Messiah

It is Saturday 20th December and I am listening to ABC FM's live performance of Messiah. Conductor Graham (I am not Mr Messiah...I am Mr naughty Boy) Abbott must be the principle interpreter in Australia if not the world.
Let me tell you of two things that have just happened.....the audience applauded at the end of Hallelujah. It seemed the right thing to do because it was magnificent.
This is followed by I know that my Redeemer liveth. When I first heard Messiah in the Whitehaven Wesleyan Church,the soprano was Isobel Baillie. It being 1964 or 65 she was, I suppose, somewhere between 69 and 72.
I have always marvelled that her voice was so wonderful at that age. I did not know at that time who I was listening to, but have heard recordings since (thanks to Joan and Jim Manners) that showed she was top notch. I have always measured performances of I know that my redeemer by that paragon.
Tonight Sarah Macliver is up there with Dame Isobel.
Maybe I am just in the mood