Messiah is cancelled at school ‘due to religious content’

Messiah is cancelled at school ‘due to religious content’

News

norman lebrecht

November 09, 2024

There is a public outcry in Finland after a junior school in Uusima cancelled a concert of Handel’s Messiah by the Finnish Baroque Orchestra and the Helsinki Chamber Choir, apparently out of anxiety that its religious themes might offend some students.

It seems the school was aware of a recent case in Hämeenlinna, where a school had to pay 1,500 Euros for hurt feelings to a student’s mother who objected to hearing a song with Jesus’ name in it.

Neither school has made any comment, but politicians and bishops are raising a storm and the organiser of the concert said, ‘we have fallen out of a tree’.

‘What kind of society is it where schoolchildren don’t get to hear a baroque concert and get to know cultural history?’ demanded Social Security Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen.

Read more here.

Comments

  • Larry W says:

    Hopefully, this Messiah will have a second coming.

  • Anthony Sayer says:

    We all know where this is going. Amsterdam coming to a village near you before you know it, but let’s all say the real threat comes from the ‘Far Right’ (sic).

  • Douglas says:

    Shhh! Better not let on that Finlandia is used as a hymn in Christian services

    • Maria says:

      Ha, ha!!

    • Dave says:

      I’m rather glad that I know the Finnish text so that now I can block out the other words which the misuse of the piece during my childhood used to put into my head. Unfortunately, most other greats hijacked by church use don’t have original texts in the same way.

  • Sue Sonata Form says:

    It’s in English; they didn’t understand the text anyway!! Doah.

    • V.Lind says:

      You condescending cow. The Finns probably speak better English than you do. In the best-educated society in the world, one of the things they makes sure of is that their people can communicate in what is (currently) the dominant language.

      You would doubtless profess to be a Christian. Most of your posts here are utterly devoid of any semblance of real Christianity. I would advise you to repair to the Gospels in the run-up to the Nativity.

    • Maria says:

      They have far better English than the English or the British, and even more so than Americans!!

  • Elizabeth Owen says:

    They “had” to pay to someone who objected to hearing Jesus name in a song? Why did they pay out it’s ridiculous? Who complained and what was their religion? Jesus is recognised in the Muslim faith so can’t be them. A Christian fundamentalist? Bizarre.

    • JTS says:

      No fundamentalist would complain as the entire words of Messiah are based from the Bible. Interesting that even hardened atheists like Richard Dawkins and the late Jonathan Miller appreciate great religious works of art so who knows what cranky view has been indulged.

  • David Doddridge says:

    What religion would object to hearing jesus’s name? Certainly not Christians or Islam.

    • Paul Brownsey says:

      People of no religion, perhaps. There are some and they are absolutely real human beings.

    • Maria says:

      Nor Jews – after all you have Jews for Jesus movement, and some of our Rabbis in England, whatever about anywhere else, even went to Christian schools.

      • Saxon Broken says:

        “Jews for Jesus” can hardly be described as Jews: they are really believers in Jesus who maintain Jewish practises (just like the original believers in Jesus). Rabbinic Jews could, I suppose, object. But it would be a bit churlish.

  • Herbie G says:

    I used to believe that lunacy was not infectious. I am now beginning to doubt it. It seems to be spreading faster than Covid 19. Its victim is western civilisation.

  • John Borstlap says:

    They did not fall from a tree, but straight down the rabbit hole.

  • CBR76 says:

    ‘What kind of society is it where schoolchildren don’t get to hear a baroque concert and get to know cultural history?’ demanded Social Security Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen. I’ll tell you what kind – the kind where leftists get to live outside of SuperMax asylums.

  • John Kelly says:

    Wokerati gone absolutely nuts.

  • Jeff K says:

    It was despised and rejected.

    • Tamino says:

      Why do the nations so furiously rage together, and why do the people imagine a vain thing?
      The kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against His anointed.

  • Robert says:

    Unrelated question for Russia historians…

    Was Messiah ever performed or recorded in the Soviet Union?

  • MusicBear88 says:

    What the @*#% did they THINK a piece called “Messiah” was about in the first place?!

  • William Ward says:

    I don’t know which are more disgusting, the nutcases who go into hysterics over any thought that disturbs them or the pusillanimous administrators who kowtow to them.

    • V.Lind says:

      The latter. Rabble-rousers have always tried it on, but those in charge kowtowing is relatively new. Especially when the demands are so nonsensical, and so destructive of values and intellectual developments that have lasted as long as civilisation.

  • Tamino says:

    The end.

  • Carl says:

    I applaud this school’s efforts, even if it means the students miss out on some great music. There’s enough enforced religion in this world, and it’s about time we think more of those who don’t subscribe to these views. Here in the U.S., large swaths of the south have come close to sanctioning a state religion. The Finns know better.

  • David says:

    Wait…we get to play another oratorio besides the Messiah?
    HALLELUJAH.

    • The View from America says:

      Not a different oratorio — same issues. Instead, the soundtrack to “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” most likely.

    • V.Lind says:

      Hmmm…this time of year….the Bach Christmas is out. How about the Elijah? But oops…would they have to edit out the aria Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel?

      Could we please stop letting these people censor our lives?

  • Dragonetti says:

    As in any of this, just revel in the glorious music and ignore the words if they bother you. Seems mighty odd to me that some poor, deluded soul with a bee in their bonnet could wreak such nonsensical havoc. Next time just tell them to bugger off and get a life.
    I’m a performer and most definitely don’t subscribe to any religion but I regularly find myself playing religious music. If it was written with sincerity and has stood the test of time then play it! I freely admit that occasionally I chuckle at the nonsense of it- read the words of Gerontius for starters.But it’s simply some of Elgar’s finest work and he meant it sincerely. So play it and enjoy the masterpiece. Life’s too short to get upset by such trivial worries.

  • Gianni Morelenbaum says:

    Diffcult to comment, it’s half tragedy and half comedy. Besides, Jesus Christ is recognized as a Rabbi and is quoted in the Koran as one of the Prophets, so what’s the problem, besides the perverted idiocy of some Finn bureaucrats?

  • Margaret Koscielny says:

    Finland will get over it. The world will get over it, and many years from now, if there is still a world standing, with a chorus and an orchestra capable of performing it, the world will re-discover “The Messiah” and experience it for what it is: a magnificent piece of music written by a certifiable genius. In the meantime, those of us who love or hate it will/will not attend any number of performances offered.

  • Paul says:

    Hasn’t anyone pointed out the fact that the name “Jesus” is never actually mentioned in Handel’s Messiah? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe Jesus’ name is always only alluded to or implied. So the school could easily have gotten away with this.

  • PaulD says:

    If you want to see heads (and other things) explode, announce that you are performing Judas Maccabeus instead.

  • zandonai says:

    They need to cover up the nekkid women in Renaissance paintings for these ‘special people’.

  • JTS says:

    An Imam I knew said that this sort of thing does not come from Muslims who recognise Jesus as a prophet. It’s most likely come from a secularist source.

  • Garry Humphreys says:

    At school, Jews, Roman Catholics, etc., were readily excused our Protestant daily assemblies. Surely the Finnish objectors can also be excused – or just stay away – from attending the performance? (I bet there wouldn’t be many!)

  • Hendrik Vonk says:

    It is clear there are forces in the western world, aiming to destroy our whole European culture! Don’t give up, but keep performing! Furthermore: Jesus is King of kings, Lord of Lords! People who don’t want to hear: just stay home, there is no obligation to attend a concert!!!

  • Alexander says:

    They are not permitted to hear one of the greatest musical compositions of all time because of small minded people?

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