Hallelujah

(re-post from 2014)

"Messiah" by George Handel was performed last week in my city. I listened to the performance on public radio a couple days ago, including comments from the announcer about Handel.

There was chuckling and some cynicism about the composer becoming rich.There was debunking of the "myth" that Handel broke into tears at the beauty of the music.

There was amusement at the old-fashioned audience tradition to stand during the "Hallelujah" chorus.  It was suggested that standing is quite unnecessary, and that very likely some of the audience would think it "silly" and would remain seated.

But for a believing Christian, this music goes beyond beauty. The "Hallelujah" chorus is joyous and appropriate - the spirit soars in praise to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. I don't think I could sit through it even if I wanted to.

Someone who had been at the concert called the radio show later to report that the entire audience stood - "without hesitation" he said - for the "Hallelujah" chorus. The radio announcer's cynicism was not shared by the concert audience. On the contrary, they responded from the heart and the spirit.

The whole work (over 2 hours long) is below; find "Hallelujah" at 1:35:58.