I love \u201cMessiah\u201d. Truth be told, it is probably my favorite large choral work. There\u2019s a little something for every one–from show piece arias to choruses that are both difficult and poignant to recitatives that move the story along while being musically interesting. The story that is told, using scriptures from both the Old and New Testaments, can be appreciated by all.<\/p>\n
Traditionally, it is performed during the Advent and Christmas seasons but it is really a Lenten work, first performed and commissioned for Lent. We as choral musicians often chop it up to fit our needs. And, masterwork that it is, it adapts, no matter if we sing only the Christmas portions\u2014plus \u201cHallelujah\u201d\u2014or the Lenten portions or any thing in between. Whatever we do is probably fine, since George F. Handel had different versions, depending on the soloist available.<\/p>\n
I have sung, conducted, studied and listened to \u201cMessiah\u201d since I was a little girl. My Mom was a coloratura soprano and her preparations for \u201cRejoice\u201d are part of my Christmas memories as much as decorating the house and baking cookies are. I first sang \u201cFor Unto Us a Child is Born\u201d when I was about 12 or 13, being allowed to sing with the adult choir because they needed more altos and I was singing alto at that point in my life. I learned \u201cHe Shall Feed His Flocks\u201d as my first aria of any sort, but not the recitative for some reason.<\/p>\n
I was about 18 or 19 when I received my own \u201cMessiah\u201d score\u2014G. Schirmer of course\u2014as a Christmas gift from my mother. Mom told me to learn the arias and recitatives because they were money-making for any good soloist. And I did. When I officially \u2018became\u2019 a soprano in college, I began to learn each aria and recitative from beginning to end, starting with \u201cThere Were Shepherds\u201d and ending with \u201cIf God Be for Us\u201d as well as everything in between. I conducted and prepared \u201cHallelujah\u201d in an undergrad conducting class, using my own score, and have marks and comments in the margins from dear Dr. Larson, which I treasure.<\/p>\n
Conducting \u201cMessiah\u201d is always challenging, no matter who the singers are. I have markings and notes and comments in my score from long ago performances as well as more recent gigs that remind me anything can happen and often does. I have had to sing as well as conduct a few times, because sopranos have gotten sick at the last moment and there wasn\u2019t time to get anyone else. I have had singers and instrumentalist faint. Conducting choral portions for a \u201cDo-It-Yourself Messiah\u201d has brought the craziest moments, with a youth symphony playing and soloists from the community. I have had to teach a conductor\u2014who normally works with junior high string players\u2014how to conduct recitatives because the \u201cpowers-that-be\u201d wanted an instrumental conductor and not \u2018just\u2019 a choral person, with interesting results.<\/p>\n
Still, the text moves me. The choruses move me. The music moves me. I can be reserved and professional most of the time but some turn of phrase, some musical line will strike me and tears come to my eyes briefly as I conduct. Some moment in the performance will reach me, jaded old musician that I am, and it is like I am hearing it for the first time.<\/p>\n
One of the recitatives always gets me, no matter who is singing, who is playing or if I am performing or conducting. It is sung by the alto, thank goodness, and it is the recitative I didn\u2019t learn as a teenager. The text, taken from the Prophecy of Isaiah, tells what will happen when the Messiah comes:<\/p>\n
\u201cThen shall the eyes of the blind be open\u2019d,<\/p>\n
And the ears of the deaf unstopped.<\/p>\n
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart,<\/p>\n
And the tongue of the dumb shall sing.\u201d<\/p>\n
It so moves me, I think because it reminds me of my son, Russell, who has autism and who cannot speak. I like to think that recitative is meant for him and all people like him. I am comforted to know, even in this great work, some one had thought enough to include this text. And I love it even more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I love \u201cMessiah\u201d. Truth be told, it is probably my favorite large choral work. There\u2019s a little something for every one–from show piece arias to choruses that are both difficult and poignant to recitatives that move the story along while being musically interesting. The story that is told, using scriptures from both the Old and … Continue reading “…….and the tongue of the dumb shall sing.”<\/span>