Messiah 147 and counting...
This year sees the Royal Choral Society’s 147th annual Good Friday afternoon performance of Handel’s Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall. The choir performed this masterpiece in its first season in 1872, but in 1876 the work was performed on Good Friday, repeated the year after, and thus started London’s Easter tradition.
The Royal Albert Hall estimates that five million audience members have seen a performance of Messiah at the Hall since it opened in 1871, and we reckon that the number of Messiahs sung by individual Royal Choral Society members over the last 150 years will be in the tens of thousands. We must have performed the work more times than any other choir, with at least 280 performances.
This work is a recurring highlight of the choral repertoire, and not just because of the unusually large number of choral movements! It is simply one of the best oratorios to perform – for choir and soloists alike.
Do we get fed up with the annual rehearsal/performances of Messiah? Never! It is part of our DNA, the comfy slippers or favourite recipe that we love to return to. From the first sing-through to the final note of the 'Amen Chorus 'on stage on Good Friday, we simply love it. And performing in our ‘spiritual home’, the Royal Albert Hall, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and a quartet of exceptional soloists, under the baton of our Music Director Richard Cooke, is the icing on an already rich and fruity cake.
We polled our members to get some stats and facts:
- We think that current members have performed 2780 Messiahs between them, the highest being 61.
- The runaway favourite chorus is Worthy is the Lamb/Amen Chorus. Surely he hath Borne Our Griefs also scored well.
- Favourite aria is 'The Trumpet Shall Sound' followed by 'I Know that my Redeemer Liveth'. But there were many favourites among the respondents.
And we also asked some other questions:
1. What does performing Messiah mean to you?
There's no better place for a singer to be on Good Friday afternoon than in the RAH singing Messiah. Andrew, bass
As a Christian for me it us an act of worship. Royston, tenor
I love the certainty that, at 2.30pm every Good Friday, I am going to have a uniquely life-affirming experience. When I was younger, I was more light-hearted about it. With every passing year, it means more and more…The sheer intensity of it is unforgettable. Gill, soprano
I can’t put it into words. It is beyond words. Pat, alto
Wonderful choral experience, continuation of the history of the choir and a major aspect for me of Easter worship. Andrew, bass
Pinnacle performance of the year! Personal elation and sheer power and musicianship of the choir. Philip, tenor
It defines the whole of Easter for me. Rebecca, soprano
Tradition, history and a deep sense of privilege to sing such an iconic work, with a wonderful choir, in a beautiful building, to an (always) appreciative audience. It makes me tingle with joy. I could die happy after every performance - except that it would be an inconvenience! Alison, soprano
It always remains my most favourite concert with the RCS, and I feel enormously privileged to sing this work with such a wonderful choir in such an iconic venue, bringing such delight to so many people. Sue, alto
I feel part of an epic tradition, not just within the history of the Society, but within the singers in my family before and after me who have also sung Messiah. Simon, bass
It’s exhilarating and uplifting no matter how many times you’ve sung it. Dinny, alto
2. What’s your favourite moment in the two hours it takes to perform Messiah?
The line ‘He was bruised for our iniquities’ in the bass part of ‘Surely...’ Jerry, bass
Unaccompanied singing in ‘Since by Man came death’ Peter, bass
The trumpet solo in ‘The Trumpet Shall Sound’ – pure and glorious sound! Robert, bass
Definitely seeing the audience standing during the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’; I get emotional (and definitely choked up!) every time it happens! Katie, soprano
The last page and the run up to THAT amazing top A where you think you are flying. Jennie, soprano
The final rest before the final amen is a magical moment at the culmination of the work. Sam, bass
In ‘All we like Sheep’ Handel makes light of having gone astray, and invites us to laugh at ourselves. Haven’t we all gone astray at one time or another? And then he springs the trap shut, forcing us to acknowledge the full cost of our iniquities. Joseph, tenor
The audience reaction to the 'Hallelujah Chorus' – esp when the soloists make a point of turning around with thumbs up! Andy, tenor
The 'Amen Chorus' – makes me cry every time. Sophie, soprano
The very end. 'Amen Chorus', all 9999 pipes on the organ on the go. A tear is always shed. Fiona, alto
Turning that final page after two hours of glorious music, I feel sad that it’s about to end but exhilaration at the journey we’ve been on; that high A from the sops as the work edges towards its final climax is sublime, and then the big pause before the final ‘Amen’. I find it difficult to sing this page because I get so emotional. Jackie, alto
The final moments of a good performance where the whole choir, the soloists and the audience are filled with the emotion of the whole piece... I remember one performance not many years ago when the soloists were moved to tears at the end. So was I! Peter, tenor
3. And we asked for any special memories of past performances…
Back in the day the RCS would picnic in the auditorium between the rehearsal and the performance. I had a busy social life so would often take a nap by turning the seats in the stalls to lie down! Tessa, alto
During rehearsals for the first Messiah post Covid there were no seats in the arena and one of the soloists went and laid down on the floor in the middle of the arena to listen to the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’. It felt like a particularly emotional moment for many there that day. Anon, soprano
I sang Messiah when I was 8 months pregnant and hoped I wouldn’t do a live re-enactment of ‘For unto us a child is born’! anon, alto
In 1966 Sir Charles Grove took one rehearsal. He said ‘sing it how you normally do’, which we did. At the end of the rehearsal he said; ‘On Friday you sing it my way’ – and we did. Everything was different. We concentrated like mad! Peter, bass
The socially distanced version will be something that I’ll remember forever. And, of course, our online version during Covid! Emma, soprano
I shall never forget our socially distanced performance singing at least 8ft away from any other performer in any direction, nerve wracking and yet intensely moving to be privileged to sing at the first choral concert at the Royal Albert Hall after lockdown. Kate, alto
When Lesley Garrett – before she was famous – sang ‘Rejoice Greatly’. Utter knockout! At the rehearsal, the orchestra applauded. I’d never seen them do that before. Gill, soprano
I loved our 2021 performance, socially distanced just with organ; such a different experience and joy to hear Richard Pearce’s mastery. Andy, tenor
My Dad’s first ever visit to the Royal Albert Hall was Good Friday Messiah in 1937 when he was 21. He couldn’t possibly have foreseen his daughter singing it 80+ years later. Pat, alto
In 1947, my partner’s mother and father came to see the RCS Good Friday performance when courting and his father wanted to propose to her at the event (as it was her birthday too), but knew she would think it sacreligious. They loved the concert but he waited until Easter Sunday as a ‘happy day’. She said yes! Jonathan, bass
One year (probably late 1970s) our conductor, Meredith Davies was ill and John Birch (our organist) took over the baton. I have never experienced singing Messiah at such speed. It reduced the run time by some 20 minutes! Norman, bass
What is so special is that I’m using my score of Messiah that I’ve had since I was 12, when I learned my first Messiah aria, ‘Come Unto Him’. It makes me so happy looking through the score to see notes of mine through the years! Katie, soprano
My elderly mother was blown away by our choir’s sound when she attended my first performance in 2008. It was her last trip to London but I sing from her 1948 score every year! Priscilla, soprano
4. And what does the audience think?
My 17-year old step-grandson was totally overcome that something so old and ‘square’ could be so fantastic. Geoff, bass
My usual gang come every year – and build their Easter around it, so they must like it. We all then adjourn to mine for a Good Friday supper of fish pie. Tessa, alto
A couple l know never miss a performance and sit on the same seats. Royston, tenor
When my Yorkshire boyfriend (who became my husband) said it was almost as good as a rugby league match! Anon, alto
One set of friends were so impressed that they decided to make our Messiah an annual event. Kate, alto
My former minister said ‘I thought I had died and gone to heaven’. Richard, bass
The long standing ovation last year was pretty memorable ‘audience feedback’. Anon, alto
My family audience members commented that someone in their row fell asleep and started snoring! Julie, soprano
After the first one I did I went to catch the bus outside (tube on strike!) – many people queuing there that I spoke to had been at the performance and had loved it. A great and rewarding sensation. Andrew, bass
Book tickets for this year's performance here.
photo: 2021 socially-distanced performance. c. Andy Paradise
