Wednesday, December 3, 2014

For Unto Us

I've been going to evensong at the National Cathedral every Wednesday for the past month or so - it's such a peaceful, contemplative way to anchor the week - but today, when I headed into the nave from the narthex, I walked into an open rehearsal for the choirs' upcoming performances of Handel's Messiah.  I probably wasn't supposed to take video, but it was too gorgeous not to share!


If you're in the DC area, do go to one of the concerts: Friday at 7:30, Saturday at 4pm, and Sunday at 4pm.  (Buy tickets here.)  It's the most magnificent space to listen to Handel's well-loved oratorio!  In New York, St. Thomas Church on 5th Ave will perform the Messiah on the 9th at 9pm and Trinity Wall Street still has tickets available for its performance at Lincoln Center on December 18.  London, where The Messiah was first heard in 1743, boasts some phenomenal opportunities as well, including by candlelight at the Royal Festival Hall on December 13, at the Barbican with the Academy of Ancient Music on the 10th, and powered by 500 voices at the Royal Albert Hall on December 19.

Don't be surprised if the audience/congregation stands up for the Hallelujah chorus - it's tradition!

5 comments:

  1. I was listening to a recording like this on Spotify and Fredrik came in and said next place we move we can make sure to go to concerts like that and I was so excited as it did not even occur to me. Well that and it is not sort of thing but he said at Christmas time with a good dinner after it would be ok.

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  2. I love it! In college the orchestra played Messiah every Christmas with the full choir, and I loved it so much. I miss playing the Hallelujah chours! Thanks for sharing :)

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  3. I'm so glad you took an illicit video for us. It's truly beautiful. I feel inspired to see if Findlay will have any local religious concerts this month.

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  4. Love the Christmas time performance of Handel's Messiah. At Princeton University they actually made most of it a sing along so my mom bought a CD when we were younger so the whole family could practice all year long. Thanks for sharing and bringing up some happy memories!

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