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Enthusiasts sing in the season Annual event brings out lovers of George Frideric Handel�s �Messiah� By Bill Kettler The basses thundered and the sopranos soared, trading phrases that were old 200 years ago. "King of kings," the sopranos hailed, "and lord of lords." "Forever and ever," boomed the basses. Familiar refrains from George Frideric Handel�s "Messiah" rang through Medford�s Congregational United Church of Christ Sunday. With accompaniment from a string quintet, about 60 people started the holiday season with a song fest that has become a tradition at the east Medford church. The church first organized a "Messiah" sing-along in 1995. The Rev. Paul Robinson said inspiration came from several church members who were singing in a choral music group that was rehearsing non-traditional music for its Christmas performance. "People were saying �We miss the Christmas music,�" he said, so the church decided to provide an opportunity for them and others in the community to sing what they loved. Members of the Rogue Valley Symphony were engaged to perform Handel�s music as a string quintet and soloists were hired to sing some of the most-beloved selections. "We do it every year on the Sunday following Thanksgiving," he said. "It helps open the holiday season. A lot of people just like to sing it. "We sing basically the main choruses. It doesn�t go on forever." The church charges $5 per person to cover the costs of hiring musicians. Anyone is welcome to sing � or just listen. "We�re lucky if we break even on it," Robinson said, "but the purpose isn�t to make money. People just love to sing it." Most of the singers had some experience with Handel�s long and demanding oratorio, which was first performed in 1742. "I�ve probably sung it about 200 times," said Bill Matthews of Medford, a graying tenor who first sang the music in college. He said the music�s beautiful melodies make it appealing to modern audiences. "It moves and it has momentum," he said, "and once you get it in your head, you can walk in and do it again." Like many singers who know the score, Matthews enjoys testing himself against Handel�s music. "It�s challenging because the vocal parts come in at different times," he said, "and there are big intervals between the notes. In (typical) church hymns the melody goes where you think it will. This jumps up and down a lot more." Some people came just to hear others sing. "I love to come here and hear the group sing it," said Sue Haskell, of Ashland. "The acoustics are so beautiful here. I always feel moved." "I don�t know very much about music," she said. "But this is a piece I have played over and over again at home." Robinson said Handel�s composition remains universally popular at a time when many congregations can�t agree on what kind of music to include in their worship services. Some people want contemporary music and electric guitars. Others want traditional hymns. "One of the losing jobs in any church is to select the hymns," he said. "Music is no longer a common denominator in many of our settings. The music tends to polarize people and it never used to do that. "The �Messiah� remains above the fray," he said. "People of any age will set aside their theological differences and say �This is a truly religious experience, and it always has been and it always will be.�" Robinson said the music�s spiritual power helps people prepare emotionally for the true meaning of Christmas. "It draws you into a kind of experience which is associated with this season and sets the tone to help you internally combat all the glitz we�re going to have to endure to get to Christmas, and that�s why people like it." Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.