MESSIAH SING
Sunday, April 13, 2025 ~ 3 PM
In a celebration of the enduring power of classical music, Valley Music Series proudly announces the much-anticipated, annual Handel's Messiah Sing on Sunday, April 13, 2025 at 3pm at Valley Presbyterian Church in Brookfield. This iconic oratorio, composed by George Frideric Handel in 1741, continues to captivate audiences worldwide with its profound beauty and timeless message.
Handel's Messiah is a monumental work that transcends the boundaries of time and culture. Renowned for its majestic choruses, stirring arias, and uplifting spirituality, this masterpiece remains a cornerstone of the holiday season and a cherished tradition for music lovers everywhere.
Whether you’re a singer or a classical music aficionado our annual sing-ins are for you! This is a great opportunity for all singers to join the chorus for the day; or for classical music lovers to come enjoy an afternoon of music!
There is a $20 suggested donation at the door to attend/sing. You may bring your own music or borrow a score at the door. In the spirit of generosity as demonstrated by Handel's lifelong support of the UK's first children's charity, we will donate proceeds to a local community organization that is to be announced.
If you enjoy the magnificent music of Händel, sing with us; or come and listen to one of his greatest choral works of all time. We look forward to performing this masterpiece again this year. If you came last year, you know what a glorious event this will be. If this is your first time, you're in for a very special experience. From the exhilarating "Hallelujah" chorus to the poignant "Amen" finale, everyone in attendance will be swept away by the emotional depth and musical brilliance of Handel's composition. Stay tuned for more information.
Handel's Messiah is a monumental work that transcends the boundaries of time and culture. Renowned for its majestic choruses, stirring arias, and uplifting spirituality, this masterpiece remains a cornerstone of the holiday season and a cherished tradition for music lovers everywhere.
Whether you’re a singer or a classical music aficionado our annual sing-ins are for you! This is a great opportunity for all singers to join the chorus for the day; or for classical music lovers to come enjoy an afternoon of music!
There is a $20 suggested donation at the door to attend/sing. You may bring your own music or borrow a score at the door. In the spirit of generosity as demonstrated by Handel's lifelong support of the UK's first children's charity, we will donate proceeds to a local community organization that is to be announced.
If you enjoy the magnificent music of Händel, sing with us; or come and listen to one of his greatest choral works of all time. We look forward to performing this masterpiece again this year. If you came last year, you know what a glorious event this will be. If this is your first time, you're in for a very special experience. From the exhilarating "Hallelujah" chorus to the poignant "Amen" finale, everyone in attendance will be swept away by the emotional depth and musical brilliance of Handel's composition. Stay tuned for more information.
About the Program
MESSIAH SING 2025
Sunday, April 13, 2025 – 3PM
Valley Presbyterian Church
21 W. Whisconier Road
Brookfield, CT 06804
Vocal Soloists:
To be announced
Nexus Choral Artists:
To be announced
_____________________
About Handel’s Messiah:
Handel composed Messiah, an English language oratorio that traces the story of Jesus Christ, in 1741. Messiah was first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742 and received its London premiere nearly a year later. After an initially modest
public reception, the oratorio gained in popularity and eventually became one of the best-known and most frequently
performed choral pieces in Western music. The ‘Hallelujah’ chorus is one of the most famous pieces of Baroque choral music and the most widely known section of the work. Though it was originally written for Easter, Handel’s eminently singable Messiah has also become a mainstay of the festive season. Celebrate Easter by experiencing the story of Christ through one of the greatest choral works of all time – Handel’s Messiah.
Why the name?
First things first: Messiah or The Messiah? Not wanting to be pedantic, it’s absolutely the first – Messiah – without the
definite article. That’s how Handel named this masterpiece for chorus, orchestra and vocal soloists, and the ‘floating’,
abstract nature of the title says a thing or two about Handel’s equally floating, abstract concept. Messiah didn’t have
anything like the kind of plot Handel’s audiences were used to in his operas or even his biblical oratorios. It pretty much coined a new genre – part German Passion, part English church anthem, part Italian opera. And for Handel, all that ambiguity proved rather convenient …
Need to know:
Messiah was born when Handel’s experimental nature was confronted with the fickle, changing tastes of London
audiences and the politics of the English church. Italian opera was losing popularity fast, but the public still loved a good biblical story. The Bishop of London had forbidden performances of works with religious overtones on London stages so Handel decided to write a work for concert performance in a church.
Handel deliberately kept the dramatic content of his Messiah understated – it was in church after all. He created a piece based on three concepts: the story of the nativity and its prophecy; that of the crucifixion and redemption of mankind; and a commentary on the Christian soul and its victory over death. In each of these three parts, the chorus is absolutely at the heart of the work, complemented by four vocal soloists and an orchestra.
Those forces deliver some of Handel’s most heart-stopping music – gobsmackingly dramatic and effective, profoundly
touching and spiritual. He used all his old tricks and learned some new (pretty good) ones too. Handel composed
Messiah in just 24 days without getting much sleep and or eating much food. While writing the ‘Hallelujah’ chorus
Handel’s servant discovered him with tears in his eyes, and he exclaimed, “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself seated on His throne, with His Company of Angels.”
MESSIAH SING 2025
Sunday, April 13, 2025 – 3PM
Valley Presbyterian Church
21 W. Whisconier Road
Brookfield, CT 06804
Vocal Soloists:
To be announced
Nexus Choral Artists:
To be announced
_____________________
About Handel’s Messiah:
Handel composed Messiah, an English language oratorio that traces the story of Jesus Christ, in 1741. Messiah was first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742 and received its London premiere nearly a year later. After an initially modest
public reception, the oratorio gained in popularity and eventually became one of the best-known and most frequently
performed choral pieces in Western music. The ‘Hallelujah’ chorus is one of the most famous pieces of Baroque choral music and the most widely known section of the work. Though it was originally written for Easter, Handel’s eminently singable Messiah has also become a mainstay of the festive season. Celebrate Easter by experiencing the story of Christ through one of the greatest choral works of all time – Handel’s Messiah.
Why the name?
First things first: Messiah or The Messiah? Not wanting to be pedantic, it’s absolutely the first – Messiah – without the
definite article. That’s how Handel named this masterpiece for chorus, orchestra and vocal soloists, and the ‘floating’,
abstract nature of the title says a thing or two about Handel’s equally floating, abstract concept. Messiah didn’t have
anything like the kind of plot Handel’s audiences were used to in his operas or even his biblical oratorios. It pretty much coined a new genre – part German Passion, part English church anthem, part Italian opera. And for Handel, all that ambiguity proved rather convenient …
Need to know:
Messiah was born when Handel’s experimental nature was confronted with the fickle, changing tastes of London
audiences and the politics of the English church. Italian opera was losing popularity fast, but the public still loved a good biblical story. The Bishop of London had forbidden performances of works with religious overtones on London stages so Handel decided to write a work for concert performance in a church.
Handel deliberately kept the dramatic content of his Messiah understated – it was in church after all. He created a piece based on three concepts: the story of the nativity and its prophecy; that of the crucifixion and redemption of mankind; and a commentary on the Christian soul and its victory over death. In each of these three parts, the chorus is absolutely at the heart of the work, complemented by four vocal soloists and an orchestra.
Those forces deliver some of Handel’s most heart-stopping music – gobsmackingly dramatic and effective, profoundly
touching and spiritual. He used all his old tricks and learned some new (pretty good) ones too. Handel composed
Messiah in just 24 days without getting much sleep and or eating much food. While writing the ‘Hallelujah’ chorus
Handel’s servant discovered him with tears in his eyes, and he exclaimed, “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself seated on His throne, with His Company of Angels.”