George Frederic Handel - 'And He Shall Purify the Sons of Levi' from "The Messiah"

[tonidavis1]

just epic from 1:58

[LuvsmusicLaura]

This is my favorite part of Handel's Messiah. The words are so powerful and comforting.

[welthawood]

I'm all over this one, too! I remember singing it at a Messiah Sing-In years ago at the University of Virginia, and the conductor said, "Okay, sopranos - don't come in like Brunhilde!" So we didn't! And then at end, we sang the Hallelujah Chorus 3 x in a row and by the third time, we nearly tore the roof off the place! It was...great. All of the Messiah is great. I love, love, love it. And all of you who love it too - I love you all! ;-)

[sbhamster3]

This is my absolute favorite song from Handel's Messiah.

It's literally not Christmas until I here it.

[littlemissarmybrat]

My high school choir is singing the Christmas portions of the messiah for our winter concert, its joint performance with the symphony orchestra

[Kalbeflow]

My choir is singing this on a PBS special. I'm SO excited!!!

[verticalmatt]

by far the best piece of the Handel's masterpiece. I remember my joy when I discovered the underlying bass tones.

goosebumps.

[DamianMr666]

I LOVE HANDEL

[Fattomz]

I knew it from Charlie wilson's War movie.

[ArseLoad0fMetal666]

fucking music GCSE, why do you always bring me here!!!

[ShortStuff2187]

@ArseLoad0fMetal666 Don't click on the link to here if you dislike it so much, but why? Handel's Messiah is one of the greatest works ever composed and its beauty should be enjoyed by all.

[ArseLoad0fMetal666]

@ShortStuff2187 i had to listen to it for music GCSE, i had no choice but to come here. Overblown tangents of each piece is unpleseant and hardly subtle, the religious aspects also irritate me. Also, its FUCKING SHIT!

[DeMaestroK1]

I love "The Messiah" . I can't wait to sing it with the UNF Chamber singers!

[martimtavares]

"And He shall purify-hy-hy-hy-hy-hy-hy-hy-hy­-hy-hy-hy-hy-hy!"

[typestter]

"IF HANDEL" Wrote it, By 'GOD" He Wrote IT! this was probably one of the most difficult pieces of classical Music to write

[lahmorga]

i must to sing this in my chorus!!!!!!! :O it's beautiful...but very difficult!

[DickCabezaLtd]

Are females singing in this recording or is it a boys choir?

[hatstalker]

@DickCabezaLtd Women.

[AndroidLust7]

@DickCabezaLtd Both obviously..... Its the London Philharmonic Chorus lol

[psychoKATTY]

this was freaking hard to sing at my school... so many runs! x_x

love it, tho!

[GosfordAbercrombie]

this version is wrecked!!!!!!

[blingo127]

i trucking hate the messiah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[waciranjagi]

Fantastic

[sneaker453]

1 Guy is not purified.

[minasgekos]

@sneaker453 haha, good one.

[syrka2000]

This is glorious

[jacefkluver]

I was soo excited when this showed up as backrond music on Charlie Wilsons War

[howtokillarockstar]

fun fact, Handel wrote the whole thing in less than a month[;

[lilsingah07]

@howtokillarockstar I KNOW RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MrJsawe]

great voices, powerful sopranos. i love it

[michgoblue24]

Favorite song from the Messiah. I remember playing this song in my HS orchestra. We were very good but this was very challenging. I was second violin I remember.

[yadatalatura]

this fatso could really write some amazing music!

[snail1994]

LOVE THIS SONG ;)

[walterlaun]

just curious can someone answer this wat time period was this song and group made

[PhenomPhilly]

i have to sing the whole messiah. Fun but very difficult

[depstein1112]

One of the hardest choral pieces to perform.

[Lukecash12]

@depstein1112 Really? I've always found that it takes a very, very good choir to keep the tempo from speeding up in the "O thou that tellest good tidings" chorus. The "All we like Sheep" chorus is pretty infamous as well amongst most groups who do this oratorio.

As for this one? Well, it's quite short, and there isn't much change of direction in the sixteenth note progressions. Just a stretto ornament (I believe that's the right expression for it) and a jump down one third into another ornament

[LucyTook]

@Lukecash12 It's hard if you take it at a fast tempo.

Also,the "runs" take a lot of breath support.

[Lukecash12]

@LucyTook I see. You are probably used to performing it in a different ensemble or choir than me (no offense intended).

[emncaity]

@Lukecash12

...and, occasionally, disunified here in the 16ths. Not carping, just pointing out. I've had this recording at home for a long time, and I always wondered why they didn't retake it on the recording.

[Lukecash12]

@emncaity You're right there. However, this has to be my favorite romantic interpretation of the oratorio.

[allieXwa113]

The Providence Singers are doing the Messiah this year...this is easily my favourite of the peices.

[TheMrPits]

My absolute favorite from the entire work, the layering is so total and moves like rapids in a river. Even a movie or two has used it to wonderful effect. Got to love that tenor 2 part that bounces against the grain of the main melody.

[suffiice]

there are boys and adults singing

[doctortabby]

Such beautiful and powerful music, such beautiful and powerful lyrics. I look forward to meeting Brother Handel on the other side of eternity.

[flutelover1]

A true work of art! I performed this my freshman and senior year in college!

[manuelspcool]

escuche todo el Mesias de Handel y encontre que el Requiem de Mozart tiene mucha influencia de esta preciosa obra

[iampsalmbody]

This is such a beautiful piece! Of the many modern interpretations thereof, my FAVORITE is Tramaine Hawkins' from the 'Soulful Celebration' album. Listen and expand :)

[SubaybayUlat]

Rebecka, it certainly is that this is not a boys choir but it sure is a performance of an adult choir with a boys /girls choir.

[RebeckaSarkozy]

This certainly IS a picture if Handel. Google it under "Georg Friedrich Haendel". (and this isn't a boys choir. It's the London Philharmonic Choir with adult men and women) Performed wonderfully by the way!!!

[ThomsonCory]

Any one notice the picture isn't Handel?

[scorpdewd]

Handel composed the Messiah in three parts that correlates and puts into arias and chorus those Biblical verses that foretell of the Messiah's coming and birth, his teachings and death, and his defeat of death and resurrection. The score is the masterpiece that has stood the test of time, and it is a testament to his gifts that Messiah has endured through the years and remains popular today, While Hallelujah chorus is more renown, the Overture, For Unto Us and Amen rate higher for me.

[LlywelyntheGreat]

This is simply great! I saw it Saturday evening, And Shall He Purify and Glory to God are my favourite parts. Seeing it live is awesome.

[senoritasaldana]

ALL BOYS choirs are amazing! None can top them!! The melody souds so angelical...out of this wold!

(Ask any music major professor)

[phlarrdboi]

thanks for the tip

[Jercarp55]

Of all the choral numbers, this is the hardest to do in the entire piece. It is so great to listen to this recording of a truly great chorus and orchestra be so spot on.

[wittmann2413]

bravo!

[Aiofe09]

we did a rehersal in our choir. It is easy to listen, but it is not easy to sing. But still I love the Messias and I´m thrilled looking forward to sing it in a concert.

[babciakinga]

The greatest, though vastly unknown and under appreciated, of all the composers of the Baroque period.

[Scorner99]

"vastly unknown and under appreciated"??

[phlarrdboi]

haha yeah. vastly unknown is great.

appreciably retarded

[mdmnmdllr]

@Scorner99 - Yes! One of the lesser known and sung choruses of Messiah, a gem of piece that often goes unsung of itself unlike "And the Glory", "For Unto Us" and - epecially the Hallelujah Chorus. As a B1-B2, this is my favorite chorus by far!

[dopejoel]

@Scorner99 yeah I mean 77,000 views and great and all. but it should be like 70,000,000 don't you agree? XD

[CyanCygnus]

That's true, composers did 'borrow' or 'quote' from each other; Mozart borrowed whole phrases from some of his own works.

This is often performed at Christmas, but I believe it was intended for Easter (but I could be wrong). A beautiful performance! Thanks for posting.

[Mosaleah]

I believe there is a Christmas portion and an Easter portion.

[Fearthebait]

Well considering Borrowing music from other composers at the time was considered the most flattering of all compliments, unlike today where it seems like people can;t get away with using any of the same notes even without getting sued...

[JuantasmaDeLaOpera]

Actually the Messiah was compiled from Early Handel works. that's why it was "written"in 30 days or so. and the version that we can hear and sing is rearranged and orchestrated By Mozart.... but in the Perfect Baroque style!!!!

[awakenedinseattle]

Spectacular.

[randallscott25]

As Ludwig Van Beethoven laid dying it is said, that he looked to a score of Handel's he had near by and said softly ,, in that (the work of Handels music) lies truth. In that lies the truth.

Handel stole more music from other composers than most people would like to admit. But he was a damn genious.

Genious.

[jppuertorico85]

one of my fave songs from Messiah!!!

[hike132]

MIne too :) Glad there's someone else who picked also this as favorite

[dudeofdixie]

It's so sad too, it gets set aside and most don't even hear it.

[sergyortega]

@jppuertorico85 Me too.

[lilsingah07]

@jppuertorico85 MINE TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO­OO!!! I LOVE THE RUNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY COLLEGE CHOIR(THE TALLADEGA COLLEGE CHOIR BE EATIN THOSE RUNS!!!!!!

[anisuthideyakoindu]

@jppuertorico85 so, admit you love Telemann, since it has been originally composed by him!

[jppuertorico85]

@anisuthideyakoindu Was it really? I love Telemann too so that's not hard for me to do :)

[jppuertorico85]

@anisuthideyakoindu Alright then...I LOVE Telemann! :)