AND FINALLY
Live music lifts the roof and the soul
IT HAPPENED! At last I felt that delicious frisson of excitement which is ‘feeling Christmassy’. It wasn’t because of the increasingly annoying store advertisements on television. Nor was it the welcome sparkle of Christmas lights in the streets or the endless gift lists in magazines (are people really guided by them?) or the similar lists of festive plonk.
No — it was music. And not just any music, but George Frideric Handel’s music. Bath Cantata (one of the oldest music groups in Bath) performed a beautiful Bach Advent cantata, followed by part of the Messiah, surely one of the greatest crowdpleasers in the repertoire.
What’s more, the concert took place in the welcoming St Stephen’s of Bath where my daughter got married and two of my grandchildren were christened. I felt moved and happy to be back.
All ages filled the church. Yes, there were plenty of grey heads, but right in front of me two teenagers made accomplished pen and ink sketches of people and architecture as they listened. There was wine in the interval.
And then the singers and orchestra lifted the roof with the glorious oratorio prophesying the coming of Jesus — which is what Christmas is actually about. Who doesn’t want to join in with the rousing, celebratory Hallelujah chorus?
I know every pop singer wants to warble Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah but give me the heart-stirring notes of Handel any day. I don’t really care what enthrals folks as long as they keep supporting live music.
Recently I’ve also heard unaccompanied Rachmaninov sacred music in Bath Abbey, and a humorous, joyful folky gig by the talented duo Show of Hands. Being with others sharing a love of music is a rich pleasure as old as humanity.
Now we’re in December I shall dig out my selection of Christmassy CDs (I love carols) and count the days until the candlelit carol service in our church. It must happen. Hallelujah!
Bel answers readers’ questions on emotional and relationship problems each week. Write to Bel Mooney, Daily Mail, 2 Derry Street, london W8 5TT, or email bel.mooney@dailymail.co.uk. Names are changed to protect identities. Bel reads all letters but regrets she cannot enter into personal correspondence.