Re: Chanukah concert Insane Lewis

[Alex Lubet <lubet001...>]

If my memory serves me, even Messiah draws its texts exclusively from those 
Tanach passages, esp Isaiah, which Christians regard as prophecies of 
Jesus' coming.

At 09:53 AM 12/15/2003 -0600, you wrote:

>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

Alex Lubet, Ph. D.
Morse Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor of Music
Adjunct Professor of American and Jewish Studies
University of Minnesota
100 Ferguson Hall
Minneapolis, MN 55455
612 624-7840 (o)
612 699-1097 (h)
612 624-8001  ATTN:  Alex Lubet (FAX)

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