Every Christmas season, my father and I see the complete Handel’s “Messiah”. And we are never disappointed we went. Some time back, I was at campus book store to a local school I was going to. They had excerps to Handel’s “Messiah”, and I had just enough money to buy it, so on a whim I did. I was not sorry I did. Handel’s “Messiah” is fantastic. And you don’t have to like classical music to enjoy it. It is religious themed, but you don’t have to be religious to find it uplifting.
There’s a story that goes with it that I will quickly tell. When the king of England first heard it, he was so moved, he stood up by the “Hallelujah” chorus. And to this day, people still stand at the “Hallelujah” chorus. Cute, no?
You don’t have to go to the playing of the whole piece (it usually comes out around Christmas time). You can just buy the excerps like I did once (believe it or not, I once found it in a dollar store for a buck!). Or if you are more adventurous, buy the complete work on 2 CD’s. Like me, you won’t be sorry you did, I assure you.
I’ve heard several versions of the story that supposedly justify why people (at least in English speaking countries) stand for the *Hallelujah * Chorus. My favourite one is that George II was tone deaf and thought that it was the national anthem that was being played. So he stood up, and of course everyone in the audience had to stand up too.
Yes, I’m a big “Messiah” fan, too. I’ve gone every year since childhood to hear it around Christmas time, and have even been involved in some sing-along performances (including once when I was on stage, too). The story of the king who stood up for the “Hallelujah Chorus” is apocryphal, I believe - one version has it that the king thought the performance was over, and stood up to leave the theater before he realized there was more. It’s traditional in the U.S. to stand up for the HC, too.
My favorite passages: “For Unto Us A Child is Born,” “Pastoral,” “The Trumpet Shall Sound.”
I’ve gotten to sing the Messiah twice as part of my church’s choir. It’s difficult, challenging, incredibly beautiful and to be in the middle of a choir with baroque instruments doing the instrumentals is truly marvelous! It’s also exhausting, but well worth it!
During rehearsals, though, I learned the real reason King George stood up during the “Hallelujah Chorus”. It wasn’t in appreciation; it was because he had to go to the bathroom! At least, that’s what I’m told the latest theory is.
I sung it several times, as either a soprano or an alto. But really, the basses have the best lines in the whole thing! <<And he shall reign for ever and ehhhhver… for EVer … and EVer… and he shall reign and he shall reign…>>
***Glory to God in the Highest * ** is my favorite… with the wonderful bass line “and peace [sub]on earth[/sub]”. Just gives me chills.
My first CD purchase, when I got my first CD player, was a complete “Messiah” on 2 discs. I still have it. Favorite track: “And the glory of the Lord”.
Great piece, great piece. They performed it at my college my freshman year; I’d never sung before, but I wanted to sing in the Messiah, so I auditioned on the last day and got in. Great experience, and it led to me singing in some other great pieces as well.
If you’re ever in a somewhat, uh, darker mood, hunt down a copy of the movie Viridiana – it puts the Halleluia Chorus to quite interesting use towards the end.
In my high school choral career, I performed the Messiah twice, once as a soprano (little kiddie), and once as a baritone (not so little kiddie). We had the orchestra to accompany and various adults connected with the program as the major soloists.
Actually, every music teacher I ever had told me that the King HATED the entire work, and the Hallelujah Chorus is where he’d finally had enough, and stood up to leave.
