Some Chicagoans came to appreciate “Messiah” as a piece of music with appeal that extended beyond its Christian themes.

The lighting of Advent wreath candles is a cherished Christian tradition. Each candle represents a different value with the ...

Grant Gershon conducts the Los Angeles Master Chorale in Rachmaninoff's "All Night Vigil," in which Hallelujah takes on an intimate, mystical quality. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) It ...

It begins with the violins — orderly and baroque. The choir rises. The audience rises. And before you know it, the concert hall, church, rec center or school auditorium fills with the triumphant sound ...

Hallelujah was seen as so joyous that it had to be put away for the 40 days of Lent. It was considered too celebratory for such a subdued time of the ecclesiastical year. There are stories of choir ...