Hi Steve. As it happens today concludes my second performance and first year being in a chorus and orchestra with 300 other better people singing the Messiah. Some of the folk there have performed it 30, 40 and a few even 50 years! It’s an odd feeling being a ‘newbie’ at something having a few grey hairs already.

Yes, the Hallelujah is the one that folk recognize, plainly effective at getting the idea across in that venue. Not to mention a real blast to perform! (Unless, of course, you’re an actual bass and not a baritone– what’s with all those D’s??? I bet Handel’s pet was a canary.)

Harry, have you ever sung “His Yoke is Easy”? His yoke may be easy but the music is not!

The Hallelujah is really the perfect choise because so many people recognize it.

I agree about the “Amen” I just love it.

“All We Like Sheep…. (who don’t even know that we’ve gone astray) …
… ending with “in the iniquity of us all”.

Or, my fav for Mall Shoppers:

“His Yoke is Easy and His Burthen is Light”

Or, possibly “And with his stripes, we are healed”.

That work ends with “Amen” repeated enough times to make an Orthodox respect it.

Father Hans: you are right. I notice each year people ignoring the music in the background at various stores and humming their own tunes, usually Western religious. That is why “Happy Holidays” as opposed to “Merry Christmas” is a top secularist priority. The demons cannot stand to hear the name of Christ invoked because no one can stand before that invocation. So, they try to eliminate it from the culture. Not because it has no power, but, precisely because it does!

There’s a radio station in my area that used to play all sorts of Christmas hymns all through December until Christmas including a lot of the Protestant Classics, beautiful music some of it. I’d tune in now and then.

About three years ago they caved in to political correctness. No more religious music. Do you realize how arid and soulless every other kind of Christmas music is? I like “Sleigh Ride” but how many times can you listen to it? The rest is Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph, really insipid stuff.

I think people are getting real tired of it, especially when there are much richer cultural offerings that, yes, are religious in orientation. Religion, writes Russell Kirk, is the wellspring of culture so, yes, of course it is going to be better. There is only so much impoverishment a person can take.