Wednesday 14 December 2011

Salisbury Cathedral and Handel's "Messiah."


 On Saturday evening December 10th  Salisbury Musical Society gave a splendid performance of Handel's Messiah in the Cathedral.  I have sung this work more times than I care to remember, and it is so well known as to become almost routine.  However this performance, conducted by David Halls, was really wonderful.  The four soloists, including a countertenor with a tender voice, were excellent, and of course the Cathedral itself added to the occasion.  We all stood for the "Hallelujah Chorus" and the trumpeters who played "The Trumpet shall Sound" made a wonderful noise.

The photo of the orchestra below was taken with some ancient tombstones in the foreground.  These were removed from the original church in Old Sarum and reinterred here.  The foundations of this building were laid in 1220, with the tower being added in 1310-1330.  You can only marvel at the construction of this cathedral, just how it was built without modern construction methods, one can only imagine.  I have a video of the rebuilding of the "Frauenkirche" in Dresden using modern cranes, and in 2006 that was a feat in itself.
Choir and Orchestra.

The Chelsea Opera Group Orchestra tuning up for the second half.

Sitting in our seats, waiting for the concert to begin.

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