George Frederic Handel - 'He Shall Feed His Flock Like a Shepherd' from "The Messiah"

[RebeckaSarkozy]

Food for the soul...so calming and reassuring <3

[SchrodingerHatedCats]

I'm singing this at church next Sunday. We do a lot of religious pieces from the "great masters" in our Traditional, esp. Handel and Mendelssohn. Our church has 4 choirs... Traditional, Contemporary, Children's and Latino and they're all just fantastic. Plus, there's a guitar group. Not bad for a smallish Catholic church, and the main reason why I'm a member of that particular church-- they're very much into music ministry. He (or she) who sings, prays twice!

[pine2apple]

I had to learn this song for voice lessons. My teacher told me to sing this like I'm an opera mama. At first I was confused, but I understand now. The fact that she can sing those high notes so quietly means she's has control over her voice and she has muscles! I can't do that yet. *sigh* but soon!

[betenoireindustries]

great soloist.

[marsbreakfast]

Art was the greatest triumph of generosity in a Royal society, but eventually, it was the highest expression of popularity. Today, The Messiah is even more popular. Yet, "great art," today may be considered derivative, in 200 years. In 2210, we may still be listening to this & Beethoven's 9thS/4thM with Schiller's poetry, Goethe's idea of thought driving it, and people will still be paying the equivalent of money to hear it. We always get hung up over comparatives, but time will be the judge.

[galenct]

I'm not a Christian... but any Oratorio (Religious Opera) or Mass was written with such careful texture and beautiful timbre.

[montagueism]

@Mirist -

The english court, at the time of Handel, was considered one of the least favorable posts in the european art/music world. Handel went there because he was starving while waiting an appointment to a better post...say in France or Austria. He went where the money was, and to his credit and the credit of the English court, succeeded beyond anyone's wildest expectation.

[Abongwe]

Amen alleluja



[Tenortalker]

How wonderful Helen Watts, contralto and April Cantelo , Soprano. April was one of my coaches at the Royal Northern College, Manchester. A very kind lady and skilled tutor . Many professionals have benefitted from her wisdom. She sang the top line in Alfred Deller's consort, worked with Britten at Aldburgh, was hugely successful in Mozart at Glyndebourne and created many roles in contemporary works. What a C.V! Helen Watts passed away last year-- a glorious contralto!

[penguinmama88]

I sang this at 17 with many jewish friends in my choir. Music has no religion, genius does NOT require the sign of god. After all, it's NOT sung in aramaic, is it? anyway...pax vobiscum LOL xox

[mrgrtbfrd]

@penguinmama88 well, it is the English translation of aramaic and also Hebrew, from both old and new testaments. or you can see it as a general triumph of the human spirit. it's the same thing. i've never been sorry i sang this in high school; it's some of the greatest poetry i ever learned.

[cma211]

I want to hear a Darwinist explain the evolution of music. LOL.

Something this beautiful and as inspired as this only comes from the one place alone, the source of the inspiratiion.

[montagueism]

@cma211 That's easy...great musicians get chicks. It's a means of accomplishing the male biological imperative, which is to create the greatest degree of genetic diversity possible by sharing it far and wide.

[MALP1231]

@montagueism Then how do you explain men, such as Cole Porter, and other great musicians, who weren't the least bit interested in copulating, for the purpose of conception, because they were homosexual? I don't think that the purpose of men is to promiscuously disseminate their seed, "far and wide". Their purpose should be to make the world a better place, in every way. And being loving husbands and good fathers is one of those ways. It should be extolled. Having said this: happy Thanksgiving

[montagueism]

@MALP1231 - when we talk about 'evolutionary purposes,' we're talking about groups or populations. picking out one or two counter examples doesn't disprove the theory. Likewise, understand that this biological imperative is just basic programming. It doesn't make every man behave like a flaming slut, it just means that all things being equal and given the opportunity with no downside, most men have the urge to diversify.

[aellarex]

@montagueism Geneticists have now said that mankind nearly went extinct 70,000 y.a. Humanity dwindled to @ 2,000 mating pairs & everyone is closely related. Humankind males & females are apart from other mammals & lower. They can have sex at anytime; they also know they have personal responsibility for sex & its potential for unwanted pregnancy. Most groups in the US & Europe have had continually lowering of the numbers in each tribe. Our world population needs to be @ 2 billion & never more.

[aellarex]

@montagueism Geneticists have now said that mankind nearly went extinct 70,000 y.a. Humanity dwindled to @ 2,000 mating pairs & everyone is closely related. Humankind males & females are apart from other mammals & lower. Mankind can have sex at anytime; they also know they have personal responsibility for sex & its potential for unwanted pregnancy. Most groups in the US & Europe have had continually lowering of the numbers in each tribe. Our world population needs to be @ 2 billion & never more.

[montagueism]

@aellarex I'm with you on your estimate of an optimum human world population. It would take a lot of the pressure off of our shipmates if there were a few less human types running around and gobbling up every nonhuman thing that will fit in their mouths. As to the other, the fact that the human population is increasing at a tremendous rate should tell you how seriously we are about taking responsibility for our reproduction.

[montagueism]

@aellarex I'm with you on your estimate of an optimum human world population. It would take a lot of the pressure off of our shipmates if there were a few less human types running around and gobbling up every nonhuman thing that will fit in their mouths. As to the other, the fact that the human population is increasing at a tremendous rate should tell you how serious we are about taking responsibility for our reproduction.

[mrgrtbfrd]

@cma211 

[bigbaddbrad]

Love the "not religious"or "slightest bit Christian" comments, like people would fault you if you were? Enjoy the music for what it's worth which is actually, come to think of it, worthless in the Darwinist scheme of things! Maybe there is a bit of the "divine spark" lurking somewhere when we "feel" a piece of music like this. Enjoy!

[jpandyaraja]

@bigbaddbrad i love your comment......yes these people want a church very much..

but without god......

[joman2299]

I am not in the slightest bit Christian, but you can't beat the beautiful art architecture and music.

[MiristWurst]

@joman2299

Hi,

The "architect" of this music, wrote it around the text! It had something to say, and He had something to say and if you missed that, you're in love with the frame, and missed the paining, the Masterwork.

But he WAS a Christian. He left his own land, changed his name, and became a member of the (protestant) Christian church where these things could be sung in a language the people could hear, and believe. The word was about a god of love, not religion.

[pigskin100]

Yes, I agree with comments here. I've scoured YouTube for a better version and I can't find one. Such a pity that the sound quality is not brilliant at volume. The tempo is just right for my taste and the voice is brilliant.

[pigskin100]

Such sublime music - I'm not religious but I still love the music for its own sake.

[asunsol]

@pigskin100 I am not religious myself but this music touches my spirituality and it is uplifting, I chose it to start the 2011...spirituality and religion: two concepts that not necessarily have to go hand in hand

[bramarant]

The musical time here is excellent, more to adagio than to andante or faster.

I´ve got a performance by other orchestra and other choir, that´s wonderful too, and that´s when I really knew this work by Haendel, as we usually just listen to the famous "Hallelluyah!".

I think both singers at that other recording sing it just a little more dramatically, then their voices sound fabulous. Differences however are not many at all. This now is pretty fine indeed.

Thanks for having posted it here.

[Karamojo7mm]

I love it... it touches my soul.

[Jesus75enoch]

praise the Lord for such beautiful music!

thank You. i love You.

[buggins610]

I am 52 yrs old.. finally discovering real music. True Christian music that is unmatched.

[wabbbb]

Wonderful words from Isaiah and Matthew, beautifully put together and wonderfully expressed in the music. Thank God.

[ScurvyOaks]

Yes! This is a place where the genius of the librettist really shines. It's a wonderful insight to combine the shepherd portrait of Christ in Isaiah with the Lord's promise of rest to those who travail and are heavy laden in Matthew.

[billyguns2]

Who are the wonderful singers?

[JoanandAlan]

Hello, I am sure I have a compilation of this performance. The details: Rec. 1954. Conductor, Sir Adrian Boult with the London Philharmonic Choir. Jennifer Vyvyan, soprano, Norma Procter, contralto, George Maran, tenor, Owen Brannigan, bass. Although it is a very old recording, it is a stunning performance and I love it.

[buggins610]

thanks for the info. need to know this history, very beautiful and traditional

[wyliesnyder]

Thank you so much for posting this. Absolutely wonderful. The best version by far and I am sure any with a musical background would agree.