Comfort ye, My People

These two pieces open the vocal section of Handel's great oratorio, *Messiah*. In Nigerian Catholic choirs, we often bring these out during the Advent season, as the words from the prophet Isaiah perfectly capture the longing and preparation for the coming of the Lord. The tenor soloist gets to deliver this profound message of hope, starting with the gentle, reassuring recitative "Comfort ye, my people." It requires a lot of breath control and a warm, inviting tone to truly comfort the listeners.

Then the mood shifts into the joyful, energetic aria "Ev'ry Valley shall be exalted." It is a thrilling piece to sing and hear, full of running notes and bright declarations that the rough places will be made plain. When a soloist steps up to sing this during an Advent concert or a special Carol service, it immediately lifts the spirit of the whole congregation. The rolling solfa passages demand serious practice, but when the runs are executed cleanly, it reminds everyone listening that God is actively preparing a way in our lives.