Thank You Mr Handel, Thank You RDCS

A full church and everyone takes their seats

As the final “Amen” rang out in St Peter’s Church Ruddington last night Handel’s great Messiah came to a close and the audience erupted as one into a tremendous applause. Christmas had arrived for me, and I suspect very many of the audience, choir and orchestra. Everyone in the church knew that they had witnessed and taken part in something not only very special – the 50^th anniversary of the Ruddington and District Choral Society - but also a very special performance.  The Choir has performed this piece many, many times over the years – but I suspect none more successfully or more fully and warmly acclaimed than this. To say that everyone put their hearts into it does not begin to do it justice.  (See previous blog: http://arbeale.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/sdgsoli-deo-gloria-to-god-alone-glory.html).

The day had started well. When the postman delivered the mail, included in our little pile of Christmas cards was one easily recognisable from its envelope. The oriental script  and the “air mail” stamp told us that it had come from Japan. A young Japanese lady who lived in Nottingham until three or four years ago and was a keen choir member each year sends a card and a small donation to the choir – for the card to have arrived just before the performance seemed a good omen from the far side of the world.

The audience stood as one for the "Hallelujah"

Sadly, however, things soon began to look less auspicious. The omens ceased to look so good! Winter chills, sickness bugs and throat infections had meant that a number of stalwarts had had to cry off and so depleted the choir. And only a few hours before the performance was due to start two of the soloists succumbed to illness and so replacements had to be found at very short notice. Programmes had to be amended to advise the audience of the changes – it was a very busy day! Having rehearsed throughout the afternoon everyone would have felt just a little anxious and perhaps a little jaded.

The "Amen" reaches its climax

But, as they say, “it was alright on the night” – well actually it wasn’t – it was quite magical, an outstanding performance by anyone’s standards and a fitting tribute not only to the current choir but indeed all those people who have been part of it during the last fifty years. Every single person rose to the occasion wonderfully. The soloists were superb and the orchestra – English Pro Musica - truly outstanding. But, of course, the real star was yet again Handel’s great oratorio. From the very first note, through the next two hours, to the point where the audience stood as one when the great  Hallelujah Chorus sounded and when the audience erupted as the final Amen rang out this was a recognition of something great and wonderful.

And the applause burst out!

I have no doubts that if Mr Handel was looking down on our village church last night he might just have nodded his head in approval – and maybe he pondered upon and smiled that three centuries after the wrote his mighty piece it is still performed and loved by so many throughout England and the rest of the world.

Christmas is here. Thank you, Mr Handel, thank you RDCS!