ALAMOSA — The San Luis Valley Symphony will join the Valley Community Concert Choir in a performance of “Messiah," and the iconic Hallelujah Chorus by George Frideric Handel on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. in Richardson Hall on the campus of Adams State University in Alamosa. The symphony will have an encore performance with piano at Sacred Heart Church in Alamosa on Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. 

Symphony founder and director William Lipke told the Valley Courier he started the symphony in 2004 and, "The symphony is composed of professional musicians, Adams State students, and community members. I've been the conductor and will be the conductor of these performances. We have had guest conductors. I have collaborated with David Schneider and Nancy West [with the choir] before, and we didn't get to perform together in recent years because of COVID, we are really excited to be together again after a seven-year hiatus.” 

Messiah is an orchestral and choral piece of music called an oratorio. Lipke distinguished between an opera and an oratorio as both are for voices: “The difference is that with opera, we have costume, scenery and acting, and with an oratorio, we have the orchestra, vocal soloists, and chorus. 

"This is a sacred oratorio in three parts, and we will perform the first part and the Hallelujah Chorus. George Frideric Handel was a German composer who then went to Italy, where he learned to compose opera, he then went to England and composed this in a burst of inspiration in about 24 days. This was first performed as a benefit to get people out of debtors’ prison. This was a fantastic benefit concert.” 

The first part of Messiah prophesies the birth of Jesus Christ; the second exalts his sacrifice for humankind; and the third section celebrates his Resurrection. Handel composed the music, and Charles Jennens wrote the text called a libretto. 

As Lipke said, “this is a sacred oratorio,” and the work's full title is "Messiah: A sacred oratorio," although many people think of it as “The Messiah.” The oratorio had its premiere in Dublin in 1742 and was performed in London the following year 

Messiah begins with a wonderful, albeit mournful, symphonic overture and is followed by a stirring vocal recitative sung by a baritone, "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God," is a biblical text from the book of Isaiah. 

The concert will include the Hallelujah Chorus, and Lipke discussed the tradition the audience partakes in by standing up at the beginning, "Yes, it is possible the King did stand up for the chorus, and I think it is a great tradition the audience stands up for the Hallelujah Chorus." The tradition began at the 1743 London premiere; upon hearing the first few notes of it, King George II was so moved he stood up to show his reverence and adoration. In 1743, when the King stood up, so did the audience. This tradition continues to most performances today. 

The chorus is known worldwide and on New Year’s Day in 1863, the Handel and Haydn Society performed the Hallelujah Chorus in a Boston celebration of the news Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. 

Lipke noted that while many people know Handel composed “Messiah,” he composed numerous other oratorios. "He wrote many oratorios based on strong characters from the Old Testament that provided really dramatic material. 

"Messiah has universal appeal, and Handel was really in his element drawing from his grounding in German contrapuntal writing and the Italian vocal style, which is a perfect blending of that," said Lipke. 

There is a suggested donation of $10 for the concerts, but Lipke said no one would be turned away for lack of funds, and anyone is welcome to donate more than the suggested rate. 

The SLV Symphony, under the direction of William Lipke, and the Valley Community Choir, under the direction of Nancy West, will present George Frideric Handel's Messiah on Friday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. in Richardson Hall on the campus of Adams State University. The symphony will have an encore performance with piano at Sacred Heart Church in Alamosa on Dec. 13 at 7 p.m.