New Music – Pop/Rock Hallelujah Chorus

Dec 22, 2020 | Blog, Christopher J Music, Double Bass Beginner’s Course

Originally published 14-Apr-17

Hi Friends,

New Music – Pop/Rock Hallelujah Chorus:  I first released this recording of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus before Easter in 2017, but it has become pretty popular and I think it is also good to play during the Christmas season.  Enjoy!

I am releasing today as a single my own pop/rock instrumental arrangement of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, in the style of someone like Mannheim Steamroller. You can get your copy either directly from my music store or it is available from Apple Music, Amazon, Google Play or other on-line digital music sites.  It also streams on Spotify! A copy of the score is available for anyone who would like a copy on the Sheet Music page of my website.  I created the instrumentation, played the instruments (see list below!) and recorded this in my studio.  Engineering/mixing assistance was provided by Michael Powers, “Powerhouse Studios” in Seattle!

The link to my Hallelujah Chorus video is right here. You can also find it on Youtube…see below! 🙂

I hope you like it. Have a blessed Easter.

Background Info:

The Hallelujah Chorus is very popular at Christmas time, but I think it is just as appropriate during Easter, and maybe even more fitting from a theological point of view. The back story is that I have been working on a number of Christmas-themed songs that I plan to release as an album this fall, in time for Christmas, but the work has to be done now and I don’t want to hold onto things once I am finished, so plan on seeing a fairly steady release of new music from me this year as singles. Besides, a lot of people love celebrating Christmas any time of the year. I know my daughter does, and she probably has the largest collection of Christmas music in the world.

I began working on my arrangement of the Hallelujah Chorus in late December after we attended the Seattle Symphony’s performance of Handel’s Messiah. There are probably countless performances of the Hallelujah Chorus in the traditional genre, so I wanted to do something more pop oriented and that is what you have here.

The Hallelujah Chorus is such an awesome piece and it is addictive. I want to listen to it and sing it over and over. Old GF (George Frideric) really knew how to write a “hook”. I think the power of it lies in its rhythm, which comes naturally from the words and the melody spiraling higher and higher.

Handel composed the entire Messiah oratorio in the year 1741 and he completed the entire thing in an incredible 24 days! Maybe he was a manic-depressive and got stuck in a manic mode. Who knows. At any rate, it is a brilliant masterpiece of composition and the world owes him a debt for his art.

In my arrangement I added a drum solo and moog synthesizer motif to the introduction. Below is the orchestral instrumentation on the left mapped to what I have used in my performance on the right. I played all instruments.

  • Violin 1                   Electric Guitar 1 and 2
  • Violin 2                   Electric Piano
  • Viola                       Synthesizer
  • Cello                       Electric Bass
  • Oboe                      Classical Guitar
  • Bassoon                  Electric Bass
  • Trumpet                  Trumpet
  • Timpani                   Timpani
  • None                       Drums
  • None                       Other percussion

Image of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus score dated 1741

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New Music Tuesday: Alley Cat Blues (meow)

Nov 24, 2020 | Blog, Christopher J Music, Front Page Post

Hey folks!  It’s New Music Tuesday: Alley Cat Blues (meow).

And on and on I go.  Still more blues are coming up for you next week!.  My cover of the 1961 instrumental “Alley Cat” by Bent Fabric, featuring my own arrangement and instrumentation that I have dubbed “Alley Cat Blues” will be released on December 4th. Use this form to Pre-Save “Alley Cat Blues” (or paste https://show.co/5PHNE93 into your browser) to be the first to hear this song!  After December 4th, check back and you can find the tune also on my Music Store page.

Alley Cat Blues Final Art

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New Music Monday

Aug 26, 2020 | Blog, Christopher J Music

Last year…. I was into adapting classical music to the blues or putting blues into classical with my release of my newest CD, “Bluesy Bach & Friends”.

This year I have been getting into pure blues, especially electric blues and even more specifically as played by Albert King, Freddie King and BB King.  Already released this year are my covers of Freddie King’s “Key to the Highway” and “Hide Away”.  Next up to bat is Albert King.  And on August 31st my cover of AK’s cover of “Crosscut Saw” will be released.

Check it out:

So…..Many blues artists have contended with the “sinner or saint” struggle and started out in church and moved to the blues, or vice versa!  Use this form to Pre-Save “Crosscut Saw” to be the first to hear if this song is about a sinner or saint!

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