“A Christmas choral treat so divine you’ll be left praying for an encore”
Handel was at heart always a London boy. He rented in Soho in the latter part of his life, fundraised relentlessly for the Foundling Hospital and sought social mobility from his humble roots like the rest of Middle England. His seminal work Messiah needs no introduction; safe in the knowledge its heavenly creation has continued to awe audiences since its 1742 immaculate conception. How do you review a 280 year old piece and say something new? The music has not changed too much since Handel’s initial edits, the bible verses remain ecclesiastically bombastic since King James had them translated 400 years ago. Even the venue, a James Gibbs 1726 baroque masterpiece remains as glitteringly gilded as intended.
What is new, however, is the passion of the piece. Presented by Harry Christophers’ The Sixteen, comprising of a sensational chamber choir and orchestra with several soloists, Messiah is less a linear narrative and more a sonic adoration of The Lord. Using direct excerpts from the Bible, the crystal clear diction of the singers allows every audience member to ascend to a higher plane. Dressed in their best white tie and tails, formal gowns and festive sparkle, the concert is an absolute Christmas delight. The sense of occasion brought by the performance was palpable and you knew you were witnessing something special. I was particularly impressed by alto Hugh Cutting, whose picture is sure to be found in the Book of Revelations because he was that impressive and expressive in his cadence, clarity and conviction of his arias. He reminded me of how I imagine Mozart behaved at concerts- skilful, confident and refreshingly youthful.
I must confess, for my sins I have never been to St Martin in the Fields, never listened to Messiah fully before, never properly paid attention to the arrangement of the orchestration. But when I heard “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law” it’s hard not to feel emotional- the line hits hard today as when it was written. The fire and brimstone nature of the divine proceedings adds such a sense of drama and panache. Even if you knew nothing about Christianity, cared little for religious veneration, it would be impossible to leave this performance unmoved. The Sixteen’s choir sing with such perfect harmonies, making full use of the excellent acoustics of the venue. Though you may feel it is not a set design in the traditional sense it is of course blessed by a terrific modern backdrop. The East Wing window over the nave, looming beautifully over the orchestra is a 2008 modern art piece by Iranian artist Shirazeh Houshiary. Her simple lined window was inspired by the Veil of Veronica by Francisco de Zubarán; though its warp and weft curves reminded me visually of the warping in a black hole. I suppose the link with Messiah to me is the power of God in the infinite cosmos, bending it to His will.
Make no mistake, The Sixteen’s Messiah is an expertly performed show, presenting the music itself as divine. It is such a treat to listen to in its entirety (wait for that famous Hallelujah crescendo- stunning) and despite the audience being almost exclusively elderly, I absolutely do recommend this to all ages as a festive family night out. This is helped by the vitality of the performers, contrasting design features of the venue, and the pomp and ceremony only a Handel oratorio can bring.