{"id":16553,"date":"2017-11-05T00:56:32","date_gmt":"2017-11-05T04:56:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=16553"},"modified":"2017-11-24T14:54:30","modified_gmt":"2017-11-24T18:54:30","slug":"countdown-to-the-messiah-week-1-of-7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=16553","title":{"rendered":"Countdown to “The Messiah”: Week 1 of 7"},"content":{"rendered":"

“And the Glory of the Lord”…<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

On December 17 2017 our choir will be joined by other local choirs to present Part 1 of Handel’s The Messiah.\u00a0 This will be our annual Christmas Cantata (which will be held at the traditional time of 4:15 PM… in our sanctuary).\u00a0\u00a0 The Tapestry String Quartet along with our own Sue Crispin will play the accompaniment. \u00a0 Jack Rowland will pull everything together by directing the music.\"\"<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The “Christmas Part” of Handel’s famous oratorio is organized around a series of six Choruses (which are sung by the full choir).\u00a0 A set of solos introduce each chorus.\u00a0 In most cases, there are two solos; one is called a Recitative and the second is called an Air.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The Christmas section of the oratorio actually consists of six choruses, and the Hallelujah Chorus ends the Easter section.\u00a0 But- who could resist- we will end our cantata with the Hallelujah Chorus.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

In the weeks leading up to our December 17 Cantata, we will provide weekly “Countdown to The Messiah” articles highlighting one of the seven Choruses that comprise the cantata.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

This installment highlights the first chorus, “And the Glory of the Lord.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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Chorus 1 of 7:\u00a0 “And the Glory of The Lord”<\/span><\/h3>\n

Context<\/span><\/h4>\n

The oratorio opens with an overture (by our string ensemble), and then leads into two tenor solos:<\/p>\n

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  1. Recitative:\u00a0 “Comfort Ye My People”<\/li>\n
  2. Air: \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 “Every Valley Shall be Exalted”<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    These lyrics are based on:\u00a0 Isaiah 11:1-4<\/span><\/a>. \u00a0<\/p>\n

    The solos declare that God knows what’s going on, but that He’s ready to forgive and clean the slate.\u00a0 God is coming.\u00a0 He will calm our fears, provide comfort, and lift the weak and lowly.\u00a0 After the second solo, the choir replies with “And the Glory of the Lord shall be revealed…”<\/p>\n

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    The Message<\/span><\/h4>\n

    Most of the words of these choruses are very familiar; they come right out of the Bible.\u00a0 But we’re used to the King James words, and sometimes the familiarity with the words blocks us from fully appreciating their meaning.\u00a0 And so, the below summary of our Weekly Chorus uses Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase, The Message.\u00a0 The following document summaries the solos leading into the chorus and then it gives some context to the meaning…<\/span><\/p>\nMessiahMessage01<\/a>\n

     <\/p>\n

    The Music<\/span><\/h4>\n

    Here’s a video of this week’s chorus…<\/span><\/p>\n

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