SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALRIGHT FOR ....

 ...  Handel's Messiah.

OK, I know that it doesn't rhyme but we had a good time (hey!).

I told you about our walk along Oriental Parade yesterday. That was good.

Robert went out sniffing pool tables. I trust that was good for him although I'm a bit worried as to where this strange obsession will lead to.

Richard had a bad experience at a party and went off leaving Shelley behind but ...... that's another story.

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Handel's Messiah was performed last night at the Michael Fowler Centre by NZSO, the Tudor Consort choir, Robert Tucker (bass), Frederick Jones (tenor), Sarah Court (Alto) and Anna Leese (Soprano). Gemma New was the outstanding conductor (although, like all conductors, she arrived late after everyone else was in place).

We had good seats but oddly positioned just behind and to the side of the orchestra and the orchestra.

The view was of the orchestra and chorus backs but also face on to the conductor. This was a treat as we could really see how hard she worked. She knew every note and lyric (as she was singing these out as she conducted) and was in constant contact with the performers not only with her little stick but by eye contact.

The performance was tremendous although there was a tad too much religious stuff in it for me. Robert, no doubt would have been happy although the 18th century Christian sentiment might cross with his 21st century namby pamby Catholic ideas. An example is from Part two - 37 and 38:

"He that dwelleth in heav'n shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision"

and,

"Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel."

Not a lot of "I love you Richard" 's there.

The Messiah was composed in 1741 so I guess Handel had a different handle on religion back then (see what I did there?). 

In 1741 Britain was still going about its bloody business of conquering the world by trying to take over Columbia. The War of the Austrian Succession was underway. The Russians discovered Alaska. The French, as usual, decided to attack the Prussians. Pope Benedict XIV  issues an encyclical forbidding traffic in alms (probably because he wasn't getting a cut).

Situation normal for the world.

The Brits at home, having tired of Italian opera because it was too volatile (at one performance two sopranos had a punching fight on stage) wanted something new. Handel, already very successful and rich from years of writing and producing 'Italian' opera and other very popular music decided to produce an oratorio. He'd picked up this idea in Rome some years earlier when even the Italians thought that opera was getting a bit risque and the Catholic Church temporarily banned it.

Handel's oratorio, probably learnt from his opera experience contained a lot of bells and whistles though (actually trumpets, drums and violins) and, along with rousing chorus work got everyone going.

Along with the usual Christian silliness like the recitative "Behold a virgin shall conceive" and "The trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be rais'd"  we still have some gems like: ""How beautiful are the feet of Him", "He trusted in God", the aforementioned 'rod of iron' stuff, "there were shepherds abiding in the field" (I can't abide shepherds - Peter Cook) and, the one I like best "worthy is the lamb that was slain". I mention that last one because the night before, we went to dinner with Richard and Shelley at a restaurant named 'Killim' and ate lamb. IT WAS FORETOLD.