German composer George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) wrote "Messiah", an English language oratorio, in 1741.

In addition to the familiar "Messiah" music, there will also be some selections from Johann Sebastian Bach.

Bach wrote the score of his Christmas Oratorio in the year 1734. Unlike other Baroque era oratorios, Bach’s is divided into six parts for the Festival of Christmas. The Festival is celebrated successive days, starting on Christmas Day and the two following days, then on New Years’ Day and the Sunday after that, with the 6th section on the Festival of the Epiphany.

The overture consists of the introduction to the opening chorus and will be followed by the alto aria several movements later, an appropriate setting for Handel’s "Messiah".