It's Christmas in July for this week's Voices of Connection! Today we share with you Liz Lang and Daniel Beckwith's extraordinary rendition of "Rejoice Greatly" from Handel's Messiah, from our Candlelight Christmas Concerts this past year.

An absolute barnstormer of an aria, "Rejoice Greatly" is one of Handel's best known musical works. The aria features joyful, twisting coloraturas (a very elaborate, ornamented melody) that only the most sprightly sopranos can master and an equally ebullient organ accompaniment. The sheer happiness one gets from listening to this playful tune makes it perfect for the holidays, but it's also great to listen to any time of year when you need a pick-me-up.

Take a listen to Liz Lang and Daniel Beckwith's performance of "Rejoice Greatly" below.

HANDEL "Rejoice Greatly" from Messiah

Voices of Ascension
Dennis Keene, Artistic Director and Conductor
Liz Lang, Soprano
Daniel Beckwith, Organ

Voices of Ascension Candlelight Christmas Concert
December 9, 2021
Church of the Ascension, NYC

The choral artists in this concert are represented by AGMA, the American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO, the union that represents artists performing in opera, modern dance and choral presentations, as well as choreographers, stage directors, and stage managers.