Do-It-Yourself Messiah at Orchestra Hall: “Finally, a…

Do-It-Yourself Messiah at Orchestra Hall: “Finally, a song we know,” said a restless Saturday afternoon attendee when, after two hours, the orchestra struck up the “Hallelujah” chorus. With its free tickets and egalitarian approach, Chicago’s 21-year-old Handel sing-along tends to attract a mixed bag of talents and interest levels. The key, like this year’s deft and good-humored conductor Stanley Sperber, is to not expect perfection and just try to enjoy the process of an impromptu holiday concert in which the audience acts as the chorus. And, indeed, in the festive surroundings of Orchestra Hall, where the DIY Messiah returned for three sold-out performances this weekend after a year away, a few off-key choristers among thousands were hardly enough to spoil the holiday spirit. Besides, there was plenty of professional musical relief from soloists soprano Tamara Matthews, mezzo-soprano Cynthia Anderson, tenor Daniel Ebbers and baritone Richard Cowan, as well as accompaniment by harpsichordist Roger Goodman and organist Howard Bakken. And to tell the truth, we weren’t so bad on “For Unto Us A Child Is Born” and the “Hallelujah” chorus–which according to tradition and, no doubt, popular demand was resurrected as a galvanizing encore.