Lift Up Your Heads, Oh Ye Gates

And be ye lift up ye everlasting doors!
And the King of glory will come in.

Psalm 24:7

Adapted by Charles Jennens
For Handel's oratorio Messiah.

This staged performance of Messiah from Vienna may not be to every one's taste but ignore the strange goings on and you have the Arnold Schönberg Chor giving a youthful and I think wonderfully dramatic performance of this magnificent chorus.

Messiah is one of the great traditions of the Christmas season and that great chorus is appropriate for the beginning of the Advent season. It also appropriate for a start of a tradition that I have enjoyed over the past two years: our friend Larry's Internet Advent Calender. In 2007 each day from December 1st to Christmas Day Larry opened a window in our adopted city, last year he opened doors in Roma and this year he'll be opening some of the many gates throughout the city.

As in previous years I will be posting a link to his Advent Calender on the sidebar at the right. A simple click will take you to his Gate for the Day and a posting suitable for the day and the season.

There are so many wonderful gates here in Roma that Larry started a bit early this year with an Introduction and a remarkable bonus gate.

30 novembre - Sant'Andrea Apolostlo