Tonight is the annual performance of Handel's Messiah by the Jacksonville Symphony, marking the official start of the Christmas Season at our house.
Messiah is an English oratorio composed by George Frideric Handel in 1741. The work is his most famous creation, and is entirely drawn from the King James and Great Bibles. It interprets the Christian doctrine of the Messiah.
Messiah is most often performed around Christmas, and the performances usually consist of only the first of the oratorio's three parts, with the addition of the Hallelujah Chorus which originally concluded Part Two.
From now until Christmas, this Blog will feature a different selection from Messiah each day, ending with the Hallelujah Chorus (it is a tradition for concert goers to stand during the Hallelujah Chorus). We begin today with the Overture to Messiah, performed by the Bow Valley (Canada) Chorus.
Merry Christmas.
