LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk 14 Messiah Community Sing in the Adirondacks By Dorit Gaedtke George Friedrich (Frederic) Handel's "Messiah" is probably the most well known classical work of choral music in the Western predominantly Christian culture to remind us of the holidays. It is performed in concert halls, churches, and count- less other venues each holiday season, and brings together voice and instrumentation to tell the story of the life of Jesus Christ, from the Nativity to Cru- cifixion and Resurrection, ultimately ending with the promise of redemption and victory over sin. Although initially composed as a three-part work for an Easter performance, it has become more popular to perform just one part at Christmas - "The Christmas Messiah." This probably also fits better into our times of little patience where it would be hard to sit still and listen to over three hours of live music in hard church pews. "Doing the Messiah in December is extra special. As soon as you hear the first notes of the first section, you think 'Christmas,'" says Asheville Symphony Cho- rus Conductor Kyle Ritter. "For many people, I think it's the demarcation — the beginning of the holiday." Over the centuries two main features of a Messiah Community Sing have persisted: community involve- ment based on and audience participation (the audi- ence becomes the choir, bringing their vocal scores and participating in the choruses alongside an orches- tra and soloists) and fundraising for a charitable cause, especially during the season of giving. What's the Story Behind "Messiah"? Composed over the course of just 24 days in 1741, the oratorio — a large composition for orchestra and voice that often focuses on religious themes — The Messiah was written by Handel with lyrical help from his longtime friend, librettist and Anglican minister Charles Jennens. Jennens selected and arranged bib- lical verses from the King James Bible and the Cover- dale Psalter to form the text to Handel's music. At a time of the waning fame of Italian opera Han- del, himself a philanthropist, made the calculated decision to use English for "The Messiah" in the hopes of appealing to a broader audience — with great success. After the piece was first performed for the public to a standing-room only crowd in Dublin in 1742, it was immediately clear that Handel's gambit had paid off. Not only was the performance perceived as a magical admirable "exquisite delight," but the perfor- mance also netted an overwhelming sum of £400 — about £100,000 in today's pound sterling ( just shy of $135,000). And all of this for local charities, including the Foundling Hospital. The Tradition of Communit y Messiah Sings Community sings of Handel's Messiah are a long-standing tradition that date back to the ear- ly 19th century in England. Because "Messiah" was specifically composed to need only a few rehearsals, it was ideal for non-professional choruses. In the 1820s, Handel Festivals across England began featuring performances of the oratorio by amateur choruses in what came to be called "Scratch Messiah" (prepared from scratch), "the People's Messiah," "Sing along Messiah," or "DIY Messiah" (Do-It-Yourself Messiah). These events allow both professional and amateur instrumentalists and singers to come together and participate in a performance of the famous oratorio. Because Messiah was specifically composed for acces- sibility with the need of only a few rehearsals, it was ideal for non-professional choruses. A traditional "Messiah sings" event, such as the an- nual Messiah Community Sing in the Adirondacks, is an informal performance of Handel's "Messiah" in which the audience serves as the unrehearsed chorus, often supported by a carefully prepared core group. Orches- tra and soloists are usually professionals, though their services are often donated for charity benefits. The origins of these sing-alongs can be traced to the amateur choral societies that flourished in England at that time and are wide spread now in the English speaking world, namely in England, Australia, Canada and the USA . Even after a hiatus during the pandemic, the popularity of Messiah sing-alongs has continued, demonstrating their lasting appeal. Coming from Germany, having been raised in a JS Bach tradition, and having experienced perfected "Weihnachtsoratorium" (Christmas Oratory) perfor- mances with amongst others the Leipziger Thomaner- chor and directors of the likes of Helmut Rilling, encountering my first "People's Messiah" at the Ad- irondack Community Church in Lake Placid in the early 1990's was truly mind boggling to me. I think I sang tenor, just because I sat with a friend who was one, and it was a formative experience for me. I encountered a handful more of those "Messiah" events in the area — oftentimes organized by a dedi- cated amateur musician and frequently conducted by C.R. "Toby" Touby from St. Luke's Church in Saranac Lake. Toby had a master degree in music from Ohio State University and conducted the choir at St. Luke's.

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