Amanda Sewell
Singers and musicians sit on the first floor during a previous âMessiah Singâ at Central United Methodist Church. Record-Eagle file photo
In 1956, Leonard Bernstein raised more than a few eyebrows when he reorganized Handelâs âMessiahâ for a performance at Carnegie Hall. Critics were horrified that Bernstein would dare violate the sanctity of Handelâs piece.
This time of year (at least, pre-COVID), there are all kinds of âMessiahâ presentations, such as âMessiahâ singalongs that feature only the choruses and skip everything else. Some organizations only perform the Christmas portion of âMessiahâ but then append the Hallelujah chorus at the end. Radio broadcasts trim out movements so the entire work fits neatly in a 120-minute slot. Donât these changes go against Handelâs intentions for the piece, too?