It's Messiah time again....

How about because it really isn't an Easter oratorio either? Part 1 is all about Advent, think "Unto Us a Child is Born" and you'll get the picture. The latter 2 parts are not concerned with Christmas but are equally not devoted solely to Easter, I think that they are more theologically based rather than by Jennen using direct quotations from the gospels.

As for its annual reappearence, it is a British tradition that can be traced back effectively to the first performance in Dublin. In part this is the result of the great number of choral societies in these islands.

That tradition includes the audience standing for the Hallelujah chorus which urban myth explains is because tone deaf King George 2nd thought that he was hearing the National Anthem and stood.

RE: How did an Easter Oratorio get to be a Christmas tradition? (nt), posted on December 8, 2016 at 05:25:52

kitch29

Seems to me, apart from the Easter premiere, it most assuredly is all about the Resurrection. "The Messiah" has a beginning, middle, and end; the Advent theme of Part One is the beginning. Nothing more.

Of course, a message of redemption should know no season.

RE: It's Messiah time again...., posted on December 8, 2016 at 11:35:21
fantja Audiophile Posts: 15524 Location: Alabama Joined: September 11, 2010	Absolutely!

RE: It's Messiah time again...., posted on December 8, 2016 at 11:35:43
fantja Audiophile Posts: 15524 Location: Alabama Joined: September 11, 2010	Nice play-on-words- ET.

Well, posted on December 8, 2016 at 12:04:00
Awe-d-o-file Dealer Posts: 21037 Location: 50 miles west of DC Joined: January 10, 2004	What do you know. My silly thread ended up having a nice little discussion after all. Nice job guys. ET "If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

RE: It's Messiah time again...., posted on December 8, 2016 at 17:34:33
briggs Audiophile Posts: 1674 Location: Connecticut Joined: April 16, 2002	I got my first Messiah recording with my first LP player, as a Christmas present in 1949. I have acquired quite a few more since, but particularly enjoy the performance by Raymond Leppard, conducting the ECO, with distinguished soloists, including the--for me--mandatory Welsh tenor.

If it's a Welsh tenor you need..., posted on December 9, 2016 at 04:47:23

Kas
Audiophile

Posts: 776
Location: Eastern Massachusetts
Joined: December 5, 2006

... you can scarcely do better than Stuart Burrows.

The Stuart Burrows Messiah :-)

That Richter/LPO recording is my own favorite too. . . (well. . . after the Beecham!) [nt], posted on December 9, 2016 at 17:23:00
Chris from Lafayette Audiophile Posts: 26480 Location: SF Bay Area Joined: February 17, 2004 Contributor Since: February 6, 2012

Music Lane

It's Messiah time again....

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