good example:“ Comfort Ye, My People” is an accompanied recitative and“ Every Valley” is an aria.
Perhaps the most stunning sequence in Part I is the juxtaposition of the bass soloist’ s aria“ The people that walked in darkness” with the beloved chorus“ For unto us a child is born.” In a marvelous example of musical text painting, the bass literally wanders in a chromatically confused maze in the dark key of B minor. The“ great light” for which he yearns is then joyfully revealed in G major as the chorus salutes Jesus’ birth.
All the choruses, including the“ Hallelujah,” demonstrate Handel’ s exhilarating technique of mixing powerful homophonic or chordal utterances(“ Mighty! Counselor!”) with a more intricate polyphonic style in which each voice part pursues its own elaborately decorated line(“ For unto us a child is born”). The origins of the ritual of standing for the“ Hallelujah” Chorus are rather misty. Scholars believe that the Prince of Wales may have stood up when he attended that historic London performance in 1749. Certainly by 1780, everyone in the audience was following King George III’ s lead in rising for Handel’ s mighty hymn of praise.
Perhaps even exceeding“ Hallelujah” in majesty and joy is the magnificent chorus“ Worthy is the Lamb” that closes Part III, the shortest of the three sections but also the one most densely packed with the oratorio’ s greatest sequences( the soprano’ s serenely beautiful statement of faith“ I Know that my Redeemer Liveth”; the bass’ hair-raising proclamation of the Final Judgment, based on First Corinthians,“ The Trumpet Shall Sound,” with its gloriously realized trumpet accompaniment).“ Worthy is the Lamb” itself is capped with an“ Amen” chorus on an epic scale worthy of the masterpiece it closes— unfurling in grand sweeps some of the finest, most inspired choral counterpoint this Baroque master ever devised.
Instrumentation: Two oboes, bassoon, contrabassoon, two trumpets, timpani, harpsichord, organ and strings.
Notes by Janet E. Bedell, Copyright © 2016
the maryland center for complete dentistry
Jonathan e. silverman
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To Jonathan Silverman, referrals are the key to a successful practice: It’ s his patients who spread the word about his outstanding general and cosmetic dentistry skills.
A past president of the Maryland Academy of General Dentistry and a Premier Provider of Invisalign, Dr. Silverman has been in practice for 32 years. The superior dental technology offered at his Owings Mills office means that any dental decay and tooth damage can be restored for the long term— perhaps even for life.
Dr. Silverman is a fellow with the International College of Oral Implantologists and has been awarded Mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry. In his free time, Dr. Silverman participates in the“ Save-A-Limb” bicycle ride for the Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics at Sinai Hospital, as well as charity rides for Cancer and MS research.
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Holiday 2016 | Overture 13