Albert Irwin
Albert Irwin's most cherished MOB concert memory dates all the way back to March 1980: Handel's Israel in Egypt, led by Conductor Laureate Thomas Wikman (view the original program page and roster). As Irwin describes, "Several moments stand out in my mind. One is the chorus, 'He Spake the Word.' The agitated accompaniment actually made me feel as if there were 'all manner of flies' around. I even went so far as to brush what I thought was a fly from my arm. The best and most unforgettable part for me was the final double chorus, 'The Lord Shall Reign.' The way the themes bounced back and forth between Choir 1 and Choir 2 was magic. The final text, 'the horse and his rider, hath he thrown into the sea' just took me away. It was all I could do to not stand up, raise my hands, pump my fist in the air and let out a very loud, 'Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.'"
LISTEN: Music of the Baroque last performed Israel in Egypt in April 2013—hear the live recording of "The Lord Shall Reign" and "Sing Ye to the Lord" on Soundcloud.