When I was little, my parents had the Time-Life Treasury of Christmas Classics and it was standard for us to play these albums (albums…yes, I just dated myself) every year at Christmas. The “Wonderful Counselor” song, as I called it, from Handel’s Messiah, always filled me with awe. To this day, I still feel chills when I hear any music from the Messiah.
This Sunday, December 16, at 2:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Assumption, Louisville will have the chance to be awed right along with me when the Louisville Master Chorale presents all three parts of Handel’s oratorio. Included will be the favorite and more well-known choruses and solos from parts I and II (the Advent-Christmas and Passion-Easter sections) as well as the lesser-known Apocalyptic part III in its entirety. This two hour program includes 60 accomplished voices as well as 15 professional instrumentalists. There will be a pre-concert program with David Paul Gibson at 1:45 p.m.
Performers include:
Mark Walker, Conductor and Artistic Director
Philip Brisson, Associate and Accompanist
Jack Griffin, Concertmaster
Selena Walker, Soprano
Mary Beth McCandless, Mezzo-Soprano
Paul Whitehead, Tenor
Patrick Yaeger, Bass
While the oratorio is often associated with Christmas, and traditionally performed at this time, it portrays many different time periods in the life of Jesus. Handel, while not a pious man, was said to be in a religious fervor for the 24 days it took to create his famous work. When released, audiences of both believers and non-believers were awed and amazed at the intensity and beauty of Messiah.
Much like me at 7.
Tickets are $25 and advanced ticketing is suggested.
Go to http://www.louisvillemasterchorale.org/season.htm for more information.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock/Chantal de Bruijne
