Perth Choral Society Winter Concert

The chosen work for this concert is arguably the most well-known and loved oratorio ever written – Handel’s “Messiah”. Performed by all kinds of groups, ranging from 16 solo singers to choirs of around 300! Perth Choral Society’s performance will be sung by over 100 singers, exciting young soloists, accompanied by the Angus Chamber Orchestra and conducted by Peter Rutterford, Director of Music.

Written in just three weeks in 1741, it was first performed in Dublin with what has been recorded as “vast forces”; as it was taken up in other places, Handel rewrote and reorganised it, so there is no such thing as a definitive version, but its basic structure – the Nativity, the Crucifixion and Resurrection and the hope of eternal life – is robust enough to withstand any and all kinds of tinkering. The whole work is quite inspirational from the overture to the great final Amen chorus. Handel’s music, whether sacred or secular, is thoroughly theatrical and his Oratorios, written for concert performances, tend to take their stories from the more bloodthirsty parts of the Old Testament.

Someone gave me this from the North Cheshire Family Historian of May 2004 and you may enjoy the following:

When Handel travelled through Chester on his way to Ireland to give the first performance of Messiah, I saw him smoke a pipe over a dish of coffee at the Exchange Coffee House; being very curious to see so extraordinary a man, I watched him narrowly as long as he remained in Chester, which on account of the wind being unfavourable for his embarking, was several days. During this time he applied to the cathedral organist to know whether there were any choir men who could sing at sight, as he wished to try some of the choruses which were to be performed in Ireland. One of the names given was a printer by the name of Janson, who had a good bass voice and was one of the best musicians on the choir.

A private rehearsal was arranged at the Golden Falcon, where Handel was staying, but alas, on trying the chorus “And with His stripes we are healed,”

Poor Janson, after repeated attempts, failed so egregiously(badly!) that Handel let loose his great bear(rage) upon him; after swearing in four or five languages, he cried out in broken English, “ You schauntrel(scoundrel) tit you not dell me dat you could sing at soite(sight)?

Janson replied, “Yes sir, and so I can, but not at first sight!”

There will be no such problems at our performance and I hope many of you will join us for a very special evening at 7.30pm on Sunday 11^th December in Perth Concert Hall. Our soloists are: Louise Lloyd, soprano; Lucinda Stuart-Grant, contralto; Stephen Chambers, tenor; Nicholas Morris, bass.

Tickets cost £14 -£14.50; concessions £12 -£12.50. Accompanied children under 16 go free.

[Home] [Introduction] [News] [Concerts] [Conductor] [Membership] [History] [Dolce Canzone]