ (http://www.wanamakerorgan.com) for their partnership, as well as Organ Music Director Peter Conte and Fred Haas, accompanists; OCP Chorus Master Elizabeth Braden, conductor; and Sound Engineer James R. Stemke.Opera Company of Philadelphia "Hallelujah!" Random Act of Culture
Opera Philadelphia | 10.5K subscribers | 9,550,058 views | November 1, 2010
But my turn always gravitates to music of the highest standards, and Handel's music is regularly among it.
After experimentaling with everything else, the children too tend to gravitate to music of the highest standard.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE! AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! Being sapiophilic, I naturally married an extremely intelligent wife. Our children have always been exposed to highly intellectual experiences. My grandson, fourteen years old, read Kafka's Metamorphosis, something I have never been able to understand, and explained it to me. Children love to have their intellects challenged.
I had to work very hard in college and graduate school. I was afraid not to. I also worked very hard until I retired. When I retired, at age 53, I was tired of working hard and especially of thinking hard. What was the first thing I did? I enrolled as a full time freshman college student, taking a full freshman load. To my amazement--I had learned to love studying! I worked as hard as I've ever worked--demanded and made all A's. I never stopped studying and working hard. I love it. I studied everything from computers, geology, genetics, French, German, music, martial arts, horseback riding, Oriental mysticism...what am I leaving out? And I took my family and all the children on many, many long trips all over the world, hired expert guides--and they paid attention. In the many photos, the children are on the front row paying careful attention. My children are absolutely fabulous. Sweet, kind, truthful--wonderful in every way. I have been so blessed, and I look forward to even greater blessings in the life to come. We all can.
It’s a masterpiece.
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