A 23-year-old conductor, a 15-year-old choir and a 132-year-old composition — the three will take centrestage under the starry cupola of St Andrew’s Church this weekend when Atul Jacob Isaac leads the Handel Manuel Chorus in its performance of The Crucifixion .
The centrepiece of John Stainer’s renowned work draws inspiration from the Bible ’s most famous verse, “For God so loved the world...”, firmly placing his oratorio at the heart of Passiontide music.
Stainer was a Victorian composer who wrote The Crucifixion in 1887 (inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach’s St Mathew’s Passion) for parish choirs to perform but never counted it as one of his accomplishments. Christ’s journey to the end as envisioned by him with chorales and hymns written by librettist William Sparrow-Simpson has now become a Lenten staple, although it is not an easy piece to perform.
The Handel Manuel Chorus was established in 2004 in honour of Handel Manuel, Chennai’s iconic Western classical musician and a recipient of the Padma Shri, by his brother and sister-in-law, Surender and Sharada. Prominent soloists Adella Paul, Ebenezer Sathiaraj, Judah Vincent and Arul Chittaranjan Das who sang under Handel’s baton continue to perform in the 33-member choir. The newer entrants are Martina Roberts, Leo Livingston and Naveen Narendranath.
Atul, a graduate in Journalism, who is a piano accompanist and music artist-in-residence at American International School, Chennai, will direct the choir that will be accompanied by pianist-singer Jeremiah Christopher.
The performance at the Kirk, where Handel was the organist and choir master for over 50 years, will describe the events of the Holy Week and feature among uplifting songs, ‘Cross of Jesus’, counted amongst the finest of all hymn tunes.
The Handel Manuel Chorus presents John Stainer’s Crucifixion on April 13, 6.30 pm at St Andrew’s Church, The Kirk, Poonamallee High Road, Egmore. Entry is open to all.
