Holidays in Bronzeville....

Hallelujah! ♫♪♬ Hallelujah! ♫♪♬ 

Hallelujah!♫♪♬  Hallelujah! ♫♪♬ 

Ha-lle-lujah!

Hallelujah! ♫♪♬ Hallelujah! ♫♪♬ 

Hallelujah!♫♪♬  Hallelujah! ♫♪♬ 

Ha-lle-lujah!

Hartzell Memorial United Methodist Church presented their annual performance of  Handel's Messiah, an oratorio, on Sunday December 16, 2012.     Hartzell's choir, along with special guest soloists were accompanied by  the Chicagoland Community  Orchestra and musician, Dr. Charles J. Smith.  The choir was conducted by the church choral conductor, Delano O'Banion.  Guest soloists included  Deborah A Rountree, Kamaran Alexis Madison,  Mezzo Soprano,  Jeffery Burish, Tenor and 

Arthur D. Griffin Jr., Bass /Baritone.   

Hartzell church is located in the heart of Bronzeville at 3300 S. M. L. King Drive. 

The church pastor is Rev. Michelle Taylor Sanders. 

This  year as Hartzell Church celebrates its 100th year as a church in the Bronzeville community, it was wonderful to hear  the voices of the choir and the music of the orchestra turn this year's  annual performance of the Messiah into a sacred and majestic experience. 

The spirit of the season radiated throughout ..... as light poured through the stained glass panels at the front of the church.  When the audience stood to sing the 

Hallelujah Chorus, there was  a feeling of Joy and Peace in the sanctuary. .....

It was a majestic feeling of Peace on Earth.. Goodwill to all. 

AA1217 c2012

Happy Kwanzaa 2012!

"Tis the Season...

During the Season.. I listen to songs that inspire me... 
I try to attend a performance annually of the Messiah at 
Hartzell Memorial United Methodist Church 
in Bronzeville, where my eldest aunt sings in the choir every year. 
Although they sing the traditional arrangement, my 
aunt gave me a CD of this rendition. 
It has become my favorite arrangement titled 
Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration.....
The whole album includes a variety of musical performers and vocalists including 
Quincy Jones, Patti Austin, Chaka Khan, Al Jarreau, Tevin Campbell, 
the Yellowjackets, Stevie Wonder, Take 6 and many many more..
 If you don't have this in your Christmas collection.. get it! 
It is so inspiring! 

Please view the information about the  contemporary version of the oratorio written 
by George Fredrich Handel. Pop the link at top right. 
To see a listing of performers who performed on this album, view the video on Youtube. Enjoy!

"Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration" is a critically acclaimed gospel album by various artists, released in 1992. Executive produced by Norman Miller, Gail Hamilton and Mervyn Warren, it is a reinterpretation of the 1741 oratorio Messiah by George Frideric Handel, and has been widely praised for its use of multiple genres of African-American music, including spirituals, blues, ragtime, big band, jazz fusion, R&B and hip hop.

The album received the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album, as well as the 1992 Dove Award for Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year. In 1993, the various recording artists participating in the project were collectively nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Gospel Artist." 
- Source -Youtube uploader. 
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