The Hallelujah Alternative

A look at upcoming holiday concerts in New York.

Image from the film Hallelujah © 1929 MGM Pictures.

I know it's been a while since we've done a calendar post on this blog--the work that went into them was not equalling the amount of page views and clicks every month. However, as the holidays approach we would like to take a look around our fair city and offer up some alternatives to holiday merriment in various local music merriment. 

Do not fear, New Yorkers: there are plenty of performances of Handel's Messiah scheduled in the two-week run-up to Christmas.

The famed oratorio returns to the New York Philharmonic this season with a strong cast of singers and the New York Choral Artists. 

Dec. 18-22 at Avery Fisher Hall

It will also be heard at St. Thomas' Church (Dec. 11, 13) Avery Fisher Hall (Dec. 12 with the Trinity Choir, Dec. 17 with the National Choral Council Messiah Sing-In) Carnegie Hall (Dec. 20, with two performances Dec. 23 at 2pm and 7:30pm) and elsewhere. 

But this year, we're moving beyond Messiah to explore some alternative holiday concerts that offer other composers' equally profound takes on the reason for the season. 

Before We All Get Stuffed....

Happy Thanksgiving from Superconductor!

Thanksgiving preparations at the Simpson house.
Image framegrabbed from The Simpsons, Episode 7F07, Bart vs. Thanksgiving.
© 1990 Gracie Films/FOX.

Hopefully, dear readers, you are either

• waking up in a household of loved ones
• traveling (safely) from point A to point B this morning
• getting ready to watch the Lions stomp the Cowboys (hey, it could happen!)
• or watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Commercial-fest. 

Anyway, happy Thanksgiving, and please accept the thanks of this (not so) humble classical music  journalist for reading Superconductor and helping to make it a recognized name for quality classical music coverage.

We have some exciting stuff planned, including excursions to Boston and Philadelphia as well as reviews from the Metropolitan Opera rush line and Family Circle. So after you read this, go have a fabulous and hopefully music-filled Thanksgiving holiday. We'll be right back here tomorrow with more...stuff.

All best,

Paul J. Pelkonen,
Editor,
Superconductor.

In the spirit of the holiday, here is the third movement from Beethoven's String Quartet Op. 132. Yep, it's the Heiliger Dankgesang.