tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post1646531563783366531..comments2024-03-15T20:32:39.815+00:00Comments on On An Overgrown Path: Standing on traditionUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-23496267134224161502008-12-27T05:56:00.000+00:002008-12-27T05:56:00.000+00:00One more response here: Yes, we stand up for the H...One more response here: Yes, we stand up for the Hallelujah chorus in Florida. The thing that intrigues me most is the prevalence of the chorus. When we sang the first part last Christmas, our director tacked on the chorus at the end. And when we did parts 2 & 3 for Easter, we sang it twice! At its usual spot, and again tacked on at the end of Part 3. But the congregation only stood on that second time. It's a curious habit, but I bet we're not the only choir to perform it this way.Kyle Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10650247755477900021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-45590991659749029432008-12-22T19:29:00.000+00:002008-12-22T19:29:00.000+00:00OM, I'll certainly second your final comment.The q...OM, I'll certainly second your final comment.<BR/><BR/>The question about standing was almost a throwaway line from me.<BR/><BR/>Who would have thought it would generate one of the biggest ever responses to any of my posts?<BR/><BR/>As I said in the post - <I>'Isn't classical music strange?'</I>Pliablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616598845886342325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-20095298976322164612008-12-22T19:20:00.000+00:002008-12-22T19:20:00.000+00:00Lots of standing at the Messiah's I've attended al...Lots of standing at the Messiah's I've attended although it is often a claque of super-eager standers that lead the way followed reluctantly by the rest of us.<BR/><BR/>I rather enjoy the standing as a sort of seventh inning stretch activity that restores my consciousness to 100% and gives me hope that the end is near.<BR/><BR/>The super-eager claque are also all inevitably former choristers who feel the need to reinforce the contracted vocal forces with their own contribution.<BR/><BR/>I like Messiah but it is the "all the world's a stage" aspect of these sorts of things that I find more intriguing.The Omniscient Musselhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15405040692602334654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-22274093366468802032008-12-22T16:12:00.000+00:002008-12-22T16:12:00.000+00:00Another one for Australia: you see plenty of stand...Another one for Australia: you see plenty of standing – although not everyone feels the urge to stand and those who want to remain seated don't seem bothered about doing that.<BR/><BR/>However, I can't recall ever seeing a conductor encourage the audience to stand, nor have I ever seen a program book that instructs people to stand. Occasionally it will be referred to in a historical note, but without an invitation or instruction either way.Yvonnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12366719327679353086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-2214210595774100672008-12-22T04:20:00.000+00:002008-12-22T04:20:00.000+00:00When the New York Philarmonic played Messiah last ...When the New York Philarmonic played <EM>Messiah</EM> last week under the direction of Ton Koopman, there was a program note similar to the Boston Baroque one noted above, discussing the origins of the standing tradition and inviting audience members to do as they wished. On the night I attended, nearly everyone stood - some shot up right away, while others followed a half-minute or so later, some with bemused or sheepish looks on their faces that suggested that they weren't really sure what was going on and felt they should follow the crowd.Joseph Koczera, S.J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08185534774059012251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-17510651689302064712008-12-20T10:53:00.000+00:002008-12-20T10:53:00.000+00:00As Pliable at al. note, and although Texas isn't a...As Pliable at al. note, and although Texas isn't a former colony, we do in here too. The only other time we stand during the music is for the national anthem, and some cognitive psychologist might find in that an explanation as to why so many felt that "singing along" automatically goes with "standing up," as we experienced last week when our 17-year-old sang in the choir with the local symphony in Austin.'https://www.blogger.com/profile/11319301440797739473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-38310081221017919952008-12-19T21:57:00.000+00:002008-12-19T21:57:00.000+00:00In Australia they do too. I sang Messiah seven tim...In Australia they do too. I sang Messiah seven times in the last four weeks, and in all concets, in Melbourne and in country Victoria, the audience stood. It was triggerred by the conductor and members of the audience.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16313211924666530705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-84437674169955538722008-12-18T16:05:00.000+00:002008-12-18T16:05:00.000+00:00I saw David Willcocks conduct the choir at Queens´...I saw David Willcocks conduct the choir at Queens´College in Cambridge just a couple of weeks ago: it was at evensong to mark Richard Hickox's death just a couple of days after he died. He certainly can still inspire chamber-scale choirs as well.John Bickleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17694688768156299402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-35170422828529478942008-12-17T07:52:00.000+00:002008-12-17T07:52:00.000+00:00Scott, thanks for that. And it is wonderful to hea...Scott, thanks for that. And it is wonderful to hear that Sir David Willcocks is still making great music in his 78th year.Pliablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616598845886342325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-32864069577569677462008-12-17T02:43:00.000+00:002008-12-17T02:43:00.000+00:00" Do audiences outside Britain stand for the "Hall..." Do audiences outside Britain stand for the "Hallelujah” chorus in Handel's Messiah? "<BR/><BR/>In Canada, yes. A few days ago in Toronto, David Willcocks conducted what was reportedly a superb Messiah, and turned to motion the audience to stand before he began the Hallelujah chorus.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-13916531748026399852008-12-15T19:31:00.000+00:002008-12-15T19:31:00.000+00:00An interesting variation from the former colonies:...An interesting variation from the former colonies: in the program for Boston Baroque's annual <I>Messiah</I>, they have a little box explaining the tradition, the pros and cons, concluding by basically saying if you want to stand, go ahead, if you don't, you're historically covered. The (possibly predictably American) result is, of course, haphazard disorganization.Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10936327293692397100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-88450672888992591272008-12-15T15:36:00.000+00:002008-12-15T15:36:00.000+00:00Oh yes, at every performance of the Messiah that I...Oh yes, at every performance of the Messiah that I've been to here in the US, the audience stands. In fact, the instructions to do so have even appeared in programs.Justin Friellohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16830899873767395419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-87814349518650823922008-12-15T14:00:00.000+00:002008-12-15T14:00:00.000+00:00...and another.Oh yes, we "colonists" stand in Ame...<I> ...and another.</I><BR/><BR/>Oh yes, we "colonists" stand in America for the "Hallelujah!" chorus. I grew up in a large Presbyterian church in the midwest that had the congregation rise and face the Resurrection stained glass window at the rear of the sanctuary (it was an impressive sight).<BR/><BR/>The King George stories are various, I guess. I heard the one that he fell asleep and that the resounding opening chords of the chorus startled him awake, causing him to jump to his feet.<BR/><BR/>Now I wonder which British monarch instituted American baseball's 7th inning 'stretch'?<BR/><BR/>Carol MurchiePliablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616598845886342325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-88742436218504053202008-12-15T13:57:00.000+00:002008-12-15T13:57:00.000+00:00Email received:Do people outside the U.K. stand fo...<I>Email received:</I><BR/><BR/>Do people outside the U.K. stand for the Hallelujah Chorus? They certainly do in Canada (gee, I wonder why.....), unless they are told not to.<BR/><BR/>They even stand if it's played as an excerpt in a School Christmas concert (except, in Public schools--not like your Public schools--they're not allowed to say Christmas in order to be P.C.) or by a brass band, etc.<BR/><BR/>Lot's of people wearing tight knickers? Doubt it. <BR/><BR/>Cheers <BR/>David CavlovicPliablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616598845886342325noreply@blogger.com