1997 Miracle Yearbook

TheOratorio Chorusisafall quarter tradition at Cedarville. Itincludes studentsfrom many majors, and residents of the village. The 180 member cho- rus was directed by Dr. Mark Spencer,AssistantProfessorof Music. The piece chosen for this year's performance was Handel's Messiah. The oratorio, Italian for "a place of prayer," originally Matthew Cook Shauna Cook Brett Cooley Tina Coon Tiffiny Cope Amber Corbin Erinn Cottrill Sallisha Cowell Andrea Creamer Alex Crum Amy Crunelle Christa Culler Jordan Culp Aliel Cunningham Shawn Dabravalskas Hannah Dager Amber Dahms Kevin Damcott Scott Dangelo Cory Davids Carolyn Deltaan Nate DeHart Robert Dehnke-Hirschleman Nate De Ridder Jessica De Vinney Casey Dellinger Paul Dennison John Diggle 134 acadvnics evolved from sacred themes and was usually performed in a church without costumes or scenery. The Messiah focuses on the life ofJesus Christ,and takesplaceinthree parts,which recount the prophecy of His birth, His death, and the re- demption of the world. The music itself was designed for the modest Dublin orchestra, with the bassoon and oboe, Christmas Sing-A-Long efia%11 1.j1 Val added to the performance, to strengthen the choral pieces. George Frederick Handel, born in Halle, Germany in 1685, moved to England in 1712 where he wrote operas as well as music for the church and court. In 1742, he pro- duced the oratorio Messiah. The oratorio, composed in twenty-four days, is consid- ered among the finest choral works ever written. The Oratorio Chorus per- formed familiarchoruses such asAndHe ShallPurify, Glory to God,and the popular Halle- lujah. Also included were recitatives, in which the solo voice follows the natural rhythms and accentuations of speech. This year's concert was staged in a unique way. In- stead of performing the entire concert on the stage, the cho- rus mingled with the audience on the main floor. The goal was to help the audience sing along on the choruses. Musi- cal scores ofthe Messiah wer provided for purchase, an signs were posted at differen sections of the auditorium dividing the audience and cho rus into soprano, alto, tenor and bass sections. The Cedarville College Or chestra, under the direction o Richard Wright, accompanie the Oratorio.