Messiah

Yesterday the church choir sang several selections from Handel's Messiah. I wish I could have been up there with them. Messiah has many wonderful memories for me beginning when I first heard it in church when I was perhaps thirteen. I was squirmy then and found the solos much too long and boring, but when the loud and lively choruses began I managed to take notice. Pretty soon I was singing along in the alto section with my sweet daddy behind me in the bass section. I'm so glad I was influenced by Daddy's infectious enthusiasm for "The Messiah" and that it became a part of my Christmases. In late fall of those long ago years, we started practicing our parts at home, especially the runs in "For Unto Us" which I really didn't fully get until I was in my forties. I doubt that my rhythmically challenged daddy ever got them at all. The real practices were so disciplined that even yesterday I stood totally still until the final orchestral flourish of each chorus. Messiah was something Daddy and I looked forward to doing together wherever we could, and every Christmas I seek someplace to hear it. I am glad I caught a performance during this - his birthday - week. He would have liked that.