Why do people stand during the Hallelujah Chorus?



Of all the works that brought him fame and glory, Haendel always agreed with the public preferring The Messiah to no other. Composed as one more oratorio of the many he already had behind him, from the day of its premiere it became a true apotheosis. Aware of the extraordinary value of that work, the composer himself decided to allocate all the proceeds to charity and refused to publish it during his lifetime so that no one would break that custom. From that moment until today, a rare thing in a baroque work, The Messiah has been performed uninterruptedly and is, apart from being the heritage of all mankind, the Christmas work par excellence.

Why do people stand during the Hallelujah Chorus?

The story goes that at the London premiere of the Messiah, King George II stood up as soon as he heard the Hallelujah, followed by all those present. Since then it has been the custom to stand up when Handel’s Hallelujah begins.

The unofficial beginning of Christmas

The Madrid performance of “Messiah” has become a real tradition for those who have been attending it for years. The fact that it always takes place a few days before the beginning of Christmas means that for many the performance of Handel’s work is the starting signal for the festive season. As every year, the audience filled the stands of the Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid on December 12, when this year’s edition was premiered, conducted by the Italian Fabio Biondi, with the orchestra Europa Galante, conducted by Biondi himself.





As usual, the premiere attracted some famous personalities. Among those in attendance were Baroness Carmen Thyssen, former Minister of Justice José María Michavila, the president of La Caixa, Isidre Fainé, the former president of Sacyr Vallehermoso, Luis del Valle, and sisters Alicia and Esther Koplowitz. A photocall placed at the entrance of the Symphonic Hall served as a parapet for these people to talk during the break in the performance.

Once the concert was over, the individual performers mingled with their family and friends to comment on the highlights of the concert. “They have sounded like thunder. This time, the choir has been the protagonist” said one of the audience members at the end of the performance. As happens every year, many of the spectators were located in the same place at Christmas 2018, when “Messiah” will sound again in the Symphonic Hall of the National Auditorium of Music.

24 days to write a unique piece

To analyze “The Messiah,” one must first know its history and the circumstances in which Handel composed it. The musician was born in the German city of Halle in 1685, and after the death of his father, he began to travel to try to find a way to make a living. In 1710, the Prince of Wales, a German like himself, appointed him as head of his chamber music team, and this won him the favor of some of the British nobility, who financed some of his early works. His son, the future George II, commissioned him years later to compose several hymns for his coronation, grandiose musical pieces that still sound today when a new British monarch is enthroned in Westminster Abbey.

However, in the 1740s, Handel fell out of favor in London, and a nobleman suggested that he travel to Dublin to give concerts in various charities. It was there, in the Irish capital, where, seized by a strange inspiration, he managed to write, in just 24 days, “The Messiah”. The story of how Handel wrote his most important work is recorded in the book “Stellar Moments of Humanity”, by the German Stefan Zweig, who recalls how the Teutonic musician suffered a stroke years before writing the work, and identifies “The Messiah” as the way in which Handel cured himself of his ailments.



Are you supposed to stand during Hallelujah Chorus?



There is a tradition that audience members stand up for the Hallelujah chorus towards the end of Handel’s Messiah and this custom is still normally observed.

Why do people even today stand up when the hallelujah chorus of the Messiah is sung group of answer choices?

Messiah was a failure when it was first performed. Why do people stand up when the “Hallelujah” chorus of Messiah is sung? Because King George II was so moved by the opening of the chorus that he stood up during its performance.

Why do people stand up for Handel’s Messiah?

Some believe the king was so moved by the music that he stood up to show his reverence. And, since it was considered good etiquette to stand when the king stood, the audience had to follow suit.

What should the audience do while Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus is being played *?

The Hallelujah Chorus is at the end of the second part. The king was supposedly at the performance and stood up during the Hallelujah Chorus. According to royal protocol, when the king or queen stands, everyone else must stand and remain standing until the monarch returns to his or her seat.



Who was Handel’s Messiah written for?

In 1735 Handel received the text for a new oratorio named Saul from its librettist Charles Jennens, a wealthy landowner with musical and literary interests. Because Handel’s main creative concern was still with opera, he did not write the music for Saul until 1738, in preparation for his 1738–39 theatrical season.

How long does the Messiah last?

approximately two hours and 20 minutes

It is anticipated that the biennial tradition of Handel’s Messiah performances by the Choir and Orchestra will resume in 2021. How long is Messiah? The complete oratorio is approximately two hours and 20 minutes, but with applause and two brief intermissions, it is closer to two hours and 45 minutes.

Why do people even today stand up when the hallelujah chorus of the Messiah is sung quizlet?

Why do people stand up when the “Hallelujah” chorus of Messiah is sung? Because King George II was so moved by the opening of the chorus that he stood up during its performance.



Why is Messiah so popular in Britain and America today?

Why is Messiah so popular in England and America today? It is sung in English. The first part is appropriate for the Christmas season. It combines vocal soloists, chorus, and orchestra.