Michael Reckord, Gleaner Writer

Treble, Jody Holung. - File

The Pan Book of Great Composers by Gervase Hughes (1964) contains this plea by the author: "Soon after the collapse of his operatic schemes, Handel composed the most popular oratorio of all time, Messiah (not THE Messiah)."

Many people make the mistake of attaching the definite article to the title, but one would not expect that from a music publisher.

Yet, it seems the London publishers Novello and Co Ltd did just that.

'Messiah' composition

After conducting the choir of the St. Andrew Parish Church, Half-Way Tree, augmented by several guest singers, last Sunday evening in a 'Solemn Evensong and Lenten Cantata', choir director Audley Davidson showed me the publisher's title page of the score he had used.

It read: Lenten Cantata: The Passion Music of Handel From The Messiah and The Passion of Christ.

Now, Messiah is a three-part composition consisting of The Advent Of Messiah, The Passion of Christ and His Resurrection.

Embodying the most sacred events of the Christian calendar, the parts address particular events in the life of Christ.

Part one is primarily concerned with the Advent and Christmas stories and part two with Christ's passion, resurrection, ascension, and the spread into the world of the Christian message.

It may be that the publisher's phrase 'The Messiah' is a shortened version of The Advent of the Messiah (which is not, incidentally, the definitive title), but the use of the phrase is at least misleading, if not a mistake.

Definitions

Let's get a couple of definitions out of the way. A cantata is a composite vocal genre consisting of a succession of recitatives, ariosos, and set pieces (e.g., arias, duets and choruses), which may be either secular or sacred.

An oratorio is "an extended musical drama (normally without scenery, costume or action) with a text based on religious subject matter".

The publisher's introductory note to the printed programme states: "The text of the passion music in The Messiah is drawn entirely from the Old Testament. In The Passion of Christ, Handel uses the New Testament narrative, with a number of non-biblical interpolations. This selection from both works has been planned with the object of providing a short complete cantata on the subject of the Passion."

Though the cantata is a mere 30 minutes long, it gives the feeling of completeness, in part because there are as many as 22 segments, with parts for the chorus and the three guests soloists.

Fine singers all, they were Michael Sutherland (bass), Charles Moore (tenor) and Jody Holung (treble).

Apart from those soloists, the choir included no less than 14 guests choristers. No wonder it sounded so good.

Adding to the beauty of the piece was the excellent accompaniment by the ever- professional Livingston Burnett (piano) and Paul Bicknell (organ).

Post-performance chat

In his post-performance chat with The Sunday Gleaner, Davidson admitted to the month of rehearsals being "hard work".

Clearly relieved, though, that the presentation had gone so well, he was smiling.

So was veteran organist John Binns, Davidson's tutor for the organ and choral conducting, who was sitting close by.

And when church rector Rev Major Dr Siranno Kitson expressed his appreciation to the performers for putting the audience "in the mood and frame of mind" for the remainde r of the Lenten and coming Easter season, there was enthusiastic applause.

Clearly, the hard work had paid off.