Getting Into the Sing of Things With ‘Messiah’

Among the more unusual traditions of the holiday season is the now ubiquitous “Messiah” sing-along. This combination of musical performance and audience participation is touted by the most-respected professional choruses, as well as by amateur church choirs.

Now in its 10th year, the La Jolla Civic-University Symphony’s annual sing-along has the longest local track record. Saturday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., resident conductor Thomas Nee and his associate, choral conductor David Chase, will lead a pair of “Messiah” sing-alongs at St. James Episcopal Church in La Jolla.

“Most people in America have sung at some time the ‘Messiah’ or some portion of it, even if it’s just the ‘Hallelujah Chorus,’ ” Nee said. “The work is part of our general cultural experience.”

According to Nee, back in the 1950s David Randolph, a New York City choral director, was the first to hold “Messiah” sing-alongs, although Randolph used the same format to perform the gamut of choral masterworks, from Vivaldi’s “Gloria” to the passions of J.S. Bach.

A sing-along is a cooperative affair, with the host providing orchestra, a quartet of vocal soloists to perform the arias and recitatives, and a conductor. The audience becomes the chorus, each member bringing his own “Messiah” score or purchasing one at the door.

“After a little brass music for the prelude, we rehearse the audience for a while, taking them through some of the more difficult entries and setting some tempos. This helps build a communal feeling. Then we start at the beginning and go straight through,” said Nee. A holiday “Messiah” sing-along does not present Handel’s entire oratorio, however, which would last more than three hours.

“We do all of Handel’s Part One and then end with the ‘Hallelujah Chorus,’ ” Nee said.

At the San Diego Master Chorale’s annual Civic Theatre sing-along, traditionally held the first Sunday of every December, the chorale is set up on stage to help the audience sing each chorus. As a bonus for the 1,400 people in last Sunday’s audience, the Master Chorale, under music director Frank Almond, sang one of the more extended choruses alone to the audience. Almond also added several additional choruses outside what some people call the “Christmas portion” of the work, ending with Handel’s own finale, “Worthy is the Lamb” and the great choral “Amen.”

Though many ballet companies stage Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” during the Christmas season to refill their coffers, the “Messiah” sing-along has not served a similar function for the Master Chorale.

“We lose money on these productions,” said Master Chorale executive director Sheryl Grahn. “We try to keep the ticket prices low to allow the largest number of people to attend. But we enjoy doing this--it’s our Christmas gift to the community.”

Doing the same piece year after year could dampen a director’s enthusiasm, but for Nee there is a unique reward.

“Working on the ‘Messiah’ in rehearsal may be boring, but as soon as you get a live audience singing it, there is a sense of electricity you don’t get from any other piece of music.”

For those who like their “Messiah” performances straight, Sunday is the day for traditional presentations. The Grossmont Chorale and Concert Choir will perform the work at 7:30 p.m. at El Cajon’s First Presbyterian Church. At the La Jolla Presbyterian Church, “Messiah” performances are scheduled for 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.