O THOU THAT TELLEST GOOD TIDINGS TO ZION

When choir directors pull out the scores for Advent and Christmas concerts, this beloved movement from Handel's Messiah is almost always on the list. It opens with a brief, striking recitative—"Behold, a virgin shall conceive"—before launching into a joyful, lilting melody led by the alto soloist. The music carries a dancing, pastoral energy that perfectly captures the excitement of a messenger running up the mountain to deliver wonderful news.

For the choir, the real thrill comes when the full chorus finally enters to echo the soloist's message. Singing "O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion" in four-part harmony feels like a sudden burst of sunlight. The soprano line soars with the command to "arise, shine, for thy light is come," building up to the grand, repeated declarations that the glory of the Lord has risen.

It is a piece that demands both lightness and power. Rehearsing the intricate runs and polishing the final triumphant chords never fails to lift the spirits of everyone in the room. It reminds us of the pure, uncontained joy of the Christmas season and the promise of Emmanuel, God with us.