Howling Handel

Handel's Messiah at Tremont Temple Baptist Church. I was wondering who was singing one of the first chorus pieces way off key---it was really a howl, almost the way a hound dog might interpret Handel. I did not wish to embarrass the person by looking over so I kept my eyes straight ahead until the conductor about half way through had us greet one another with a Merry Christmas. It was then that I got my first glimpse of the howler. Of course my curiosity was raised. Perhaps some ancient elder who had no hearing and was baying as best he could. No, it was not. I could now see the young man only about four feet tall with the down syndrome features, greeting everyone around him with untainted affection. He immediately loved everyone in his hand-grasping vicinity. And then much later at the finale came the Hallelujah chorus. Well...first the audience rose en mass and above even the strong voices of the choir and a few of the audience joining in was to my left that voice in reckless abandon howling out Hallelujahs and I could barely sing myself my throat was so heavy from the beauty of this little man. I don't think I will be surprised at all if this little man will be singing solo in the music chambers of the Kingdom. It will be him with his hands raised and howling out Handel's Hallelujah like it's never been howled before. I hope Handel is there to hear it.