Messiah Has Come

No, I don't mean that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ has taken place (though it wouldn't be that far in the future anyway), but the Church in Manhattan had its annual Messiah sing-along this past Sunday, and I have a few things to say about it.

First off, the soloists and musicians in the orchestra were great. The chorus parts (filled in by the "audience") were a bit lacking at times, but filled in at most places where it was needed.

For example, at the beginning of And He Shall Purify, the sopranos were supposed to come in right at the beginning. However, there was some dead air for a second (at least until they all thought, "Oh crap, we're supposed to be singing now?" and then started singing.

I also have the recurring gripe about how we don't sing the whole thing. Here's the listing of the pieces, striking out everything that wasn't on the program.

1. 1. Overture
   2. Comfort Ye
   3. Every Valley shall be exalted
   4. And the Glory of the Lord
   5. Thus saith the Lord
   6. But who may abide
   7. And He shall purify
   8. Behold A Virgin Shall Conceive
   9. O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion
   10. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth
   11. The people that walked in darkness
   12. For unto Us a Child is born
   13. Pastoral Symphony
   14. There were shepherds
   15. And the Angel said unto them
   16. And suddenly there was with the Angel
   17. Glory to God
   18. Rejoice greatly
   19. Then shall the eyes of the blind
   20. He shall feed
   21. His yoke is easy
2. 22. Behold the lamb of God
   23. He was despised
   24. Surely He hath borne our griefs
   25. And with His stripes
   26. All we like sheep have gone astray
   27. All they that see him laugh him to scorn
   28. He trusted in God
   29. Thy rebuke hath broken His heart
   30. Behold, and see
   31. He was cut off out of the land of the living
   32. But Thou didst not leave
   33. Lift up your heads
   34. Unto which of the angels
   35. Let all the angels
   36. Thou art gone up on high
   37. The Lord gave the word
   38. How beautiful are the feet
   39. Their sound is gone out
   40. Why do the nations rage?
   41. Let us break their bonds
   42. He that dwelleth
   43. Thou shalt break them
   44. Hallelujah
3. 45. I know that my redeemer liveth
   46. Since by man
   47. Behold I tell you
   48. The trumpet shall sound
   49. Then shall be brought to pass
   50. O death
   51. But thanks be to God
   52. If God be for us
   53. Worthy is the Lamb

As you can see by the strikethroughs, much of the second and third parts were omitted. The two arias in the third part (45 and 48) were cut short. Also, He was despised was also cut short. (I don't blame them for that though. The whole thing is 10 minutes long, anyway.) I was informed that we would be singing "the whole Messiah" by the one conducting a sacrament meeting for one of the singles wards. Obviously, this was not so. Fortunately, I have the whole "whole Messiah" on my iPod, so I listened to the omitted sections on my way home, and was completed before I walked in the door. And before that, they did an encore of the Hallelujah chorus. Personally, I think Worthy is the Lamb is the most powerful chorus of the whole thing.

Also included in the program was an intermission between His yoke is easy and Behold the Lamb of God. Hot chocolate was served, but it was the water-based kind. I prefer the milk-based kind. Anyway, it was a good time had by all.