"But who may abide-He is like a refiner's fire" - Handel's "Messiah" Donald McIntyre (bass)

This part of the oratorio is actually 2 arias performed back to back by the same performer. It opens very abruptly with the prophet Haggai's declaration of God's impending judgment: "I'll shake all nations" then Malachi's announcement of Christ's advent. The 2nd aria portion is an ominous warning to all who are unprepared for Him. "But who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner's fire!" Many suppose that Handel based the libretto of this work on a poem by Alexander Pope. It is a very balanced & orthodox portrayal of the multidimensional character of God & Christ describing His overwhelming goodness as well as His reluctant severity. A message which has all but disappeared from our modern pulpits. I love the powerful trill this great New Zealand basso emphatically plants on "re-FIIIIIIIIINER'S fire" in the closing cadence. Very difficult for a bass to do given their larger & heavier vocal chords. I had to do some in Stradella's "Pieta Signore" & the best trill I could produce ended up sounding like a duck was getting strangled. Not so with Mr. McIntyre who performs the vocal acrobatics with beautiful ease. I hope you enjoy this remarkable performance.
God bless you!
Paul