My mother sang with the Tabernacle Choir when I was a small child. She was part of the choir when they recorded selections from Handel's Messiah with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1959. She woke us up every Sunday by playing that album. I had those selected choruses and solos memorized by the time I was 8 years old.
Something that was fun about when my mother's family got together for holidays were the spontaneous "Messiah" sings. My Mother and three of her brothers all sang on that Tabernacle Choir album. But everyone else in the family sang, too. So when we got together for Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter, we liked to sing the entire Oratorio complete with the recitatives and solos -- and those big voices made us sound good!
That tradition has continued on in our family traditions through the succeeding generations, as well. We have enough instrumentalists now to be able to swell the orchestral ranks, too. We were known to take a few of the choruses to sing at rest homes and for Christmas caroling. (Doesn't every caroling group end by singing the Hallelujah chorus?)
That tradition has continued on in our family traditions through the succeeding generations, as well. We have enough instrumentalists now to be able to swell the orchestral ranks, too. We were known to take a few of the choruses to sing at rest homes and for Christmas caroling. (Doesn't every caroling group end by singing the Hallelujah chorus?)
I have personally sung the "Messiah" (with my family, Church groups. Community Chorales, High School and College choirs, and the Tabernacle Choir), more times that I can count. I know from experience that every conductor is very opinionated in how they want their group to sing it. Some are more traditional and have let styles relax and evolve over time. Then, there are the ones who want to go back to pure Baroque historical styles and push the tempos and dramatic effects to the limits of human abilities.
The Wasatch Chorale and the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra collaborated in concert this past weekend. Our conductor Dr. Douglas Pew pushed us towards the drama of Baroque Opera. Our choruses were the fastest I have ever sung them. It actually made it hard not to just concentrate on singing technique. I usually try to keep the Spirit of the message foremost in my performance. BUT IT WAS DIFFICULT at such a fast pace.
The Wasatch Chorale and the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra collaborated in concert this past weekend. Our conductor Dr. Douglas Pew pushed us towards the drama of Baroque Opera. Our choruses were the fastest I have ever sung them. It actually made it hard not to just concentrate on singing technique. I usually try to keep the Spirit of the message foremost in my performance. BUT IT WAS DIFFICULT at such a fast pace.
When I have sung Messiah with other community Chorales, I wondered if the spiritual message of the music was coming across. It wasn't until we really worked to memorize the entire Oratorio for the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square's 2016 recording that I really felt that as a group we were concentrating more on conveying the Spirit of the text than just executing the music. I felt a part of a massive group bearing our testimonies of the Savior and His divine mission. That was so powerful.
I have sung with groups that did not invite the Spirit to be with them when they sang. I have also sung with groups, even "Messiah Sing-ins" where the Spirit was so strong. That's what fills me when singing "Messiah," when I can join with angel choirs singing, "For unto us a child is born, and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." Hallelujah!!!
I have sung with groups that did not invite the Spirit to be with them when they sang. I have also sung with groups, even "Messiah Sing-ins" where the Spirit was so strong. That's what fills me when singing "Messiah," when I can join with angel choirs singing, "For unto us a child is born, and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." Hallelujah!!!
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