The Complete Handel's Messiah: Chorus: The Lord Gave the Word

HANDEL'S MESSIAH
Part II
The accomplishment of redemption by the sacrifice of Jesus, mankind's rejection of God's offer, and mankind's utter defeat when trying to oppose the power of the Almighty

~~~~~

37. Chorus

The Lord gave the Word;
great was the company of the preachers.
Psalm 68:11



Brisbane Concert Choir
Sinfonia of St Andrew's
Conductor: Debra Shearer-Dirié
Orchestra Leader: Chen Yang

Milica Ilic, soprano
Dorothy Williams, alto
Thomas Moran, tenor
Sam Hartley, bass
Emma Hadfield, harpsichord
Eduarda van Klinken, organ

St Andrew's Uniting Church
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Sunday 13th July 2008

~~~~~

During this Holy Week, All for Hymn is featuring Handel's Messiah in it's complete form. New posts will hit roughly every 5-6 hours beginning at 6:00 am CDT on Palm Sunday (April 17, 2011) and running through 6:00 PM CDT on Easter Sunday (April 24, 2011).

The Complete Handel's Messiah: Air: Thou Art Gone Up

HANDEL'S MESSIAH
Part II
The accomplishment of redemption by the sacrifice of Jesus, mankind's rejection of God's offer, and mankind's utter defeat when trying to oppose the power of the Almighty

~~~~~

36. Air (Alto)

Thou art gone up on high;
Thou hast led captivity captive,
and received gifts for men;
yea, even from Thine enemies,
that the Lord God might dwell among them.
Psalm 68:18



Brisbane Concert Choir
Sinfonia of St Andrew's
Conductor: Debra Shearer-Dirié
Orchestra Leader: Chen Yang

Milica Ilic, soprano
Dorothy Williams, alto
Thomas Moran, tenor
Sam Hartley, bass
Emma Hadfield, harpsichord
Eduarda van Klinken, organ

St Andrew's Uniting Church
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Sunday 13th July 2008

~~~~~

During this Holy Week, All for Hymn is featuring Handel's Messiah in it's complete form. New posts will hit roughly every 5-6 hours beginning at 6:00 am CDT on Palm Sunday (April 17, 2011) and running through 6:00 PM CDT on Easter Sunday (April 24, 2011).

The Complete Handel's Messiah: Recitative and Chorus

HANDEL'S MESSIAH
Part II
The accomplishment of redemption by the sacrifice of Jesus, mankind's rejection of God's offer, and mankind's utter defeat when trying to oppose the power of the Almighty

~~~~~

34. Recitative (Tenor)

Unto which of the angels said
He at any time:
"Thou art My Son,
this day have I begotten Thee?"
Hebrews 1:5



~~~~~

35. Chorus
Let all the angels of God worship Him.
Hebrews 1:6



Brisbane Concert Choir
Sinfonia of St Andrew's
Conductor: Debra Shearer-Dirié
Orchestra Leader: Chen Yang

Milica Ilic, soprano
Dorothy Williams, alto
Thomas Moran, tenor
Sam Hartley, bass
Emma Hadfield, harpsichord
Eduarda van Klinken, organ

St Andrew's Uniting Church
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Sunday 13th July 2008

~~~~~

During this Holy Week, All for Hymn is featuring Handel's Messiah in it's complete form. New posts will hit roughly every 5-6 hours beginning at 6:00 am CDT on Palm Sunday (April 17, 2011) and running through 6:00 PM CDT on Easter Sunday (April 24, 2011).

The Complete Handel's Messiah: Chorus: Lift Up Your Heads

HANDEL'S MESSIAH
Part II
The accomplishment of redemption by the sacrifice of Jesus, mankind's rejection of God's offer, and mankind's utter defeat when trying to oppose the power of the Almighty

~~~~~

33. Chorus
Lift up your heads,
O ye gates;
and be ye lift up,
ye everlasting doors;
and the King of Glory shall come in.

Who is this King of Glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads,
O ye gates;
and be ye lift up,
ye everlasting doors;
and the King of Glory shall come in.

Who is this King of Glory?
The Lord of Hosts,
He is the King of Glory.
Psalm 24:7-10



Brisbane Concert Choir
Sinfonia of St Andrew's
Conductor: Debra Shearer-Dirié
Orchestra Leader: Chen Yang

Milica Ilic, soprano
Dorothy Williams, alto
Thomas Moran, tenor
Sam Hartley, bass
Emma Hadfield, harpsichord
Eduarda van Klinken, organ

St Andrew's Uniting Church
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Sunday 13th July 2008

~~~~~

During this Holy Week, All for Hymn is featuring Handel's Messiah in it's complete form. New posts will hit roughly every 5-6 hours beginning at 6:00 am CDT on Palm Sunday (April 17, 2011) and running through 6:00 PM CDT on Easter Sunday (April 24, 2011).

Good Friday: St. John's Passion, Part 19

The Passion according to St. John
set to music by Johann Sebastian Bach
Part 19

~~~~~
Betrachte, meine Seel,
Mit ängstlichem Vergnügen,
Mit bittrer Lust und halb beklemmtem Herzen
Dein höchstes Gut in Jesu Schmerzen,
Wie dir auf Dornen, so ihn stechen,
Die Himmelsschlüsselblumen blühn!
Du kannst viel süße Frucht
von seiner Wermut brechen
Drum sieh ohn Unterlass auf ihn!

Behold, my soul,
With anxious pleasure,
With bitter passion and half-oppressed heart,
Your highest good in Jesus' torments,
How for you the thorns that stab Him
Bloom as keys to heaven's flowers!
You can pluck much sweet fruit
From His wormwood,
Therefore look on Him unceasingly!



~~~~~

For the complete text in German, click here.
For the complete text in English, click here.

Good Friday: St. John's Passion, Parts 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18

The Passion according to St. John
set to music by Johann Sebastian Bach
Parts 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18

~~~~~

Christus, der uns selig macht,
Kein Bös' hat begangen,
Der ward für uns in der Nacht
Als ein Dieb gefangen,
Geführt für gottlose Leut
Und fälschlich verklaget,
Verlacht, verhöhnt und verspeit,
Wie denn die Schrift saget.

Christ, who made us blessed,
has done no wrong,
He was for us in the night
Caught like a thief,
Taken before a godless mob
and falsely accused,
mocked, scorned and spit on,
Just as the Scripture says.



~~~~~

For the complete text in German, click here.
For the complete text in English, click here.

Good Friday: St. John's Passion, Parts 10, 11, 12 and 13

The Passion according to St. John
set to music by Johann Sebastian Bach
Parts 10, 11, 12 and 13

~~~~~

Ich, ich und meine Sünden,
Die sich wie Körnlein finden
Des Sandes an dem Meer,
Die haben dir erreget
Das Elend, das dich schläget,
Und das betrübte Marterheer.

I, I and my sins,
those which are like grains
of sand beside the sea,
These have awakened in you
the sorrow the strikes you,
And the distressing torment.



~~~~~

For the complete text in German, click here.
For the complete text in English, click here.

Good Friday: St. John's Passion, Parts 7, 8, and 9

The Passion according to St. John
set to music by Johann Sebastian Bach
Parts 7, 8, and 9

~~~~~

Von den Stricken meiner Sünden
Mich zu entbinden,
Wird mein Heil gebunden.
Mich von allen Lasterbeulen
Völlig zu heilen,
Läßt er sich verwunden.

From the bondage of my sins
to release me,
My Savior is bound.
From all my bulging vices
fully to save,
He lets himself be wounded.




~~~~~

For the complete text in German, click here.
For the complete text in English, click here.

Good Friday: St. John's Passion, Parts 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

The Passion according to St. John
set to music by Johann Sebastian Bach
Parts 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

~~~~~

O große Lieb, o Lieb ohn alle Maße,
Die dich gebracht auf diese Marterstraße
Ich lebte mit der Welt in Lust und Freuden,
Und du musst leiden.

O great love, O love beyond all measure,
Which you have brought along this path of torment,
I live in this world of lust and pleasure,
And you must suffer.



~~~~~

For the complete text in German, click here.
For the complete text in English, click here.

Good Friday: St. John's Passion, Part 1

The Gospel reading for Good Friday is the Passion of our Lord according to St. John. JS Bach took the scripture text and incorporated hymn texts in between. Note to conductors everywhere: the hymn texts are to be sung by the congregation (or audience). The posts for St. John's Passion will run every 2 hours through 6:00 pm on Holy Saturday.

The Passion according to St. John
set to music by Johann Sebastian Bach
Part 1

~~~~~

Herr, unser Herrscher, dessen Ruhm
In allen Landen herrlich ist!
Zeig uns durch deine Passion,
Dass du, der wahre Gottessohn,
Zu aller Zeit,
Auch in der größten Niedrigkeit,
Verherrlicht worden bist!

O Lord, our Lord, your majesty
is glorious in all the land!
Show us during your Passion
That you, the very Son of God,
Through all time,
Also in the great lowliness,
have become magnified!




~~~~~

For the complete text in German, click here.
For the complete text in English, click here.

Black History Month: Were You There?

In any congregation, there can be some "have-tos," such as...

• Singing "Silent Night" in candlelight on Christmas Eve
• Easter brunch after the Sunrise Service
• A Christmas program lead by the children

In my congregation, one of those "have-tos" is singing "Were You There" on Good Friday.

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh - - -
sometimes it causes me to
tremble...
tremble...
tremble...
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Oh - - -
sometimes it causes me to
tremble...
tremble...
tremble...
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?

Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Oh - - -
sometimes it causes me to
tremble...
tremble...
tremble...
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?

Were you there when He rose rose up from the tomb?
Were you there when He rose rose up from the tomb?
Oh - - -
sometimes it causes me to
tremble...
tremble...
tremble...
Were you there when He rose rose up from the tomb?

The final stanza has been rendered in different ways, including this in Lutheran Service Book (hymn 456).

Were you there when God raised Him from the tomb?
Were you there when God raised Him from the tomb?
Oh - - -
sometimes it causes me to
tremble...
tremble...
tremble...
Were you there when God raised Him from the tomb?

Another rendering is...

Did you know He is risen from the dead?
Oh - - -
Sometimes I feel like shoutin'
Glory!
Glory!
Glory!
Did you know He is risen from the dead?

One use of this spiritual might be to intersperse verses into the Passion reading on Good Friday, in a similar way that the Passion chorales are used.

Some verses might include traditional verses mixed with newly written stanza (and these definitely need tweaking, but you get the idea):

Before the reading of the Passion
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

After John 18:11
Were you there in Gethsemane that night?

After John 18:24
Were you there when the high priest questioned Him?

After John 19:2
Were you there when they crowned Him with the thorns?

After John 19:15
Did you shout, "Crucify Him!" with the throng?

After John 19:27
Were you there when John took His mother home?

After John 19:37
Were you there when they pierced Him in His side?

After John 19:42
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?