Members of the choir at the St. James Cathedral Church, perform George F. Handel's masterpiece, 'Messiah,' the most popular oratorio ever composed. The performance took place on Good Friday at the church. - Collin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Michael Reckord, Contributor

Spanish Town's Cathedral Church's long history, would at some stage have been uppermost in the mind of the visitor to the church on Good Friday afternoon.

Being performed, was a George F. Handel masterpiece, Messiah, the most popular oratorio ever composed.

When it had its world premiere on April 13, 1742, at the Music Hall in Dublin, Ireland, the church was already 80 years old.

Popular though the work is worldwide, it is not often performed in its entirety in Jamaica. It is fully two hours long, after all, and it takes a good choir and set of principals much practice to do well.

Friday's performance not only marked an important event on the Christian calendar. It was also in celebration of church organist Trevor Beckford's 46th year on the job.

Awkward

After all that time, one wonders if he still finds the church's site and configuration awkward for the mounting of performances. From where he sits at the church's pipe organ in the mezzanine, he can't see the audience, which is behind and below him. Because of the rails around him and the choir on either side, most of the audience can only see parts of the performers; and to do that many have to twist around in their seats to look behind and upward. It's hard on the neck. Those under the mezzanine can't even see parts.

Also off-putting to some visitors is the fact that the church is built over a number of tombs. While regular worshippers have doubtless become accustomed to sitting over graves, the newcomer might be excused for feeling uncomfortable.

Youthfulness

This reviewer's pew straddled the tomb of Mr Hearcy Barritt who died in 1726 at 76, a ripe old age at the time, judging from the relative youthfulness of most of the others whose deaths are recorded on plaques or tombstones in the building.

The performers of Sunday's oratorio comprised a main choir of more than two dozen voices and four principals, Jasmine Holness (soprano), Marilyn Brice MacDonald (contralto), Orville Manning (tenor) and Maurice Wilson (bass). Like the curate's egg - which the curate felt he had to describe tactfully to his bishop who had provided breakfast - the performance was "good in parts."

Not well served

The choir was not well served by its women, especially the soprano section which had some shaky, tuneless voices. Then Mrs MacDonald was not at her best. One noticed a hoarseness in her voice.

Happily, the other principals were in fine mettle, especially Ms Holness and Mr Manning. With strong, well-controlled, soaring voices, they were uniformly excellent. Wilson was uneven, sometimes good, sometimes only fair.

Mr. Manning gave notice with his opening recitative, Comfort Ye My People, that he was going to be first class; and he was, throughout. Ms Holness's voice was especially beautiful in How Beautiful Are The Feet and I Know that My Redeemer Liveth.

Everyone stood, as is traditional, for the climactic chorus, Hallelujah, whose power even the weak sopranos could not spoil. The good parts of the performance more than compensated for the weak, and Mr Beckford, who continues to play well, and all the others who contributed to the evening deserve thanks and congratulations.