Messiah

A performance on original instruments The Hanover Band and The Hanover Band Chorus brings this seasonal masterpiece to the wonderful setting of Church of St Cross in Winchester, directed by Robert Howarth and featuring soprano Phillipa Hyde and Tenor Bradley Smith
While most oratorios put the spotlight on the soloists, Handel's Messiah has the chorus at its heart, showcasing its singers in everything from the exhilarating (and incredibly demanding) fugue "He trusted in God" to the rapt wonder and stillness of 'Worthy is the Lamb'.
Part II of Handel's oratorio ends with the work's - quite possibly Handel's - most famous music: the 'Hallelujah' Chorus. Its appeal is obvious and immediate: shouts of rejoicing are passed back and forth among the choir like trumpets. Rhythms are crisp and peremptory, and the counterpoint builds up satisfyingly to an explosive, exultant climax. It's impossible not to swept up in it.
Less obvious is the history behind the strange tradition that sees audiences rise to their feet during performances of this chorus. Many claim that George II, deeply moved and impressed by Handel's music, spontaneously stood at this moment during the premiere, forcing the rest of the crowd to join him. But no contemporary accounts bear this out, so perhaps he was just standing up to stretch his legs, or perhaps he was never even there at all. We'll never know the truth, so standing remains strictly optional.
A truly magical performance not to be missed.