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Thursday, April 1, 2021

Hallelujah! From The 1992 Grammy Award Winning Album "Handel's Messiah: A SoulFul Celebration" (video, information, and lyrics)



soundsgoodtomeYT, Oct 26, 2017

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases the 2017 YouTube video of a soulful rendition of Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus".

This rendition was performed in 1991 or 1992 by a star studded group of African American singers from Rhythm and Blues, Gospel, and other music genres. Some African American actors and actresses also joined in singing this song.

This post also includes information about Handel's "Messiah" and the lyrics for the "Hallelujah Chorus" which is part of that group of songs.

The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, historical, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Handel for composing "Messiah" which includes "Hallelujah Chorus". Thanks to 
Quincy Jones and Mervyn Warren for producing this rendition of this song and thanks to all those who are featured in this video. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this video and thanks to the publisher of this viideo on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO
(from the video's summary)

"
From the 1991 album 'Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration'

(Winner of the 1992 Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album)

Produced by Mervyn Warren.

Executive Produced by Quincy Jones.

Arranged by Mervyn Warren, Michael O. Jackson, and Mark Kibble.

Brass arranged by Jerry Hey.

[...]
 
Conductors in video: Mervyn Warren & Quincy Jones.

Featured artists (video): Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Patti Austin, Bernie K., Daryl Coley, Commissioned, AndraΓ© Crouch, Sandra Crouch, Clifton Davis, Mike E., Kim Fields, Larnelle Harris, Edwin Hawkins, Tramaine Hawkins, Linda Hopkins, Al Jarreau, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, Lizz Lee, Dawnn Lewis, Babbie Mason, Johnny Mathis, Marilyn McCoo, Stephanie Mills, Jeffrey Osborne, David Pack, Phylicia Rashad, Joe Sample, Richard Smallwood, Sounds of Blackness, Take 6, Darryl Tookes, Mervyn Warren, Thomas Whitfield, Vanessa A. Williams, & Chris Willis.

Ad-Lib vocal: Daryl Coley

 Add'l vocals (studio): Bob Bailey, Kim Fleming, Gayle Mayes, Donna McElroy, Mervyn Warren, Chris Willis, Angela Wright.

Piano: Michael O. Jackson

Add'l keyboards: Mervyn Warren

Drum programming: Mark Hammond

Bass: Victor Wooten

Brass: Jerry Hey, Gary E. Grant, Bill Reichenbach, Dan Higgins, & Larry Williams

French horns: Eberhard Ramm & Leslie Norton

Music in this video: 
Song: Hallelujah!

Artist: Handel's Messiah

Writers: Handel"

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ARTICLE EXCERPT ABOUT HANDEL'S MESSIAH
"The History of “Hallelujah” Chorus from Handel’s Messiah" by
The Tabenacle Choir, Feb. 22, 2016
https://www.thetabernaclechoir.org/articles/history-of-handels-hallelujah-chorus.html
...."A Brief Background on Handel’s Messiah
Handel’s crowning achievement, Messiah, was not an immediate success. In 1741, Handel was heavily in debt following a string of musical failures. It seemed that his career was over and he may even be forced to go to debtors’ prison. On April 8, 1741, Handel gave what he believed to be his final concert.

Later that year, two key events changed the course of Handel’s life and the landscape of music forever—his friend Charles Jennens wrote a libretto taken from the Bible, based on the life of Jesus Christ, and gave it to Handel. Then, Handel was given funding by a group of charities from Dublin, Ireland, to compose a new work for a benefit performance that would help free men from debtors’ prison. Handel would also receive his own commission for composing the work, which in turn helped him on his path to reversing his own misfortune.

The composition of Messiah, the complete 260-page oratorio, began on August 22, 1741, and was composed in just 24 days, when Handel finished the final orchestration on September 14, 1741.

[…]

Although the first performance in Dublin on April 13, 1742, was a huge success, Messiah wasn’t met with the same excitement in London the following season. Six scheduled performances were cancelled by Handel in 1743, Messiah was completely removed from the 1744 schedule, and it wasn’t performed in London until 1749.

In another reversal of fortunes, London’s Foundling Hospital held a fundraising concert, where Handel performed a mix of new music and well as older pieces including the “Hallelujah” chorus. At the time, Messiah was still somewhat unknown to London audiences, but the concert was so well received that Handel was invited back the next year, where he performed the entire Messiah oratorio. Performances of Messiah became an Eastertime tradition at the Foundling Hospital until the 1770s. Earnings from many early performances of the oratorio were used to help the poor, needy, orphaned, widowed, and sick.

In 1910 the Tabernacle Choir made its first recordings, which included the “Hallelujah” chorus; this was most likely the first recording of Messiah music outside of England. It was also the first recording of a Messiah piece to use an established choir, as all early recordings were made using temporary choirs comprised of provisional singers.

Text for “Hallelujah” comes from the book of Revelation in the New Testament. Revelation 19:6: “Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” Revelation 19:16: “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.” Revelation 11:15 reads, “And he shall reign for ever and ever.”….

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LYRICS: HALLELUJAH CHORUS
(Handel)

[Intro]

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

 

[Verse]

For the lord God omnipotent reigneth

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

For the lord God omnipotent reigneth

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

For the lord God omnipotent reigneth

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

(For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth)

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

For the lord God omnipotent reigneth

(Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!)

Hallelujah!

The kingdom of this world;

Is become

The kingdom of our Lord

And of His Christ

And of His Christ

 

[Verse 2]

And He shall reign for ever and ever

And He shall reign forever and ever

And He shall reign forever and ever

And he shall reign forever and ever


[Refrain]

King of kings forever and ever! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

And Lord of lords forever and ever! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

King of kings forever and ever! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

And Lord of lords forever and ever! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

King of kings forever and ever! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

And Lord of lords

King of kings and lord of lords

 

[Verse 3]

And he shall reign

And he shall reign

And he shall reign

He shall reign

And he shall reign forever and ever

 

[Refrain]

King of kings forever and ever

And Lord of lords hallelujah hallelujah

And he shall reign forever and ever

King of kings and Lord of lords

King of kings and Lord of lords

And he shall reign forever and ever

Forever and ever and ever and ever

(King of kings and Lord of lords)


[Outro]

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

https://genius.com/George-frideric-handel-the-messiah-hallelujah-lyrics

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4 comments:

  1. Here's a comment that I posted in 2018 to this YouTube video's discussion thread:

    Thanks @soundsgoodtomeYT for a high quality visual clip of this performance.

    In addition to the religious significance of this video, I'm interested in documenting how so many singers in this all star chorus wore African kente cloth stoles/patterns in their garments and/or hats.

    Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/12/kente-cloth-and-other-african-fashion.html for my pancocojams post that showcases this video and includes information about Ghana's & The Ivory Coast's kente cloth, as well as information about how many African Americans have used this cloth as an expression of African & African American heritage. That post also included information about "Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration".

    ReplyDelete
  2. Here are a few discussion thread comments about the people singing in this video:

    Sonwabiso Fiti, 2020
    "2:38 I love me some Chaka 😁😍"
    -snip-
    R&B singer Chaka Khan

    **
    BBT609, 2020
    "Spotted some key faces. COMMISSIONED (Fred Hammond, Marvin Sapp, Karl Reid), Daryl Coley, Chaka Khan, half of Take 6 (Joey & Mark Kibble & David Thomas)...and cant forget the guys who did this production, Mervyn Warren & Quincy Jones."

    **
    Vincent Hannah, 2019
    "Ms. Gladys, Tramaine Hawkins, Stephanie Mills, Marilyn McCoo,Johnny Mathis, Al Jarreau, Jeffrey Osbourne, Daryl Coley, Chaka, etc. Now that is a choir!"
    -snip-
    "Ms Gladys" = Gladys Knight

    **
    Reply
    sandra sanders, 2021
    "And Johnny Mathis..Linda Hopkins..Clifton Davis..Patti Austin...what an CD!!"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Two other commenters wrote that (actress) Phylicia Rashad is in that group and (actress) Kim Fields is standing right next to her.

      Another commenter spotted singer/actress Stephanie Mills in that group and another commenter spotted Joe Sample (keyboardist and composer and founding member of The Jazz Crusaders) in that group.

      Delete
    2. Here are some other comments about people in this group:


      Eric Parker, 2019
      "Let's not forget Fred Hammond...Stephanie Mills..Edwin Hawkins Johnny Mathis..Richard Smallwood...Jeffery Osborne...oh man tooo many to mention"

      **

      **
      jeffrey griffin, 2021
      "I see you Clifton Davis! Saaaaang y'all! πŸ™πŸΎπŸ™πŸΎπŸ™πŸΎπŸ™πŸΎ"

      **

      Aleyah McKinney, 2019
      "Who’s the women @3:00??"

      **
      Reply
      Felicia Sanders, 2020
      "Marilyn McCoo of the Fifth Dimension and Dawn Lewis from A Different World. Not sure who the the short one next to Marilyn is."

      Delete