Standing Up For Handel

To the Editor:

Once again the music department at Newtown High School put on truly magnificent winter concerts. I attended the one on December 15, and as the audience stood for one of the world’s most beautiful pieces of music, Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus,” a number of people near me looked positively baffled, and several remain seated, one almost belligerently.

Handel’s Messiah dates from 1741. It is said that King George II (or another George, depending on who is telling the story) stood up during the “Hallelujah Chorus,” and as no one could remain seated while the king stood, everyone else stood as well. Another says that Haydn heard the chorus at Westminster Abbey and stood weeping, saying, “He is the master of us all!” Scientist and amateur choral singer Stephen Jay Gould said that he loved the practice, though he had doubts about its origin. At any rate, it has become a tradition, especially in English-speaking countries, from England to New Zealand.

 I have heard the chorus many times over my lifetime, in several major American cities and in Europe, and the audiences have always stood, though I understand that recently the tradition has been waning in some places. An unofficial poll taken in the late 90s showed that the majority of choir directors liked the tradition; they said the singers felt “energized” and connected with the audience. A few thought it was disruptive, if people didn’t get up immediately, and others worried that audience members ignorant of the tradition might think the concert was over, and get up and leave!

 Those at the high school who remained seated undoubtedly did so for a number of reasons: perhaps they are not regular concertgoers and were not aware of the tradition, or mistakenly believed that only Christians would stand, due to the subject matter. They may even have been aware of the tradition but thought it was “irrelevant.” Personally, I always stand not just because of the tradition, but because the pure joy of hearing one of the most heavenly pieces ever composed seems to propel me to my feet.

 I say that unless it is requested by the choir director and printed in the program not to stand, go with the tradition! Think of it any way you like: you are paying respect for some of the world’s most glorious music, respect for the subject matter, respect for the choir — or if nothing else, Gould said you could always think of it as a seventh-inning stretch!

 And special thanks to Michelle Hiscavich, Kurt Eckhardt, Christopher Lee, the inimitable John Harned, and all the performers and technicians that made the performance possible.

Mary Taylor

31 Jeremiah Road, Sandy Hook                                                                                          December 19, 2005