Carolina Vocal Arts Ensemble

Carolina Vocal Arts Ensemble
Stephen Field, Director
presents

Hallelujah for Handel!

Elisabeth MacKay, soprano
Wes Rickard, tenor
Benjamin Horrell, baritone

~~~~~Program~~~~~
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

Chandos Anthem No. 1 HWV 246
O Be Joyful in the Lord	Psalm 100
1. Sonata
2. O, Be Joyful	Tenor and Chorus
O, be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands!
3. Serve the Lord with Gladness	Chorus
Serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with a song.
4. Be Ye Sure That the Lord is God	Soprano, Baritone
Be ye sure that the Lord he is God, it is he that has made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
5. O Go Your Way Into His Gates	Chorus
O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and speak good of his name.
6. For the Lord is Gracious	Soprano, Tenor, Baritone
For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endures from generation to generation.
7. Glory to the Father	Chorus
Glory be to the Father, glory be to the Son, and to the holy Ghost.
8. As It Was In the Beginning	Chorus
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end, Amen.
~~~~~Intermission~~~~~
Messiah HWV 56	Parts II and III
1. Overture
2. Chorus
Behold the Lamb of God That taketh away the sins of the world. [John 1:29]
3. Soprano Air
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words until the ends of the world. [Romans 10:15, 18]

4. Chorus
Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him. [Isaiah 53: 4-5]
5. Chorus
And with his stripes we are healed. [Isaiah 53:5]
6. Chorus
All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. [Isaiah 53:6]
7. Tenor Recitative
He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision. [Psalm 2:4]
8. Tenor Air
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel. [Psalm 2:9]
9. Chorus
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign for ever and ever. King of kings, and Lord of lords. Hallelujah! [Rev. 19:6; 20:15; 19:16]
10. Chorus
Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. [I Cor. 15:51-52]
11. Bass Recitative
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep; but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. [ICor. 15:52]
12. Bass Air
The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. [I Cor. 15:52]
13. Soprano Air
If God be for us, who can be against us? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is at the right hand of God, who makes intercession for us. [Romans 8:31-34}
14. Chorus
Worthy is the lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by his blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. Blessing and honor, glory and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. Amen. [Rev 5:12-13]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I did think I did see all heaven before me, and the great God himself.” Handel’s reply on being asked what his feelings were while writing the Hallelujah Chorus. (1741)
“Handel understands effect better than any of us – when he chooses, he strikes like a thunderbolt.” ~~Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart