Merry Christmas! I thought it fitting to end Advent with another piece from Handel’s Messiah, and this recording is a fascinating one, dating from 1930. Singing styles have changed quite a bit since then, and I think my personal preference…
Tag: g.f. handel
Advent Calendar Day 19: Carol of the Birds (James Wheeler)
After all the sad and contemplative carols of the last few days, I thought we deserved something cheerful. But what? I was sort of tempted by Masters in this Hall, an old favourite of mine, but it’s kind of terrible,…
Advent Calendar Day 3: Comfort Ye & Every Valley (Handel)
Another piece from our yearly Advent Service, and also from Handel’s Messiah. You’d think I’d be tired of it by now, but some things never grow old…
Handel’s Messiah: Rejoice Greatly!
As anyone who has looked at the front page of this blog recently will know, I’m singing the soprano solos for a Sing Your Own Messiah production in a couple of weeks. This is the first time I’ve sung a…
Advent Calendar Day 15 – Ev’ry Valley (Handel)
You knew I’d sneak some Ian Bostridge in here somewhere, right? And what could be better than a little more Messiah? The text of this piece is read at every Advent Carol service I’ve been to – it’s another prepare…
Advent Calendar Day 16 – O Thou that Tellest Good Tidings to Zion (G.F. Handel)
Another selection from Handel’s Messiah today, with the usual difficulty that *everyone* has recorded the Messiah and there are six hundred options and none of them are ever quite what I want (because this is one that I’ve studied as…
Advent Calendar Day 5 – Comfort Ye & Ev’ry Valley (G.F. Handel)
Today’s choice was easy and hard. It’s a piece that John L normally sings at our Advent Service, but tonight he is in country Victoria singing it for others. Which we can’t blame him for, since it’s a full performance…