December 9, 2025 - Good Morning! It’s Tuesday, December 9.
This morning we continue our Christmas series that will feature thoughts on Christmas culture, profiles of Christmas characters, and stories behind Christmas songs. Today’s focus isn’t really a song, but it stands as one of the most famous pieces of Christmas music in history. Today we look at Handel’s “Messiah.”
In 1741, the career of classical composer George Frederic Handel was in big trouble. He had suffered a string of failed operas and was facing financial ruin. At this critical moment he was inspired to write an oratorio - a musical work for voices and orchestra, but without opera’s staging and costumes and actors. Oratorios usually feature biblical themes, and Handel’s new piece told the story of the life of Christ.
“The Messiah” was an immediate success, but was not originally considered Christmas music. It tells the whole story of Jesus, including the resurrection, and during its early years it was typically presented at Easter. Today, “Messiah” is almost always performed in December, and in December of 2020, during the Covid shutdown, a record was set for a virtual performance when 2,500 people gathered online to sing it.
Give yourself a gift this Christmas and listen to “The Messiah.” It’s easy to find many examples on the internet. If your holiday season is too busy to hear the entire work, then just check out the thrilling “Hallelujah Chorus” - only four minutes long. Time well spent for a work that saved a man’s career, for music that has stirred listeners for three centuries, for the message of God’s great gift... His Son, the Messiah!
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
