Billy and the Turkey
Shoot
A Thanksgiving Story
By Danny Tillman
Thanksgiving Feast!
The musicians stand and store their instruments; the singers cease singing; remaining is the sound of at least 200 voices, as well as music from a phonograph someone has placed on Uncle Rufus's front porch--a 1928 recording of Sir Thomas Beecham in London, directing the BBC Choir & Symphony Orchestra performing the Oratorio, G.F. Handel's Messiah.[1] The beautiful Overture, performed by orchestra & organ--on the 78 rpm Record #L2018--begins playing.
The overture ended, the tenor soloist, Hubert Eisdell, accompanied by the Orchestra, now begins singing "Comfort Ye, My People"--the words of the King James version (KJV) of The Holy Bible book of Isaiah, chapter 40, verses 1,2 & 3, edited by Charles Jennings:
Note: Enclosed in brackets is the Hebrew.[2]
[nahamu, nahamu, ammi. Nahamu, nahamu, ammi, yomar elohekem yomar elohekem.]
... "'Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people. Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, 'saith your God, saith your God." ...
Some of Yark's company remove the chairs from around the fire, which has since gone out, & begin the laborious task of extracting the #3 wash tubs filled with steamed vegetables: With shovels, they scrape back the dirt & the glowing embers and white ashes onto the sandy border of the fire pit and with gloved hands, remove the sheet-metal lid, lift out the tubs & lug them to 3 tables which are set up for serving the food, & where are stationed members of Yark's company, plus others, including Anita, Cheryl, Louise, Cathryne, Mimi, Edna, and Elizabeth.
[dabru al-leb yerusalem dabru al-leb yerusalem]
... "'Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem,'" ...
Two o'clock rolls around, and all is ready. Suddenly, a loud voice hails the guests: "Hello to all, and welcome!" sings out Mr. Pisachube, who is standing on the front porch. "Thanks to all for coming here today and helping us to make this a most wondrous day. I also thank our most honored Father in Heaven, the Big Watcher, Lord of the universe, and his Son, for you all, this good earth and all its creatures, and for this delicious Thanksgiving food!" And everyone shouts a rousing, "Amen!"
[yeqiru eleha ki ki mala saba-a ki nirsa aona ki nirsa aona]
... "'& cry unto her that her warfare, her warfare is accomplish-ed that her iniquity is pardon-ed that her iniquity is pardon-ed.'" ...
A cadenced murmur begins somewhere in the crowd and grows steadily louder:
"Raschelle, Raschelle, Raschelle, Raschelle..."
She and her father are pushed to the head of the serving line, and Anita dishes out to her the first cut of the Great Turkey. The guests single-file at the food tables, getting their plates heaped with victuals.
[kol ko-re bammidbar pannu derek yehovah yasseru ba-araba mesilla lohenu le-]
... "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness:
'Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'" ...
[1]78-rpm recording of Sir Thomas Beecham in London, England, 1928, directing the BBC Choir & Symphony Orchestra performing G.F. Handel's Messiah Oratorio (with libretto*), courtesy of Mark Boyle.
* The Libretto--aka text or wordbook--was supplied by Charles Jennens (1700 - Nov. 20, 1773), which he compiled from the King James Bible, the Coverdale Psalter & the Book of Common Prayer. Then, for those words, which became lyrics, G.F. Handel (1685 - April 14, 1759) composed music during the period of time of August 22nd through September, 14th, 1741, in London, England. The finished work had 53 Movements in 3 Parts, all of which included music scored for: soloists & SATB choir; 2 trumpets; timpani; 2 oboes; 2 violins; viola; and basso continuo. The 1st performance of the Messiah Oratorio was staged in Dublin, Ireland. on April 13, 1742. Its London, England premiere was a year later. -Courtesy of Wikipedia, ed. by Danny Tillman.
[2] Enclosed in brackets of the song is the Hebrew language transliteration of the solo, "Comfort Ye, My People," the Messiah's libretto version of chapter 40, verses 1, 2 & 3 of The Holy Bible book, Isaiah, courtesy of the Westminster Leningrad Codex & blueletterbible.org.