Chanukah concert Insane Lewis

[Fred Blumenthal <xd2fabl...>]

For most of its 33 years of existence the St. Louis Circle of Jewish Music 
has sponsored an annual Chanukah choral festival.  This year we begin a 
new tradition in collaboration with the suburban University City Symphony 
Orchestra - a "Judas Maccabeus" sing-along.  Taking place (this year) at 
United Hebrew Congregation on December 20th, the combined choirs of most 
of the city's Jewish congregations will collaborate with the Orchestra, 
directed by Dr. Leon Burke, III, with solos sung by members of the Circle. 
 Audience members may purchase a score for $18 which serves as a ticket 
for this and all future years, and then may sing along with the on-bima 
choir.

In researching the program notes I've become further surprised at the 
story of Handel's writing such a Jewish oratorio.  "Messiah" 
notwithstanding, the vast majority of Handel's oratorios are on subjects 
from Tanach - "Old Testament" to him - "Deborah," "Israel in Egypt," 
"Joseph and His Brethren," etc.  And "Judas Maccabeus" goes even one step 
further by NOT being of O.T. provenance, and hence lacking even that 
relevance for Christians.  Apparently there was a political metaphor - a 
recently suppressed revolution.  But I prefer the apocryphal story that 
Handel was advised to compose for royalty and the aristocracy, but wanted 
to see seats filled in the theater, and so wrote for the Jews.

Fred Blumenthal
xd2fabl (at) us(dot)ibm(dot)com