Nick Tang Saves the Day Again!

Totally going out of his way, Nick Tang helps me out yet again! He volunteered to host a track! Mad thanks! (Editors note: Since then, I've found a free hosting site, so I've updated the links as well as posted several tracks so you can get the entire movement. Nevertheless, Mr. Tang was quite instrumental in getting the music online for your enjoyment! ) All these tracks are from UCLA Chorale's Elijah concert from last year where I sang as a tenor. Tracks from this year's Verdi's Requiem concert will be posted momentarily.

Context: Israel is suffering through a drought. Summer has passed, and yet there is no rain. The people are suffering from famine and thirst.

Along comes our hero Elijah. He discovers the problem... the people have stopped believing in God! ::gasp:: So now our hero goes to set things right. He will present himself to Ahab and confront these sinners.

So Elijah proposes a whose-god-is-better contest. Slaughter a bullock [poor bullock... :(] and place it on the alter as an offering. They'll both offer the bullock to their respective gods, and whichever god responds by consuming the offering by fire wins. And being the good sport he is, Elijah lets the pagans go first.

The pagans fail, and Elijah, being the good sport he is, taunts them.

The pagans attempt to call Baal yet again.

They fail yet a second and third time. Now it's Elijah's turn. And guess what? God responds and burns that bullock up like, well, a God. So Elijah wins, and being the good sport he is, tells the people to do to the pagans as they would do to any graciously defeated foe. Kill them.

Special note: The role of Ahab is played by Steven Kronauer and Elijah is played by In Joon Jang, a 6'0" plus Korean with with a Metropolitan Opera Grand Final Audition Winner Award under his belt and an orgasmic (you read that right... orgasmic) Baritone voice.