My pre-Christmas reading has been the new book about the Messiah by Charles King, a Professor of Government at Georgetown University. It’s exemplary – so readable, so well researched, he manages to humanise and make vivid a period of history – Britain in the 1740s – which can often appear remote, complacent and frankly dull. Even Charles Jennens who wrote the libretto is made interesting, a non-juror and close friend and correspondent of Edward Holdsworth who designed the Palladian building at Magdalen College, Oxford.
We were encouraged to sing the Messiah at my prep school. It was regarded as in some way our patriotic duty, which put me off it. But King’s book has made me listen to it again with a completely different level of understanding and interest.
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/464918/every-valley-by-king-charles/9781847928450
| Charles | Saumarez | Smith | 
it has as many great tunes as a major musical by Rogers & Hammerstein
That’s such a great story too
Have you heard the one about the old Yorkshire farmer who was asked whether he’d enjoyed the performance of Messiah, who said, “Ay, it were o’rit. But they kept singing “we like sheep”. Well, I’m as fond of sheep as anyone but I don’t go round singing about it.”. Merry Christmas from an ex Yorkshire Australian.
Happy Christmas to you too ! Charles