Monday 28 November 2011

The Really Big Chorus - Messiah From Scratch

The Really Big Chorus is made up from members of choral societies from all over the UK and from abroad. Anyone can sing, just pay for your seat, bring the score, and join over 3,000 others at a sold out Royal Albert Hall last night. Alison was joined in the altos (in red tops) by our niece Emily. Her parents joined me in the audience who took up the other 1,000 plus seats. Handel's Messiah is a wonderful piece of choral music and Alison had joined Wendover Choral Society when they performed it two years ago. But this was a different experience completely.

 The Really Big Chorus is really loud. But what is even more amazing is the separation of the voices in such a huge space. Sopranos on the left, altos on the right and tenors and bass in the middle swept around the auditorium in unamplified magical stereo. The orchestra and organ were excellent, and so were the soloists, all marshalled by conductor Brian Kay. What would Handel have thought about so many wanting to come together from all over Europe to sing his Messiah?

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