Event Title:

Organization:

  Concert

  San Jose

Start Date:

  11/23/2019

End Date:

  11/23/2019

Start Time:

  7:30 PM

End Time:

  10:30 PM

Event Info: 

  Experience the beauty of the Christmas Season with San Jose Symphonic Choir.

Season 96 opens with Handel's magnificent Messiah performed in full and conducted by Music Director Leroy Kromm with the San Jose Baroque Orchestra.

Messiah's stunning first performance was on April 13, 1742. Handel was already so famous that the audience was urged to leave their hoop skirts and swords at home to make more room in Dublin's Great Music Hall. A record 700 people attended the performance. After a sneak peek at the dress rehearsal excited newspapers had reported that the oratorio "far surpasses anything of that Nature, which has been performed in this or any other Kingdom."

Messiah is the stuff of legend! The most intriguing surrounds King George II of England, who attended a London performance. Apparently, he was so overcome with emotion during the powerful Hallelujah Chorus that he rose to his feet. Of course, when the King stands, everybody stands, so the entire hall rose for the duration of the song. Ever since, in performance venues both religious and secular, there has been a tradition of standing during the Hallelujah Chorus.

It is likely that Handel never imagined his Messiah would become as popular as it has today, 277 years later, but to him it was always a favorite. His annual benefit concerts for his preferred charity London's Foundling Hospital, a home for abandoned and orphaned children always included portions of Messiah.

Beethoven, referring to Messiah, proclaimed Handel to be the "greatest composer that ever lived."

http://www.sanjosesymphonicchoir.org

Location:

  Saint Andrew's Episcopal

Room:

Address:

  13601 Saratoga Avenue

Phone:

City:

  Saratoga

State/Province:

  CA