I have, a number of times. I love it, singing in the chorus for it was one of my more memorable university experiences. But anyone who wants to hear the Bach Magnificat or other, well known settings of these texts can find them and listen to them, there are lots of issued recordings and live performances of them on YouTube. I'm totally in favor of people listening to Bach and Charpentier and other great composers but I like to try composers I've never listened to before. Bach and Charpentier were unknown composers too, at one point. I don't post anything I haven't tried myself and liked enough to post it.
Update: Oh. I forgot. The Messiah. I acknowledge that Handel was a fine composer, maybe even a great one. I performed lots of his music when I was in college, accompanying people who sang it and played it in recital, it has never failed to leave me entirely cold. I have never, ever found a performance of The Messiah that did anything else to me. I have no idea why. If you love it, great, listen to his music, sing it, play it. Think of me not taking any of it as leaving all the more for you.
You know, you could start your own blog and post what you want to, it's not hard. You only need an e-mail address.
I'd just as soon you didn't post the Bach. I know that one.
ReplyDeleteIt's the new stuff that's interesting, and I'm too lazy to look it all up.