Messiah


I don't remember much about my school days - or about anything really , I have never been able to remember stuff - but one memory I do have is being in sixth form when some guy came to talk to the whole yeargroup about Handel. Specifically about The Messiah.   I have no idea why he came and I vaguely recall that most people were singularly uninterested.  But as he played us bits of the oratorio and told us about the life of the composer I was fascinated.  Id probably not long become a Christian so the words from Isaiah sang out to me.  The fact that the whole massive work had only taken 24 days to write amazed me. All those parts and harmonies and instrumentations.  I loved the fact that the debut concert was a charitable event raising money for two hospitals and a debt relief charity.  As a result of the first ever performance of The Messiah 142 indebted prisoners were set free.  How amazing is that??

It was probably as a result of that talk at school that I went out and bought The Young Messiah on cassette tape  . It  was a pop-style somewhat dumbed down version of the most popular bits. I loved it and listened to it constantly for a good few months.

Later in life someone introduced me to Quincy Jones's version - A Soulful Celebration which is an epic collaboration of some of the best gospel, soul and acapella artists in the world.  Stevie Wonder sings 'Oh Thou That Tellest', Al Jarreau, Patti Austin, Tremaine Hawkins and Take 6 are all on it. Its an absolutely brilliant arrangement of the music and I still play it in my car regularly. My kids have grown up singing along. 

But the odd thing is that until this year I have never actually listened to the 'real thing'.  I only recently bought a copy of the original Messiah.  And I wish Id done it sooner.  Whilst I recognise the tunes from the pop and soul versions, the operatic vocals on the original are something else!  I have been stunned listening to the vocal acrobatics of sopranos, altos, tenors and counter tenors. Their range, breath control and physical abilities are actually shocking.  Its hard to believe a human being can do that. And the fact that they are displaying their extraordinary talents while delivering such stunning words to such amazing tunes just makes it all a bit overwhelming. And exhilarating.  A few McDonalds drive through servers have had unexpected blasts of the Hallelujah chorus of late 😁

I hope I get the chance to sit down with Handel in heaven and have a chat.  Id like to know how he feels that 250 years after the first performance of a work which wasnt massively successful in his lifetime it is still sung all over the world every Christmas and many other times of the year as well.  It has been lovingly reworked for every generation  and is still blasting out the truth of the gospel,  swelling hearts and punching through the spiritual atmosphere.  I bet he is amazed.  

If you have never listened to The Messiah then I urge you to find a version you might get along with and give it a go. You will be blessed.  Its pure scripture set to amazing tunes. It glorifies God, and it will do something to your spirit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS3vpAWW2Zc   Original

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHT8N8qNnps   Soulful Celebration

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