Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Christmas Arts Canon IV (Handel’s Singalong)
The Fourth of Four Days Devoted to Canonical Christmas Works
About Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah is a day to honor Messiah by George Frideric Handel, one of the most celebrated works of the Christmas season. Here are two common opinions about the oratorio. First opinion: Composed in just 24 days in 1741, it’s a masterpiece of musical storytelling, capturing the life, death, and resurrection of Christ with transcendent beauty. Iconic moments like the uplifting Hallelujah Chorus still inspire awe and reverence three centuries later. Second opinion: It’s as boring as the word oratorio might suggest. Avoid at all costs or only listen to the good part, the Hallelujah Chorus, while you’re baking “Messiah Macarons.” [Editor’s note: We refuse to be drawn into this controversy.]
Ways to observe
(A) Low effort
Listen to the “Hallelujah Chorus” or another movement from Messiah. Reflect on its emotional power and the joy it brings.
(B) Recommended
Stream or attend a performance of Messiah and let its grandeur inspire your day. Afterward, gather your household to sing a few Christmas hymns or carols, creating your own celebratory music.
(C) High effort
Organize a caroling group in your neighborhood. Let Handel’s Messiah inspire your selection of hymns, or add a mix of traditional carols. End the evening with a warm gathering to share stories and Messiah Macarons.
Inspiration
Messiah has a reputation: towering, intricate, and a bit much if you’re just casually tuning in. If you’re not tracking the libretto, it can feel like standing outside a cathedral with your ear to the door. Something magnificent is happening inside, but you’re not quite part of it. The best way to experience Messiah isn’t from a velvet seat with perfect acoustics; it’s from within a ragtag community choir, sight-reading your way through For Unto Us a Child Is Born and trying not to miss your entrance on “Wonderful, Counselor.” Across the country, singalong Messiahs welcome the brave, the curious, and even the off-key. And once you’ve sung it, you won’t be able to stop. The music lodges in your brain like a joyful fugue.
That participatory spirit would have pleased Handel. In 1741, he composed the oratorio in a 24-day burst of inspiration after receiving a scriptural libretto from Charles Jennens. Though originally meant for Easter, Messiah drifted toward December thanks to its nativity-themed opening. It premiered in Dublin as a charity benefit, and charitable performances remain part of its DNA. Despite its sacred roots, Messiah broke barriers. Handel fused the dramatic flair of opera with the spiritual solemnity of religious music, earning not only popular acclaim but also a dash of royal legend: tradition says King George II stood during the Hallelujah Chorus, launching a custom that persists in concert halls today. I stand, even if I’m listening at home. Think of it as the Pledge of Allegiance for Christmas devotees.
Adornments
Watch
Too Hot to Handel: The Gospel Messiah (2024)
The Gospel Messiah is a joyful, genre-blending reimagining of Handel’s Messiah, infused with gospel, jazz, and R&B. It’s electrifying and impossible to sit still through.
Traditional Messiah Performance
Experience Messiah in its classic form, as performed by a renowned choir and orchestra. Many organizations make it an annual tradition. Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society has performed Messiah yearly for over a century.
Listen
Handel’s Messiah by Performed by Dunedin Consort (2006)
This award-winning recording by the Dunedin Consort, conducted by John Butt, is widely regarded as one of the most historically informed and emotionally resonant renditions of Messiah. Performed with period instruments and drawing from original Dublin premiere arrangements, it captures both the intimacy and grandeur of the oratorio.
Eternal Source of Light Divine by G.F. Handel
Originally composed as a birthday ode for Queen Anne in 1713, this radiant piece has become a popular selection at royal weddings and Christmas concerts alike.
Read
Every Valley: The Story of Handel’s Messiah by Charles King
A fascinating new history that casts Messiah in a fresh light, by revealing the murky circumstances of its creation and the very human stories of its makers. King’s research humanizes Handel and librettist Charles Jennens, showing that this seemingly exalted oratorio emerged from personal struggles.