Another regular feature of the holiday season — see recent postings on Amahl and the Night Visitors (here) and the 1983 movie A Christmas Story (here) — is Handel’s Messiah, which comes around again and again on radio stations featuring classical music, several of which I listen to. Once a day for the last three days. Fortunately, I really really like the work; I even have a score.
Well, the Hallelujah Chorus, of course, which is the climax of Part II of the oratorio, dealing with Christ’s passion, death, resurrection, and ascension. And immediately following that, at the opening of Part III (concerning the promise of redemption and the conquest of death) comes the remarkable aria, “I know that my Redeemer liveth”. But now is the season for Part I, the prophecy of Christ’s coming and the story of his birth, the center of which is for me the joyous:
For unto Us a Child is born, unto Us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
I don’t at all mind having this come by me every day for a while.
December 26, 2014 at 8:42 am |
And then there’s yesterday’s Frazz