Handel's Messiah - Perth Oratorio Choir

Sunday, 14 December 2008

Sunday was hot and busy, with Perth's weather deciding to revert to it's usual sunny self (the downpour of just the Wednesday before evaporating in our minds); as I made my way to St Andrew's Uniting Church in the City, ready to be bathed in the lush music of one of the Baroque era's most celebrated composers.

Handel's famously performed work is a favourite for the Christmas season and I admit to using the excuse to attend this concert as a small penance for my lapsed Catholic status.

Handel had been known to personally conduct the Messiah on numerous occasions during his lifetime, and was reputed to often alter the music to best suit the needs of the singers and orchestra available for performances. As a result, there is no one single authentic version of the piece; and it has notable rearrangements and variations (including an adaptation by Mozart), which have further widen the canon of choice for conductors.

The church was packed, and I myself was diverted from the usual pew seating towards the side section, usually reserved for the mass' choir. It afforded a fantastic view of the soloists, chamber orchestra and conductor Warwick Potter, clearly enthused about the work, though sweating profusely in his tuxedo in the afternoon heat.

I wasn't sure how long the performance was going to be, but after the first section of approximately 50 minutes, I was told that the Perth Oratorio Choir would be singing the full work; usually divided in three parts and which addressed specific events in Christ's life.
Part One concerns the Advent; Part Two details the passion, resurrection, ascension, and the evangelization of the Christian message; and Part Three is largely based upon the events chronicled in The Revelation to St. John.

Unfortunately, due to a previous engagement I was only able to enjoy the first two sections (I noticed a few people listening passively with their eyes closed:) but overall I found the music rich and sonorous. Before I left though, I was treated to the most lauded section of the work - the Hallelujah chorus.

Here the audience is traditionally asked to stand (and sing along! Or was that just me?) during the movement, a custom from the era of King George II who was said to have been so moved by the work that he rose to his feet.
There was also the belief that Christ is the King of Kings and in standing, George II acknowledged that he, too is subject to the Lord of Lords.

A glorious way indeed to begin the Christmas season :)