-=:+: Memory Of Melody :+:=-

Yesterday was one the most beautiful day in my life (that of course I have many most beautiful days =P). Do you know why? Surely it's not because yesterday was Sunday bcoz for me, everyday is Sunday (I only have my class once a week, lol~).

Well, yesterday, March 22nd 2009, a Commemoration Concert of Mendelssohn's 200th Anniversary and Handel's 250th Anniversary was being held at Messiah Cathedral from 7.30 PM till drop. Wow, to be honest, it's my first time trembling while watching a concert. It's not because the concert was awful, but it's a really great, a really grand concert! The soloist, the choir, the orchestra, the conductor, and the organist were performing so great that I wasn't just enjoying it so much but also my soul's being touched deeply-trembling. Never imagine that a classic music could be this great (even bcoz of this concert, I could be friend with a beautiful lady =D that of course this is not the main point here =P~).

Then a question's popping out. Who the heck are Mendelssohn and Handel? Concisely, both of them are two from the few greatest composers that ever existed in the world.

Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy was born in Germany, February 3, 1809 and passed away in Leipzig, November 4, 1847. Mendelssohn's work includes symphonies, concerti, oratorios, piano and chamber music. He also had an important role in the revival of interest in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. His two largest biblical oratorios are 'St. Paul' in 1836 and 'Elijah' in 1846, and are greatly influenced by Bach. Even his unfinished oratorio Here Shall a Star Come out of Jacob is sometimes performed. Mendelssohn's other great works are 'Psalm 115', 'Hymn Of Praise', and 'Hear My Prayer', with its second half containing 'O for the Wings of a Dove', which became extremely popular as a separate item.

George Frideric Handel was born in Halle, 23 February 1685 and passed away in London, 14 April 1759. Strongly influenced by the techniques of the great composers of the Italian Baroque era, as well as the English composer Henry Purcell, Handel's music became well-known to many composers, including Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. Handel's compositions include 42 operas; 29 oratorios; more than 120 cantatas, trios and duets; numerous arias; chamber music; a large number of ecumenical pieces; odes and serenatas; and sixteen organ concerti. His most famous work, the 'Messiah' oratorio with its 'Hallelujah' chorus, is among the most popular works in choral music and has become a centerpiece of the Christmas season. His other oratorios are 'Esther' (1718); 'Athalia' (1733); 'Saul' (1739); 'Israel in Egypt' (1739); 'Samson' (1743); 'Judas Maccabeus' (1747); 'Solomon' (1748); and 'Jephtha' (1752). His best are based on a libretto by Charles Jennens.

Okay, that's the short explanation about Mendelssohn and Handel (and thanks Wiki for the information =D).

And these are the oratorios that performed in the concert yesterday:

COMMEMORATION CONCERT

1. F. Mendelssohn B. (1809-1847)
PSALM 115
Eliata Singers and Orchestra Billy Kristanto (Conductor)

2. Oskar Rieding (1840-1918)
Concertino in G Op. 24
Jalen Ng (Violin Solo)

3. F. Mendelssohn B. (1809-1847)
HYMN OF PRAISE
a) All Men All Things
b) I Waited For The Lord
c) The Night is Departing
Jakarta Oratorio Society and Orchestra
Stephen Tong (Conductor)

4. F. Mendelssohn B. (1809-1847)
ELIJAH
a) Thanks be to God
b) Hear Ye, Israel
c) Lift Thine Eyes to the Mountain
d) He, Watching over Israel
e) Holy is God the Lord
Jakarta Oratorio Society and Orchestra
Stephen Tong (Conductor)

5. G. F. Handel (1685-1759)
Hallelujah, Amen from JUDAS MACCABEUS
Jakarta Oratorio Society and Orchestra
Stephen Tong (Conductor)

6. G. F. Handel (1685-1759)
Sing Ye to the Lord from ISRAEL IN EGYPT
Jakarta Oratorio Society and Orchestra
Stephen Tong (Conductor)
7. G. F. Handel (1685-1759)
Organ Concerto Op. 4, No. 6, in B-flat Major
Billy Kristanto (Organ Solo)

8. G. F. Handel (1685-1759)
MESSIAH
a) And He Shall Purify
b) His Yoke Is Easy
c) Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs
d) And With His Stripes
e) All We Like Sheep
f) Hallelujah
g) Worthy is the Lamb
h) Amen
Jakarta Oratorio Society and Orchestra
Stephen Tong (Conductor)

FYI, there are almost two thousand people that attended this concert and there're some invitations from Scotland, Korea, Brazil, Africa, Sri Lanka, and US. So, can you imagine how great is this concert? And the best part was 'Halellujah'. Everyone were giving standing applause for some minutes after the performance and for me myself, that was the most trembling oratorio. Yeah, so grand, so powerfull and so sacred.

And one thing that caught my attention most was Jalen Ng's Violin Solo. He was just eight years old and for him to perform in a big concert like this, one word: so amazing! (there are also grannies and grandpas in JOS and Eliata and believe me, their voice is as good as the other younger members!)

~Jalen Ng~

~His Performance~

Lastly, I'm waiting for the next concert in September. It will be performed in the new concert hall of GRII (now is still being build but will be finished in August). Gotta save money from now xD (I'm also missing singing in a choir T_T Wanna join JOS O.O Hw9x~)

WOGH!