Because year after year, no one sums it up like Linus and Handel. . . .

[qos]

For most of my life, these two pieces have expressed what Christmas means to me. Even now, when I no longer call myself a Christian, they make my heart sing.

For Unto Us a Child is Born sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWn7HHI-rhE


Merry Christmas, my friends!

Comments

[jillwheezul.livejournal.com]

Merry Christmas to you too.

Thank you for posting For Unto Us a Child Is Born. What I'll bet you didn't know is that I was one of that audience that night :)

Although I no longer quite know what to think in terms of a second coming of Christ, having taken a serious dislike to Christian fundamentalism, I pray that that the Divine will come and help our little planet.

I first heard the Tabernacle Choir when I was about 9, and in the same year heard my first live performance of the Messiah. I try to listen to it every year.

One of the most profound musical experiences was hearing this choir sing the Hallelujah Chorus when I was but 17. It was life changing. It was many years later when reading in the Book of Revelations that I understood that this was the song that is prophesized to be sung at the return of Christ to the earth and had an inner witness that Handel was possessed of great spiritual communion as he wrote this wonderful music. That King George stood up in awe when he heard it performed for the first time is a great story in itself. For me, it is music of great feeling and imminently suitable for my soul to worship Deity.

I like the ending of For Unto Us a Child Is Born the best. That lovely instrumental fanfare of expectation, joy and hope also fills my heart with song. If you listen closely, you might hear me humming along in the audience ;)

[qos.livejournal.com]

I did think of you when I grabbed the video, but I never dreamed you would have been present at that performance!

When I was growing up, my church did a production of the Messiah every year, and it always fell on the weekend closest to my birthday. I went for the first time in 7th grade(?) and was entranced. I went to both performances each year and sat in the front row. And I made it a point of pride to be the first on my feet for the Hallelujah Chorus.

Our choir director put it out of order. They would do "The Trumpet Shall Sound" and then "Worthy is the Lamb". It may have been intended to be the last song, but it ends at a point that makes a perfect transition to the Hallelujah. I would watch the director's baton stay raised as he quickly turned the page, and my stomach leaped as if on a roller coaster as he brought it down again and the Chorus began.

I firmly believe that the Halleljuah is part of the repertoire in heaven.

From the time I was in late elementary school until after I graduated from college, my mother sang "O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion", and I can probably still remember most of it from all those years of listening to her practicing for weeks.

I haven't heard The Messiah live in years, although each year I put the dates of my former church's performance in my calendar and think about driving down to attend.

I should put that music on this morning. . .