MU Choirs Listening Exemplars for “Bach Up! Handel with Care!”

CHORALE

Bach: “Wachet auf!” from Cantata 140, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme

• American Bach Soloists, Jeffrey Thomas, cond.

• Trinity College Choir, Cambridge,

WOMEN’S CHOIR

Bach: “Wir eilen mit schwachen” from Cantata 78, Jesu, der du meine Seele

• Millersville University Women’s Choir, Jeffrey Gemmell, cond.

UNIVERSITY CHOIR

Bach: “Schafe können sicher weiden” from Cantata 208, Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd

• Concert Vocal-Simfonic Oradea Vokál-Szimfonikus Koncert Nagyvárad,

CHORAL UNION

Bach: “Wohl mir, dass ich Jesum habe” from Cantata 147, Herz und Mund und That und Leben

Group unknown (Concentus Musicus Wien?), Nikolaus Harnoncourt, cond.

CHORAL UNION

Handel: Excerpts from Messiah

• Sinfony (Overture)
  •  English Baroque Soloists and Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardiner, cond.
• Chorus: “And the glory of the Lord”
  •  Concentus Musicus Wien, Stockholm Kammerkören, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, cond.
• Chorus: “And he shall purify” (Chorale only)
  •  English Baroque Soloists and Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardiner, cond.
• Recit (solo): “Behold, a virgin shall conceive”
  •  English Baroque Soloists and Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardiner, cond.
• Air/Chorus (solo/chorus): “O thou that tallest good tidings to Zion”
  •  English Baroque Soloists and Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardiner, cond.
• Chorus: “For unto us a child is born” (Chorale only)
  •  Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Andrew Davis, cond.
• Pifa (Pastoral Symphony)
  •  Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood, cond.
• Recit (solo(s)):
  • There were shepherds abiding in the field
  • And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them
  • And the angel said unto them
  • And suddenly there was with the angel
    •  Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood, cond.
• Chorus: Glory to God
  •  English Baroque Soloists and Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardiner, cond.
• Chorus: Hallelujah
  •  Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Robert Shaw, cond.
• Chorus: Since by man came death
  •  English Baroque Soloists and Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardiner, cond.
• Chorus: Worthy is the Lamb
  •  English Baroque Soloists and Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardiner, cond

For more historical context regarding the significance of Handel’s Messiah, check out this fascinating BBC Documentary: Messiah at the Foundling Hospital.