2020 can’t stop Handel Choir from performing Messiah! This year, due to the pandemic, some of the performers will be live from Grace UMC in North Baltimore, and others have recorded from home. Brian Bartoldus talked with us over the phone about what to look forward to, which you can find on handelchoir.org.
A Musical Message of Peace
The holiday season is almost upon us, so of course that means choral concerts, especially Handel’s Messiah. Recently, I spoke with Columbia Pro Cantare’s Executive Director, Elladean Brigham, about the group’s upcoming performance of the famous work as well as their Chamber Chorus seasonal offering, A Christmas Noel.
‘Tis the Season!
The Handel Choir of Baltimore is starting the holiday spirit with the iconic work of their namesake: Messiah. Arian Khaefi, their Artistic Director & Conductor, came in to talk about the two upcoming concerts.
Hallelujah! The BSO is Recording Messiah!
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Concert Artists of Baltimore Symphonic Chorale are presenting their annual performances of Handel’s Messiah December 2-4, with concerts at both the Meyerhoff and Strathmore. Maestro Edward Polochick has conducted Messiah with the BSO since 1982, and I’ve had the privilege and pleasure of singing it with him many times since the late 1990’s. Recently, we got together to chat about his interpretation of the piece, finding clues to what Handel wanted in a “skeletal” score composed in just under three weeks, and great news regarding a collaboration with Naxos Records.
Here’s an extended version of the interview Maestro Polochick and I recorded for broadcast:
And here’s a more in-depth conversation about Maestro’s concept of the work, its evolution over the decades, the “tricks” we singers do to achieve certain sounds, and the chorus he loves to hate – or does he?
‘Tis the Season
The season of Christmas cheer has definitely arrived! We started playing Christmas music on WBJC today, and productions of The Nutcracker and Handel’s Messiah are proliferating. Melinda O’Neal came in to talk about the Handel Choir’s performances of their namesake’s great work.
Thursday 05/31/12 Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
11:00 PM
Conductor: Richard Hickox
Mezzo-soprano: Alice Coote
Tenor: Stanford Olsen
Soprano: Chen Reiss
Bass: Eric Owens
Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh
HANDEL: Messiah
Monday 12/26/11 New York Philharmonic This Week
CONDUCTOR: Peter Schreier
SOLOISTS: Ute Selbig, soprano; Nathalie Stutzmann, contralto; Steve Davislim. Tenor; Peter Rose, bass; Westminster Symphonic Choir, Joe Miller, director
Handel: Messiah
Halleluja!
The last thing Music Director Edward Polochick did after his performance of Messiah was hold up Handel’s great score. What a composer! What a score! What a performance by Concert Artists of Baltimore Symphonic Chorale and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra lead by Ed Polochick!
Concert Artists of Baltimore have performed Messiah every year now for about 30 years. Last night’s performance felt as though it was the first time and yet as if it had been performed forever by Concert Artists and the BSO. It felt fresh yet deliciously comfortable and suede worn. The chorus was spectacular and beautifully nuanced, the orchestra seemed energetic and fit and each of the soloists was a stand out and just right to sing Handel’s Messiah.
Tenor, Nicholas Phan gave a thoughtful performance with a combination of a nice voice and great diction. Soprano, Karen Clift delivered some uplifting high notes within a beautifully subtle overall performance. Baritone, Stephen Powell’s The Trumpet Shall Sound blew me away in the power of his voice and dramatic performance. Speaking of drama, mezzo-soprano Krisztina Szabó evoked terror one moment then heart ache the next. Of all the singers she was the most compelling to me. There was something about her articulation and phrasing that moved me.
A great performance of a familiar work like Handel’s Messiah can sometimes joggle my brain and illuminate something that had never occurred to me. For instance where did Handel get all the great biblical texts? The English scholar and arts patron, Charles Jennens put together texts for a number of compositions by Handel including Saul, Israel in Egypt, L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, Belshazzar and Messiah. Clever man! Clever Handel for joining the texts together with his great music as if both were inextricably bound together.
Yes, I love that Handel’s Messiah is a Christmas and Easter tradition to be counted upon, that it’s so familiar and to stand for the Hallelujah Chorus; but it’s even more special when that great oratorio is given a performance like last night’s. Halleluja!