Quick Recap - Music

Thurs - Handel's Messiah at Lincoln Center.  I love how everyone stands up for the Hallelujah Chorus - it's sort of the 7th inning stretch.  Of course, my friends didn't think much of my suggestion for installing a  JumboTron in the concert hall.  Nor did they agree that we should "Occupy the Messiah" and make this a sing-in.  But there was one elderly gentleman in the balcony somewhere behind and above us who clearly agreed with me.  His voice, frail and thin and slightly off-key, floated just above the voices of the professional singers during the Hallelujah Chorus.  I'm sure he thought he was singing inaudibly, but it carried just enough for the folks in my section to hear it, and I couldn't stop smiling.  It reminded me so beautifully of my maternal grandfather, one of the sweetest men I've ever met.

Fri - University of Chicago's Motet Choir at FAPC.  All a cappella, a nice mix of secular, Christian and Jewish music, with a mini sing-along at the end (yippee!) of the two Christmas carols for which "everyone knows" a verse in another language.  For those keeping score at home, that would be a reference to O Come All Ye Faithful (Latin) and Silent Night (German).

Sat - no concerts, but my iPod came through with a very pleasing assortment of fabulous songs in Shuffle mode.  This was a relief, since recently I've found myself wondering whether I own any songs that are even vaguely tolerable.   Also saw the latest Twilight movie, which featured an exciting new trailer for the Hunger Games movie.  The Twilight movies have been a mixed bag (OK, the ones I've seen have been downright hokey with just a few redeeming moments), but I am very much looking forward to seeing the Hunger Games.

Sun - Christmas pageant at my church (spreading good cheer in endlessly new ways as children so often do) ...

... followed by our annual cider sing (yes, I will again appear in many tourists' photo albums).

This in turn was followed by a wonderful concert with the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony (their last hurrah before they leave for a concert tour in China).  I went to the concert because a friend of mine was their featured soloist for some selections from Carmen, but they also had a Christmas carol sing-along at the end.  Or nearly the end.  Because while we were all busy singing along with the orchestra, the conductor was busy off-stage... donning his DARTH VADER OUTFIT.  Total awesomeness.  He came back to conduct the final piece - John Williams "Star Wars" theme - in full costume, mask, cape, and all.  And he replaced his baton with a red light saber.*  So fun.

This clip captures an appropriate part of the theme (along with the back of someone's head, sorry about that!) ...

 

...while this clip gives perhaps slightly better glimpses of the conductor as he turns to acknowledge applause at the beginning and end of the segment:



*FN: Or at least it looked like a light saber.  I can only hope he had all necessary licenses to possess, carry and brandish such a weapon, given New York City's reputation as a "No-Issue" jurisdiction.