Messiah

It was a dark and bitterly cold night. I swallowed my fear of buses and took the 32 down to the National Cathedral where I had tickets to see the Messiah. I had bought them very last-minute so I had exactly two choices of where I could get seats. Seated in the back of the North Transcept, we had a perfect view of the orchestra, the choir, and the soloists when they were seated. I had medium expectations for this performance going in, which were solidified as I realized I would not be able to see the soloists when they sung.



The Messiah opens with an orchestral number. As they began, I realized this was not going to be a mediocre performance; they were good, the acoustics were fantastic, and we were in a good position to hear some of the best sound. I should add a quick insert here on my love for cathedrals and the musical sound produced within their walls. My memory and love of my studies in Europe are very tightly connected with evensong and other performances in cathedrals and abbeys and their otherworldly, transportational quality. Those feelings and more came rushing back as the orchestral overture was followed by the tenor solo of "Comfort Ye."


I have heard "Comfort Ye" many, many times, but cannot remember ever having been so moved by it. Rufus Muller's rendition had a storytelling quality, enhanced by his rich yet light voice. The cathedral was hushed. A chill rushed through me and didn't stop. I closed my eyes and listened to his voice soar through the ceilings of that cathedral. It was simply beautiful.


The rest of the performance followed suit. The choir had precision and expression. The bell tones of the children hit the cathedral's acoustic sweet spots. My prejudice against baroque-style baritones was shattered. It was a pleasure to hear a true alto sing. I don't know if I can explain that adequately - a soprano could sing those same notes, but the sound would not be nearly as rich. (Cherie could probably explain this better than I.) And the soprano hit those notes in the stratosphere as if they were nothing, perfectly on pitch, with a beautiful, soaring tone, light and fresh. It was agreed: it was the most lovely performance of Messiah we had ever heard.


The list of truly moving performances I have attended is short. They include things such as my first musical, Phantom of the Opera, my first experience with BYU Singers, a random organist praticing in a church on St. Catherine's campus, seeing Les Miserables on broadway, hearing Chanticleer live, seeing Jean Yves Thibaudet's fingers command the piano at the Kennedy Center, hearing Jenny Oaks Baker down the hall in the stake center without realizing who it was, to name a few. Each of these performances touched me for a different reason but I can remember what I was thinking and feeling as clearly as ever. I can now add one more to the list. I'd say we kicked off the Christmas season pretty well. The scary bus ride was definitely worth it.