Why is Handel\\u2019s Messiah synonymous with Christmas?<\\/strong><\\/h3>\\n Handel\\u2019s Messiah<\\/strong><\\/a> has been around for almost 300 years, which is quite a long time. Originally it was considered to be an Easter hymn celebrating the Resurrection of the Lord.<\\/a><\\/strong>\\u00a0 However, these days Christmas seems to be more dominate as part of a big evening meditation at the big evening services or as the finale at a concert or event.\\u00a0 And there are several reasons for this:\\u00a0 marketing, tradition, and a standing\\u00a0 custom.<\\/p>\\n Marketing<\\/strong> \\u2013 Christmas is a bigger holiday than Easter.\\u00a0 So much so that the most money given to charity is around this time of year.\\u00a0 If you hear the chorus, it kind of makes sense because the Hallelujah chorus is so joyous.<\\/p>\\n Tradition<\\/strong> \\u2013 It\\u2019s just how it\\u2019s always been.\\u00a0 At least one church has celebrated if not once, but almost every year if not every other year.\\u00a0 While it\\u2019s a beautiful song to listen to, believe me when I tell you that it is a very hard piece to sing.\\u00a0 It\\u2019s not just about the rhythm but also the range and the octaves one must reach to get it just right.<\\/p>\\n Custom of Standing<\\/strong> \\u2013 At a Catholic Church especially, standing for the Gospel acclamation is common. It\\u2019s a way to honor and respect God\\u2019s word and as if Jesus is symbolically making an appearance to read a lesson.\\u00a0 However, with Handel\\u2019s Messiah and especially with the Hallelujah chorus, standing for this song started in 1743 when King George II<\\/a> <\\/strong>stood up at the London premiere of the piece.\\u00a0 Since then, audience members feel it\\u2019s been a way to honor the King both spiritually and physically.<\\/p>\\n The story of George Frideric Handel<\\/strong><\\/h3>\\n So who was this infamous George Frideric Handel<\\/strong><\\/a>?\\u00a0 He was a composer born to a father who was a celebrated surgeon in Northern Germany.\\u00a0 While his father had other dreams for him, Handel connected to music at a very young age and soon the music became a part of his life.\\u00a0 \\u00a0At 18 years old, he composed his first opera called Almira<\\/em><\\/a>\\u00a0<\\/strong>and worked in various courts and churches as a composer and conductor in Italy as well as Germany.<\\/p>\\n When it came to composing the Messiah, Handel put his heart and soul into it.\\u00a0 He was laser focused on not just the spirituality aspect of the composition but also how it relates to our own mortality. It became a labor of love and it shows just by merely listening to every nuance and aspect of the piece with the first half talking about the birth of Jesus Christ, a second part on Jesus\\u2019s sacrifice for humanity and third the Resurrection<\\/a><\\/strong>.\\u00a0 This is why we can see Easter and Christmas being the main centerpiece holidays.<\\/p>\\n Why no one can compare to the original<\\/h3>\\n At one point, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart<\\/strong><\\/a> tried to perform the Messiah and even try to put his little spin on it. In fact, he thought that trying to do a kind of remix to the piece that he was paying tribute to his predecessor.\\u00a0 He was looking to perform the piece at private events of his time to create a more intimate connection with it. However, even he had to admit that this masterpiece was something special.\\u00a0 Even audiences who were familiar with Handel\\u2019s piece took offence because it just did not sound the same.\\u00a0 So while Mozart tried, his success with it didn\\u2019t last for a long time.<\\/p>\\n You can view and take a bit of a listen here:<\\/p>\\n

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"Handel's

Handel\u2019s Messiah Sheet Music<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Several months ago, I wrote on this topic of Handel\u2019s Messiah<\/strong><\/a> and I thought it was worth updating (and reprising if you will) this article on a very famous and classical piece of church and cultural history for Classical Music Month<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

When it comes to music, Christmas is the time of year where just one theme creates magic for all of us: family gatherings, snow on the ground, the birth of Jesus Christ, and the list goes on.\u00a0 One of the most traditional of these songs is the classic choral hymn sung at almost every Christmas concerts, Christmas Eve Masses and services, etc.\u00a0 That is the famous Handel\u2019s Hallelujah<\/a>,<\/strong> which is part of the world famous Handel\u2019s Messiah<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 This piece is not only famous worldwide but for at least 2 centuries it has become an American tradition.<\/p>\n

Why is Handel\u2019s Messiah synonymous with Christmas?<\/strong><\/h3>\n Handel\u2019s Messiah<\/strong><\/a> has been around for almost 300 years, which is quite a long time. Originally it was considered to be an Easter hymn celebrating the Resurrection of the Lord.<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0 However, these days Christmas seems to be more dominate as part of a big evening meditation at the big evening services or as the finale at a concert or event.\u00a0 And there are several reasons for this:\u00a0 marketing, tradition, and a standing\u00a0 custom.<\/p>\n Marketing<\/strong> \u2013 Christmas is a bigger holiday than Easter.\u00a0 So much so that the most money given to charity is around this time of year.\u00a0 If you hear the chorus, it kind of makes sense because the Hallelujah chorus is so joyous.<\/p>\n Tradition<\/strong> \u2013 It\u2019s just how it\u2019s always been.\u00a0 At least one church has celebrated if not once, but almost every year if not every other year.\u00a0 While it\u2019s a beautiful song to listen to, believe me when I tell you that it is a very hard piece to sing.\u00a0 It\u2019s not just about the rhythm but also the range and the octaves one must reach to get it just right.<\/p>\n Custom of Standing<\/strong> \u2013 At a Catholic Church especially, standing for the Gospel acclamation is common. It\u2019s a way to honor and respect God\u2019s word and as if Jesus is symbolically making an appearance to read a lesson.\u00a0 However, with Handel\u2019s Messiah and especially with the Hallelujah chorus, standing for this song started in 1743 when King George II<\/a> <\/strong>stood up at the London premiere of the piece.\u00a0 Since then, audience members feel it\u2019s been a way to honor the King both spiritually and physically.<\/p>\n The story of George Frideric Handel<\/strong><\/h3>\n So who was this infamous George Frideric Handel<\/strong><\/a>?\u00a0 He was a composer born to a father who was a celebrated surgeon in Northern Germany.\u00a0 While his father had other dreams for him, Handel connected to music at a very young age and soon the music became a part of his life.\u00a0 \u00a0At 18 years old, he composed his first opera called Almira<\/em><\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>and worked in various courts and churches as a composer and conductor in Italy as well as Germany.<\/p>\n When it came to composing the Messiah, Handel put his heart and soul into it.\u00a0 He was laser focused on not just the spirituality aspect of the composition but also how it relates to our own mortality. It became a labor of love and it shows just by merely listening to every nuance and aspect of the piece with the first half talking about the birth of Jesus Christ, a second part on Jesus\u2019s sacrifice for humanity and third the Resurrection<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0 This is why we can see Easter and Christmas being the main centerpiece holidays.<\/p>\n Why no one can compare to the original<\/h3>\n At one point, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart<\/strong><\/a> tried to perform the Messiah and even try to put his little spin on it. In fact, he thought that trying to do a kind of remix to the piece that he was paying tribute to his predecessor.\u00a0 He was looking to perform the piece at private events of his time to create a more intimate connection with it. However, even he had to admit that this masterpiece was something special.\u00a0 Even audiences who were familiar with Handel\u2019s piece took offence because it just did not sound the same.\u00a0 So while Mozart tried, his success with it didn\u2019t last for a long time.<\/p>\n You can view and take a bit of a listen here:<\/p>\n