Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter Of Zion - First Call

[ancientpaths7]

AMAZING! AMAZING! AMAZING! Are the First Call still singing and performing? I want to be watch them sing!

[interpreter2006]

@ancientpaths7 - Yes they are! The best way to keep up with them is Facebook. Just search for "First Call" and you can see what they are up to! :)

[thrushjz]

I was in the pit orchestra on this show and to those that are saying these singers didn't have vocal skills don't know what you're talking about. First..they used Microphones because we were playing arenas full with 15 to 20 thousand people in attendance. This is not some small church it's an arena. I'd like to see anyone sing with no Mic. to 20,000 people and be heard without Mics. Secondly, these were some of the best singers I've ever worked with and were consumate pros.

[Shadwife7]

Some of the viewers cannot appreciate how edgy this was in 1993. To sing along with a track of nothing but vocals, -- they didn't have in-ear monitors at this time. I sang in the choir and remember sing a lot of wedge monitors. You had to have skill & great pitch intonation in order to sing in tune and stay with this track in varying tempos and no click track either. As to the style - it was super cool in the early 1990 when CCM was a fantastic alternative to FM pop's depressing offerings.

[angelieF66]

theier songs never failed to lift my spirit!!!!

[orovalleydude]

This is not good singing; they would be lost without the mikes. When I see this sort of thing, a "popularized" edition, I wonder why they do it this way: can it be that they do not have the vocal skill to do it any other way? I am not impressed.

[TheMusikat]

@orovalleydude "They do not have the vocal skill?" This is a pretty difficult arrangement, especially considering that it's done a capella. Let's see you do it.

[LoRuCar]

@orovalleydude

This concert was in a huge arena -- of course they used mics. Anybody doing a concert in such a place uses mics. Also, mics are used for recording. This arrangement is very difficult. And it's supposed to be different.

[somewiseguy84]

Are they singing with a recording as well? I'm hearing at least four parts. I'm hearing a bass and tenor distinctly. Am I going nuts or what?

[longeaton34]

I quite like this, fabulous singing trio. But Handel? Oh no. Handel would never have used half of those chords and, to be honest, this is an abomination of one of the finest baroque arias written. How can you update or improve upon something that is already perfect?

[somewiseguy84]

Longeaton34, I think it is wrong to think about this as an attempt to improve or update. This is at its heart a tribute and an entirely different piece, never meant to be compared to the original. It is instead intended to be a celebration of the original and to introduce a little piece of it to a new audience.

[karmakomodia]

I am going to have to disagree with you dearest longeaton34.

Abomination is a strong word..And maybe Handel would be tappin his toe..But then again when it comes to music I am not a purist... However, I adore the Classic baroque aria as well.

Some people who would never listen to the original have now been exposed to it...

Do you have a favorite performer for this work..?

[mfornoff316]

In Handel's day, longeaton34, what we call "baroque" was contemporary. I think that Handel would have no problem adjusting, and bringing his music to a new audience. These arrangements were done with the utmost respect.

[Shadwife7]

@longeaton34 This wasn't meant to compete with Handel's original. It was very edgy in it's day as being a "young people's version of the Messiah" and it is very amazing arranging and vocal performances; live and the vocal track. You aren't casting your vision wide enough to call it an abomination if you can't understand the context in which it was performed. Live vocals - no auto tuned ableton live, etc. Just live vocals on top of a studio track. Really cool in it's time.

[chopped50ford]

I keep going back to this, and have heard the Handel versions, I really didnt care for it since I could not even understand what they were singing, I enjoy this the most cause of the clarity of the song and words. And...there are not instruments...that's got to count for something.

[Shadow18Star]

Hey do you know where to get this video online? Like for VHS or DVD?

[chopped50ford]

why not appreciate the talent, heart and hard work put into it.

I think it sounds great - Awesome

[3rdavenuemusic]

I think I'm really getting sick of purists. Don't try to speak for Handel himself. Who knows what he would have liked. This is just an arrangement.

I have my bachelors in music ed. and have studied classical voice and piano. But I can also appreciate some artistic liscence

Lighten up.

[itachisharkak]

Yelling at the start of the aria (if you could call THIS an aria)is not how I've heard it.

[heremeraldeyes]

I personally hate it. I've performed the messiah 6 times and this is *not* the messiah.

I am a soprano, and this is an *abomination* of one of the most beautiful and magnificent soprano aria's ever written.

[CelloVoice]

But why dear, it's interesting just to see it from another angle :) I personally like it because i think that this is something new...

But of course the original is much perfect than any other arangements... :)

[lanzjoshua]

When it comes to music,there is no such thing as purists. Let's not keep Handel's work in a museum to remain untouched by any innovation of 21st century man. I think even Handel in his grave would welcome such a creative vocal interpretation of his piece.I love the vocals of FC. If you just cover your eyes and not be bothered by the 80s look, you won't puke.

[PeterInglisGuitar]

What an absolutely fab translation of Handel into a modern idiom. The presentation and stagecraft is first class also.

This sort of work is what keeps music alive and relevant.

[1beldivedremo]

i'm a professional singer, and i sing also baroque, but i'm not against this kind of operations. Personally I like them a lot, and I think also that the STRENGHT of Händel's music is so universal that, also in this unbelievable version, it survives. Their wonderful voices touch my soul and i admire them a lot. Of course it's not the filological Messiah but another thing and I think it has the same right to exist and I think also Händel would be happy his music survives in this popular way.

[chopped50ford]

Great response.

[michelecenedese]

They are simply... criminals...

[tommieboy1657]

It's...original, but it isn't really my favourite.

[jmarie86x]

personally, all of you, if you take pride in this arrangment of such an incredible piece of music from the Baroque era, i question your general respect of Handel and music in general..

but thats just me..

[OpheliaImWahn]

I myself am soprnao (professional!) and I am moved by her voices! It´s great, how they work in intonation, rhythm and forte/piano....sorry for my bad english....

[GodsendGirl]

I Looove this arrangement!!

[LetItBe920]

i vomited into my keyboard

[grahamcracker77]

hey, calm down! no one in this video ever claimed that their goal was to make Handel's music relevant. They just took a beuatiful piece of music written by Handel and gave it a contemporary, jazzy feel. If we never experimented with new kinds of music we would still be grunting and yelling like cavemen. And I happen to know personally that every singer in this video is EXTREMELY talented and could sing the original score, and have actually on many recordings.

[Farinrebeccaloeb]

um... this has nothing to do with the actual Handel score... therefore it doesn't make Handel relevant, but simply waters down the music to an unrecognizable piece of crap so they won't have to sing hard coloratura and audiences won't have to think.

[interpreter2006]

I'm sorry, but I have to remove your comment because of the profanity. You are entitled to your opinion, and I guess if you're a Handel purist I can see your point, but back in the 90s this recording did help make Handel feel more relevant to many people. Please feel free to comment again!

[koolblak]

Sir, surely you can't believe Handel wished for this kind of relevance. Are you a baroque-antagonist or do you just enjoy broadcasting criminal imitations of great music...there are periods of darkness in every art and they are best forgotten

[oboistCONDUCTOR]

Nice!to approach people to discover original Handel's music hehehe

[dreiSchlangen]

Gorgeous! I was ready to be impressed beyond belief until I realized it's not just their three voices we're hearing...

Amazing voices all the same!

[alexovalle]

el doblaje es feroz, que feo