Let’s Sing: The Hallelujah Chorus

This is the third post in the blog series Let’s Sing. To find the other posted Carols of the season, see the index, https://revbroyles.me/2020/12/06/lets-sing/

Well friends, I made a mistake on the calendar. The calendar said, “Come Though Long Expected Jesus” was today’s song. That would have been fine except we just talked about that hymn day before yesterday. I don’t have that much to say about it so I found something else.

Not too many years ago, flash mobs (groups of people who gathered in a public place and sang for whoever might be gathered or passing by. Many different songs were sung, including the “Hallelujah Chorus” and many others. I found a video of a flash mob singing the “Hallelujah Chorus” in a mall food court. For those who would rather hear the words than read them, check up the video below. The printed lyrics are below the video as well as part of Handel’s story.

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth
(Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah)
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth
(Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah)

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
(Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah)

For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth
(Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah) Hallelujah
The Kingdom of this world Is become
The Kingdom of our Lord And of His Christ
And of His Christ And He shall reign forever and ever
And He shall reign forever and ever
(And He shall reign forever and ever)
And He shall reign forever and ever
(And He shall reign forever and ever)
And he shall reign forever and ever
(And He shall reign forever and ever)

King of Kings
(Forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah)
And Lord of Lords
(Forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah)
King of Kings
(Forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah)
And Lord of Lords (Forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah)
King of Kings (Forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah)
And Lord of Lords King of Kings and Lord of Lords
And he shall reign forever and ever (And he shall reign)
And he shall reign forever and ever (And he shall reign)
King of Kings forever and ever
And Lord of Lords hallelujah hallelujah
And he shall reign forever, forever and ever
King of Kings and Lord of Lords
King of Kings and Lord of Lords
And he shall reign forever and ever
(And he shall reign forever and ever)
Forever and ever, forever and ever
(King of Kings and Lord of Lords)
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah Hallelujah

George Frederick Handel wrote the Halleluiah Chorus in 1741 as part of his work, The Messiah. It was the greatest work of Handel’s life.

That year and previous years had seen him have numerous musical failures. He was deeply in debt. Debtor’s prison was a real possibility for him. He tried to write but got nothing from it. He was depressed, scared, unwilling to eat and found home depressing but still wouldn’t leave home for some greener pastures. He had worked hard and had nothing to show for it.

In late 1741 Handel was given funding by a group of charities from Dublin, Ireland. They asked him to do something that should have lows. The money raised would help free those stuck in debtors’ prison. Handel would also receive his own commission for composing the work, which in turn helped him on his path to reversing his own misfortune.

Prior to beginning work on The Messiah Handel stayed in bed. He rarely left the bed and didn’t eat. He suddenly started seeing the words of the great hymn. He went to work only now he rarely slept and still wasn’t eating .

In the end, the work was 260 pages long and he completed working in just 24 days. The first performance was in Dublin Ireland some six months after the chorus’ completion.

Many different choirs, orchestras, choruses, and more have provided great renditions of the work for almost 300 years. You can find MANY YouTube videos of the work online. My personal favorite was done by the Silent Monks Chorus. Take a look.

The Messiah in general and the “Hallelujah Chorus” in particular is just one of the songs we can call “sounds of the season, even if it ended up here as the result of a careless accident.

Be blessed.

Seeking the Genuine,
Keith

Published by drjkbroyles

I love Mike Ashcraft's book, "My One Word." For the past nine years I have participated and encouraged others to participate to in the "My One Word" Challenge. My first word was discipline was my word the first year. Since then my word has been focus, sight, jungle, peace, concentration, serve, genuine and this year is fit. I seek to be fit for my health, my family, my church, my ministries. I seek to be fit in any are of my life where God might point to me. I also have a nickname, "Dr. B." When I was a public high school teacher, Dr. B. is what most of my students called me, at least in my presence. I am still called that by many people though I no longer teach in public schools. I am the author of "Average Joe: With an Extraordinary Story" (available on Amazon). The book fits into the genre of "Biblical Fiction" or "Christian Fiction" and features some of the Bible's lesser known characters. The name of my blog is, "Fork in the Road." Life is filled with forks in the road. It isn't a matter of if we encounter a fork in the road, but when will we and how many will we experience in a lifetime. I love to strum my guitar. I am not a great guitar player but I enjoy it. I also enjoy writing music. I get excited with I feel a new song emerging. I live with my wife Cindy and our little dog, "Bishop" in Lufkin, Texas. I spent the past 30 years as a United Methodist pastor, serving churches all over east and southeast Texas, from just north of Tyler to south of Houston, from the Gulf Coast to east of Madisonville. I currently serve Perritte Memorial UMC in Nacogdoches. I spent one year in the classroom, teaching High School government, economics, psychology, and sociology. Cindy and I have been married for 43 years. We have two grown sons and six grandchildren, three boys and three girls. I enjoy preaching and all it's aspects from research to writing to the actual preaching event. I also love writing, reading. I have dabble in drawing and "painting" with pastels as well as woodworking and woodcarving. My current projects are two ukuleles. I collect, repair and restore guitars too. I play the guitar (badly, but I still do) I also enjoy working with paracord on various projects, mostly prayer ropes I usually give away. I hold an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Data Processing, from San Jacinto College in Pasadena, TX, a Bachelor of Science in Political Science with a minor in History from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX, a Master of Divinity from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX and a Doctor of Ministry from Carolina University of Theology. This blog started out as devotional writings. In August of 2020, I made a major change to the blog, switching to a daily theme format. Sunday Sermon-usually my manuscript sermon Miscellaneous Monday-misc. writing, poetry, ministry Tuesday Thoughts-Devotion Wed. with Wesleys-hist. & theol. of early Methodists TED Talk Thursday-Video & appl. in current theology Five for Friday-5 things I've seen & my thoughts Sing-Along Sat. - Usually a new song I have written I write, "Strumming a G-Chord with Dr.B." to get my thoughts onto something permanent. After all, they say, once something is on the internet it never really goes away. Still, I hope you enjoy reading it. Who knows, it might generate a bit of discussion between you and me and anyone else who might make their way here. Seeking the Genuine, Keith Lufkin, Texas August 2020 View more posts

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