In music class in high school, I learned about Composer George Handel and his most inspirational 1741, masterpiece entitled, The Messiah. This momentous musical accomplishment was amazingly completed in 23 days, and though Handel was asked by a few musicians who heard his masterpiece to change a small part of it, he refused… it truly was inspired! Handel had meticulous and uniquely arranged each musical section and orchestrated his music with the synergy which captures the magnificence of his creation, especially present in his renowned and cherished piece of music entitled, “The Hallelujah Chorus.”
Little did I know at that time in high school that this musical masterpiece would slip back into my life not only as a beautiful and inspirational piece of music, but a lifelong ongoing instrument of change as “The Hallelujah Chorus” became a different piece of music as my life progressed from childhood through adulthood and onwards.
In science class in high school, I heard about Dr. Albert Einstein for the first time.
As I explored the multi-faceted learnings of this gentleman, I was particularly impressed by his comment that all of us are born into life with giftedness and our first order of business ought to be the discovery of our unique giftedness; so that we may share it with our world.
Many years ago, as I begin as a freshman college student in Chicago, I was invited by our music Director Doc Stanley to join his choir which was a very unnerving step for me, out of my comfort zone, and into a world that I had never even imagined, less experienced. There were many of us that were in the same situation and the further we stepped into the musical pieces the longer our practices would become, and it was truly a bittersweet because most of us came to really appreciate the brilliance of George Handel, while simultaneously feeling overwhelmed with the magnitude of his creation and the numerous and tedious hours of practice addressing 25 to 30 some different parts.
Obviously, very few of us think of ourselves as gifted particularly in contrast to the likes of people like George Handel, but our unique giftedness continues to be the most unusual treasure which we now share in as well as our ability to invite others to participate in our “present” which was unfolding weekly before us and even though it was often quite overwhelming we were growing in our musical ability and numerous new learnings, that we were truly becoming professional singers who had become molded into a chorus which Doc Stanley, for the first time, believed we had become professionally worthy to be joined with the Chicago Symphony! We were all literally shocked with what was happening. Inadvertently, over the eight or nine months of diligent and often with exhausting practices, we had become, not only a chorus, truly professional within ourselves, but now for the first time, we were recognized in the musical community in a similar way.
Simultaneously I personally and confidently shared with many my developing belief that “The Hallelujah Chorus” was the most profound and everlasting musical inspiration that I had experienced, and more ironically, I was a significant part of it! I believe this emerging understanding within each of us rapidly created a dramatic metamorphous and transformation within us in our unique ways but also expended for the listener (often new friends and family) that they too were able to absorb the preponderance of ascetical and intimate understanding of the inspirational music and related experiences, that we all grew each time we sang, or heard “The Hallelujah Chorus” for the first time we became cognizant of ongoing growth in the knowledge and depth of relationship with this Risen Person, Jesus Christ.
Tim Lynch, Ph D
