Holiday Guide 2014: More 'Messiah' than you can Handel
Where have I heard that?
Chances are you've heard "Messiah," in part or whole, every December of your life, and will continue to forever and ever and ever. Handel's compositions have also been featured on movies and television shows as varied as "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," "The Simpsons," "Dead Poets Society," "Scrubs," "House, M.D.," "The West Wing" and "The Good Wife." If you're a royals watcher, his coronation anthem "Zadok the Priest" has been performed at every British coronation since 1727.
Composer: George Frideric Handel (1685-1759). Born in Germany, Handel made his name by bringing Italian opera to England and became a naturalized British subject in his early 40s. After the success of the English-language opera "Alexander's Feast" in 1736, he began to focus on English choral music. Even though he was heavily influenced by the ornate style of Italian baroque music, after "Messiah" debuted in 1742, Handel never composed in Italian again. Wealthy and respected at the time of his death, Handel was buried at Westminster Abbey with state honors.
What you need to know: "Messiah" consists of three parts, like Handel's three-act operas, and the libretto (the words of an opera, musical or choral composition) was written by Charles Jennens, using text from the King James Bible and the Book of Common Prayer.
Part 1 begins with prophecy of the Virgin Birth, followed by the annunciation to the shepherds from the Gospel of Luke. Part II focuses on the Passion, Death and Ascension of Christ and ends with the "Hallelujah" chorus, the most widely known section of the composition. Part III addresses redemption and the final victory of Christ. Handel's vision for "Messiah" was more modest than the large productions we've come to associate with the music, though more groups are staging more intimate performances.
In addition to the performances listed here, numerous church and school groups make it a point to include "Messiah" in their holiday programming each year.
Kerry Jennings, assistant professor of voice, DePauw University, says:
"Whether you prefer the full orchestra and large choir of the ISO and Symphonic Choir or a performance that is, in the words of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, 'true to the composer's intentions: an intimate orchestra displaying the intricate vocal lines to their full majesty,' there are plenty of performances to choose from. In fact, why choose; go see more than one.
Handel wrote perhaps his most famous work in less than four weeks. The work is so well-known and beloved that it is common for a "performance" of this masterwork to be a sing-along. From the lyrical to the declamatory and from the defeated to the triumphant, this holiday favorite will satisfy on every level. Originally an Easter offering, "Messiah" has become a virtual rite of passage for singers and audiences during this holiday season, and music lovers from all faith traditions will have ample opportunity to hear this work in all its glory in the coming weeks."
Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra performs "Messiah Sing-Along"
ICO; Encore Vocal Arts; soloists Mireille Asselin, soprano; Angela Young Smucker, mezzo-soprano; Derek Chester, tenor; Michael Dean, bass; and YOU will perform "Messiah" in the beautifully restored sanctuary.
7:30 p.m. Dec. 13, Indiana Landmark Center, 1201 Central Ave., $30 adults, $12 students, (317) 940-9607 andicomusic.org
Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra performs "Messiah"
Kirk Trevor conducts the ICO accompanied by Encore Vocal Arts and the Tabernacle Presbyterian Church Sanctuary Choir.
3 p.m. Dec. 14, Tabernacle Presbyterian Church, 418 E. 34th St., $30 adults, $12 students, (317) 940-9607 andicomusic.org
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra performs "Messiah"
The ISO will perform with the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, conducted by Eric Stark. At 7 p.m., the ISO and Christian Theological Seminary will host a conversation about the "relationship between music and spirituality." The program costs $10 in addition to the concert ticket and includes refreshments.
8 p.m. Dec. 19, Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts, 1 Center Green, Carmel, $10 to $44, (317) 843-3800 or www.thecenterpresents.com.
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