Overture Magazine - 2018-19 Season BSO_Overture_NOV_DEC | Page 31

HANDEL MESSIAH
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 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
glorious 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,
2018-19 SEASON
SUPERPOPS
CHRISTINA
BIANCO
WOMAN OF A
THOUSAND VOICES
THU, FEB 28 | 8 PM STRATHMORE
FRI, MAR 1 | 8 PM MEYERHOFF
SAT, MAR 2 | 8 PM MEYERHOFF
SUN, MAR 3 | 3 PM MEYERHOFF
JACK EVERLY, conductor
CHRISTINA BIANCO, vocalist
You'll think you're at a concert featuring Celine Dion, Julie Andrews,
Bernadette Peters and more as actress, singer and impressionist Christina
Bianco takes center stage with Jack Everly and the BSO SuperPops.
Presenting Sponsors: BGE, An Exelon Company, Total Wine & More
Supporting Sponsors: RBC Wealth Management, Lord Baltimore Hotel
Media Partner: Baltimore Style
harpsichord, organ and strings.
Notes by Janet E. Bedell, © 201 8
TICKETS FROM $ 25 | BSOMUSIC.ORG | 410.783.8000

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