It won’t be very long before concert stages will be filled with music customarily associated with the holidays. Last year, I asked who had the best holiday concert. The winner was Seattle Pro Musica.
For better or worse, Handel’s Messiah is standard holiday music. I want to know, who has the best Messiah? Are the SSO’s modern instruments, size, and chorus preferable to Seattle Baroque’s historically informed style? What about Orchestra Seattle’s hybrid approach? Is the Bellevue Phil the cream of the crop or do the PNB musicians that make up the Auburn Symphony do it better?
Who does the best Messiah in the region?(polls)
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BPO all the way!!!
What makes the BPO’s Messiah the best?
The BPO has a big sound and wonderful atmosphere.
Why doesn’t the Bellevue Messiah mention the Bellevue Chamber Chorus that performs with Bellevue Phil?
YES! Bellevue Chamber Chorus should be added to the BPO listing.
I just wanted to let you know that be Choir (of which I am a member) that has been doing a partnership with the Bellevue Philharmonic Orchestra for the last decade is the Bellevue Chamber Chorus (www.bellevuechamberchorus.net ). We get to have the most fun in this piece. While the soloists change we have remained a constant. Thanks for doing this survey.
OS/SCS Messiah has a relatively small orchestra, and the ornamentation done by the entire violin section and the trumpet soloist are superb. It truly has a chamber feel, and having the George Shangrow conduct from the harpsichord adds authenticity to the performance.