‘Commentary on nativity, passion, resurrection and ascension’

MELODIC MESSIAH: Georg Friedrich Händel memorial in Poets' Corner, Westminster Abbey, by Louis Francois Roubiliac, 1762. Wikimedia Commons picture

Rehearsals for the Gisborne Choral Society's second go at performing Handel's Messiah begin on Tuesday, February 7.

The choir was on the final countdown for its early December performance of this famous work, the most well-known of Handel's repertoire, when Covid struck.

Two outside guest artists — tenor Lija Crichton from Wellington, and organist Roy Tankersley from Palmerston North — tested positive for Covid-19 just days before the scheduled December 4 concert.

Choral society musical director Gavin Maclean was trying to find a replacement tenor when Tankersley rang with his news.

An emergency committee meeting was called and the decision made to postpone the concert.

It will now be on Palm Sunday, April 2, in St Andrew's Church, Cobden Street.

“The work is often performed at Christmas but it has as much relevance to Easter,” said choral society president Mary-Jane Richmond.

It was first performed in Dublin on April 13, 1742.

The story of Messiah has been described by early music scholar Richard Luckett as a “commentary on (Christ's) nativity, passion, resurrection and ascension, beginning with God's promises as spoken by the prophets and ending with Christ's glorification in Heaven”.

Its continuing popularity — after 280 years — is down to Handel's gift for writing a good tune, says Brett Karlin, artistic director for the Master Chorale of South Florida.“The single-most attractive quality about Messiah is its melodies. The piece is hit after hit after hit.”

Choral society members will be brushing up those tunes in the coming weeks.

Crichton and Tankersley — whose skills will coax the sounds of a full orchestra from the St Andrew's Church organ — were able to commit to the new date. Other soloists for the performance are drawn from the choir ranks.

Trumpets — essential in the baritone solo “The Trumpet Shall Sound” — will be played by Per Elzen and Waiora Paul-Utiera, with Amanda Maclean on timpani.

“We are really looking forward to the chance to add a final polish to this marvellous work,” said Ms Richmond.

The choir will also be revisiting the pieces prepared for an earlier concert last year, which had to be postponed, again because of Covid.

This is a collection of well-known opera choruses, solos, duets and ensemble items.

No date has been set for this concert but it will likely be some time in June.

“We're hoping to fit in two more concerts before the end of the year, including one of works by US composer Morten Lauridsen.”

Lauridsen is the most frequently performed American choral composer in modern history. Gisborne Choral Society has sung a number of his works, including “Sure on This Shining Night” and “O Magnum Mysterium”.

Gisborne Choral Society weekly rehearsals begin on Tuesday, February 7 at 7.30pm in the St Andrew's Community Centre, Cobden Street.