Sacred music has endured for centuries with transcendent performances every holiday season.
The National Philharmonic performs George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah” at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland, on Dec. 16 and 17, followed by a performance at Capital One Hall in Tysons, Virginia, on Dec. 20.
“It’s the longest nonstop-running show in the history of civilization,” music director Piotr Gajewski told WTOP. “From the year it premiered in 1742, it’s had revivals every single year, first only in England, then it came over to the U.S. in 1770. … Carnegie Hall gets built in 1891, and in the very first year, they perform it. … Strathmore opened in 2005, we played it the very first year and we’ve had annual performances since. It’s kind of amazing.”
Gajewski will conduct the Philharmonic alongside the Baltimore Choral Arts Society and acclaimed soloists in soprano Aundi Marie Moore, mezzo soprano Lucia Bradford, tenor Norman Shankle and baritone Jorell Williams.
“It’s an all African American cast, which is kind of by design,” Gajewski said. “Recent scholarship found that Handel was somewhat involved in the transatlantic slave trade, obviously a very nasty part of history. … We thought about how to address that in the 21st century. Do we not perform the piece? What we came up with was to turn it upside down and use it as a vehicle to promote African American singers and also fund community needs.”
Thus, a portion of ticket sales will once again go to the Scotland African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Zion Church in Potomac, Maryland. Founded in 1905, the church was built in 1924 and became a perennial flood victim.
“They’re actively rebuilding it, and by the way, their chorus is going to appear before our concert in the lobby because they have a wonderful gospel choir,” Gajewski said.
As for the actual concert, you’ll definitely know these tunes.
“It’s the whole story of the Christmas story,” Gajewski said. “People know these tunes. They know them from church, they know them from the radio, of course the ‘Hallelujah’ chorus: ‘Hallelujah! Hallelujah!’ And then choruses like ‘All We Like Sheep’ and ‘Worthy is the Lamb’ and just on and on, the tenor solo ‘Every Valley Shall Be Exalted,’ all of these tunes are tunes that people will recognize literally from pop culture.”
It’s sure to put you into the holiday spirit with soaring carols within the decked halls of two festive venues.
“We’re incredibly fortunate in the Washington area to have these fabulous performing spaces,” Gajewski said. “Strathmore is really, truly at the top of the list. It’s beautiful, it has incredible acoustics with all of the modern technology, and of course for the holidays, it’s decorated with Christmas trees and other holiday decorations. Then Capital One Hall is totally brand new, it’s two years old, so again, just a fabulous performance space.”
