But my heart will ache for those who take understandable offense at its uncompromising message. Something else adds to Messiah's attraction and explains why it is almost always performed during Advent. To gloss over its overtly Christian message is to do injustice to both Handel and his masterpiece. Get every new post delivered to your Inbox. When it came to the Hallelujah Chorus he stood up. Messiah was not premiered at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. No one knows for sure why he stood. Although he did not claim that Handel was anti-Semitic, he did accusing him of harbouring and promoting Schadenfreude over the brutal repression which Jerusalem and the Jews experienced at the hands of the Romans. That "something else" is its overtly religious theme: that Jesus of Nazareth, who was born in a stable in Bethlehem two thousand years ago, is the long-awaited Messiah of biblical religion. Surely Handel's magnificent music is the attraction for these audiences, and yet, this cannot be the only reason that people come year after year. The Oahu Choral Society’s concert, “Tidings of Comfort and Joy,” is Saturday night, December 9 at 7:30 pm at St. Andrew’s Cathedral. Please be patient while we complete the request. As I wrote back, “It’s a good thing I still have this in my fingers!” as it should be for every organist. This request typically takes a few seconds. Conductor Robert Shaw, who hated the tradition, maintained that it was George II’s bladder, not his soul, that caused him to rise with such alacrity, the king having lost track of when intermission started. I looked back at my previous blog posts about this piece, and revisited “Hallelujah Chorus,” in which one of my former students proclaimed, “I hate this piece! The historian Robert Manson Myers expressed incredulity that “thousands who can scarcely distinguish F sharp from middle C punctiliously observe a custom established by a stupid Hanoverian king and his worldly court two hundred years ago.’’. Spread the word using #WQXRhappyholidays. So stand if you want, but if you don’t, it’s okay. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Standing to attention. And audiences across several continents get to their feet in symbolic endorsement. I think I liked this part of the article best: ”, But the monarchical overtones of standing for a king, no matter what his dominion, struck some as an odd fit in America, especially as 20th-century superpower status ratified the country’s democratic experiment. Here is the Oahu Choral Society program’s description of this piece: When the Messiah premiered at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in 1742, King George II was in attendance. Charles Jennens was born around 1700, into a prosperous landowning family whose lands and properties in Warwickshire and Leicestershire he eventually inherited. No one is really sure whether the king stood up because he liked the music or for some other reason, but it has become tradition for the audience to stand up when the Hallelujah Chorus is sung. Standing Up for the Hallelujah Chorus. (And when the king stands up, EVERYBODY stands up.) For many people, myself included, the high point of Messiah is the famous chorus entitled "Hallelujah." Even in our rapidly secularizing society, audiences still rise to their feet for this musical credo. Your email address will not be published. Musical Analysis Of Hallelujah Chorus History of “Hallelujah” Chorus from Handel’s Messiah During its London premiere in 1743, King George II rose to his feet at the start of the Hallelujah chorus and remained standing until the end, a tradition that is followed around the world today, even in fervent republics such as the Tickets are available at the door or online. We stand for the Hallelujah Chorus because King George II was at the London premiere of the Messiah, and was so moved by the music that he stood. The most popular and most repeated modern myth is that “he was so moved” or “overcome by emotion” by the music that he felt compelled to stand. In his view, the juxtaposition of the verses from Psalm 2 and the "Hallelujah" was clear evidence that Jennens and Handel were rejoicing specifically at the great calamity which befell the Jews in AD 70, when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. During the upcoming Christmas season I will have no difficulty standing up when the choir sings the "Hallelujah." Or don’t: Remaining seated during the “Hallelujah’’ chorus ranks as one of the more effortless demonstrations of anti-authoritarian dissent. A thorough explanation of the history of standing for the “Hallelujah Chorus” was explored in a two-part Boston Globe article by Matthew Guerrieri called “Rise and Say ‘Hallelujah’” He questions whether George II was even in the audience! The Hallelujah Chorus has its own tradition that has emerged over time. Even in our rapidly secularizing society, audiences still rise to their feet for this musical credo. Thomas Cranmer wrote a prayer book, and shaped an entire society.
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