I'm not sure what my favorite part of the Messiah is. I've been listening to it for about 45 years, so most of it is very familiar. I love the Pastoral symphony in the middle. (They took up a collection during it! argh!) I love the build up of the message during the last half of part two beginning with "The Lord gave the word". It goes on to say, "and great was the company of the preachers" then "how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace." continuing with "their sound is gone out into all the lands and their words to the ends of the world. (Yesterday they had intermission after "the Lord gave the word" kind of broke up the message!)
After God sends his Word out, of course there is reaction and that is heard in, "Why do the nations rage?" continuing with the nations' response is "Let us break their bonds...and cast away their yokes from us. (Who wants to follow the teaching of the Word? It seems like bondage.) God's response to their rebellion is laughter, "He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn" and "thou shalt break them with a rod of iron..." Finally, after that back and forth comes the Hallelujah Chorus. Amazing how Handel put them all together.
The soloists were fantastic, too. The bass was a tall thin man and the tenor was short and barrel -chested. We thought it would be the other way around!
The final section, part III, is Christ's and our victory over death and the exaltation of the Messiah in the final chorus,
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain and hath redemmed us to God by His blood, to receive
power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour, and glory and blessing.
Blessing and honour, glory and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne,
and unto the Lamb, forever and ever. AMEN!
2 comments:
The week before Christmas at Wheaton they would ask you on your way in to chapel what part you sang. You would take that part and go sit in the section that was marked with your part in the chapel. Then we would sing the Hallelujah Chorus. People would always cheer after it and yell to sing it again. We would sing it three or four times. Then chapel would be over. I NEVER missed that chapel!
I had it on my calendar, but then I totally forgot about it! I read in the the paper that it was fantastic! Glad to hear Will & Melissa are still seeing each other. They are perfect for each other.
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