GLORY BE TO THE FATHER

When a choir needs a truly majestic piece for a grand celebration or a classical music concert, Handel’s works are always a favorite. This specific movement, "Glory Be To The Father" from his Jubilate, is a thrilling challenge for any choir. It takes the familiar, everyday words of the Doxology and elevates them with the kind of bright, triumphant energy that makes classical choral works so rewarding to sing.

The piece opens with a bold, unified declaration of praise to the Trinity before weaving into intricate, moving parts for the phrase "As it was in the beginning." You can almost feel the concentration in the choir loft as the sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses navigate the rolling, fugal lines and the cascading "Amens" that drive the song to its powerful finish. It requires solid breath control and careful counting from every voice part, but when those final, resounding chords lock into place, it leaves both the singers and the listeners completely uplifted.