etnobofin

I rather thought that this was a fabulous idea: a “flash mob” choir of 650, singing the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah in Macy’s department store in Philadelphia, surprising the early Christmas shoppers.

They were accompanied by the shop’s pipe organ (only in America), which is apparently the largest pipe organ in the world (also, only in America).

It’d be great to do something like this in Paris… perhaps in Printemps or the Les Halles shopping centre?

I Know that My Redeemer Liveth – G.F Handel
Performed by Henry Jenkinson (solo); the Choir of New College, Oxford; Academy of Ancient Music ; Edward Higginbottom
From Messiah (1751 Version) : [Buy]

We finally make it to Easter Sunday and it SNOWS in Oxford for the first time this winter. We’ve been pretty lucky with the weather this year – colder, but dry, so sudden snow at the start of spring seems to be, well, particularly English.

Resurrection – Alabaster Relief, anonymous Nottingham artist, 15th Century

I Know that My Redeemer Liveth turned up while iTunes was on random play yesterday. (I love iTunes random play). Handel‘s tune is beautifully sung by Henry Jenkinson, and seemed a particularly good piece of randomness for Easter.

For Unto Us A Child is Born (from Messiah) G.F. Handel
Messiah (1751 Version): Choir of New College Oxford/Edward Higginbottom/Academy of Ancient Music [Buy]

It’s Christmas Eve my dogzz, and it seems a good time to wish everyone who reads etnobofin a safe and happy Christmas, and all the best for a successful 2008, whatever it might bring!

It means a lot to have people who persevere with this blog, despite its modest content and occasional technical issues. (Thanks to Rushan especially for his advice and help!)

It’s an old-skool music choice for Christmas, (not kung-fu), with an Oxford connection in this outing by the Choir of New College… George Frederic Handel‘s setting of the words from Isaiah (Ch.9 v.6) which many believe fortell the birth of Christ.

Dig the voice control required to sing the long and intricate semiquaver line on “bo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-rn”. Handel’s arrangement ensures that every section of the choir has to sing it sometime during the piece. Now that’s technique!

Nativity – Chapel of Harris Manchester College, Oxford. Photo by Lawrence OP