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Find a listing of the latest arrivals of books, audio and video items at the Wauwatosa Library, as well as information on upcoming events and staff suggestions for timely information you can use every day on the library’s blog.

December 2007 - Posts

Messiah

By Wauwatosa Public Library
Tuesday, Dec 4 2007, 01:36 PM

 

George Frideric Handel

 

George Frideric Handel’s Messiah is one of the most popular and adored musical works of all time.  Most likely, many of you have had a part in the performance of the work, participated in a holiday sing-along or, at the very least, attempted to sing the Hallelujah chorus at one time or another.   

The Messiah is an oratorio, a musical composition, often with a religious text, that is performed in a concert hall or church without scenery or costumes by solo voices, chorus and orchestra.  Handel wrote the Messiah in 1741 (in just 24 days!) to be performed at Easter but it has become traditional to perform this work during the Christmas season.  The Messiah’s text was selected and arranged by Charles Jennens and taken from parts of the New and Old Testaments.  It is organized into three acts and subdivided into scenes.  The most famous movement, known as the “Hallelujah” chorus, concludes the second act.  The text is taken from the New Testament book of Revelation.  

Handel conducted the Messiah many times and altered it to suit the performers that were available to him and there have been many more variations and arrangements of the work over the centuries.  The following are some of the library’s recordings of the entire Messiah and highlights of the oratorio that you just might want to check out over the holidays: 

Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration/Reprise Records, 1992  
Excerpts arranged and performed by contemporary musical groups        

Messiah/Philips, 1983
Complete oratorio performed by Margaret Marshall, Catherine Robbin and others
English Baroque Soloists and the Monteverdi Choir         

Messiah/Telarc, 1984           
Complete oratorio performed by Kaaren Erickson, Sylvia McNair and others           
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Chorus  

Messiah/Philips, 1985           
Complete oratorio performed by Margaret Price, Hanna Schwarz and others
Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks and the Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks           

Messiah: Arias and Choruses/Universal, 2001           
Joan Sutherland, Grace Bumbry and others
London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus  

Messiah: Highlights/EMI Angel, 1987           
Kathleen Battle, Florence Quivar and others           
Toronto Symphony and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir

 

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Books Make Great Gifts

By Wauwatosa Public Library
Tuesday, Dec 4 2007, 12:16 PM

"Wear the old coat and buy the new book"

                                                             (Austin Phelps 1820-1890)

Books make great gifts!  
The following beautiful new books are now on display in the library's second floor atrium:

 CHILDRENS TITLES

All-I’ll-ever-want Christmas doll by Patricia McKissack                          

Cheetah math by Ann Nagda                                                   

Golden rule by Ilene Cooper                                           

Here’s a little poem: a very first book by Jane Yolen                   

Nutcracker by Susan Jeffers                                                        

Nutcracker doll by Mary Newell DePalma                                                  

Only you by Roberta Ann Cruise                                                          

Other Mozart by Hugh Brewster                                                    

Puff the magic dragon by Peter Yarrow                                

Russell’s Christmas magic by Rob Scotton                                

Titan’s curse by Rick Riordan                                                     

Wall: growing up behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis            

Warriors field guide by Erin Hunter                                           

 

ADULT TITLES

Antarctica: the global warning by Sebastian Copeland                            

Cartographia: mapping civilizations by Vincent Virga               

Clapton: the autobiography by Eric Clapton                                

Family Christmas by Caroline Kennedy                                              

Green Bay Packers: complete illustrated history by Don Gulbrandsen                               

Historical atlas of the United States by Derek Hayes                    

I am America (and so can you!) by Stephen Colbert                         

Jesus of Nazareth by Pope Benedict XVI 

Journeys of a lifetime: 500 of the world's greatest trips 

Life: America the beautiful: a photographic journey                                      

Nigella express by Nigella Lawson                                            

Rescuing Sprite by Mark Levin                                               

Rhett Butler’s people by Donald McCaig                                        

World without end by Ken Follett                                         

Where angels go by Debbie Macomber                                              

 

 

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