Just imagine — Handel wrote his most famous masterpiece in just three weeks, without a computer or a Technics. With its unique blend of the best of the French, Italian and German choral traditions, The Messiah instantly took its place as the greatest of religious oratorios. Its 1724 Dublin premiere was a sensation, causing the then-reigning patriarch of composers, Josef Haydn, to graciously pronounce Handel “the master of us all.” And 284 years later, The Messiah is still a holiday bestseller, especially in its sing-along incarnation. This week and next, you can become part of the chorus in the Los Angeles Master Chorale's annual Messiah Sing-Along, an event the Chorale's music director Grant Gershon always looks forward to. “It's so much fun to conduct the audience,” he says. “Anything goes!” Hallelujah! (Scores available at the door.)

Sun., Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m.; Mon., Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m., 2008

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