Since the race of time began

When a Nigerian choir wants to bring true classical grandeur to a special celebration or concert, Handel is always a favorite. "Since the race of time began" is a magnificent excerpt from his oratorio Joseph and his Brethren. The piece opens with a stately recitative declaring the joy of being joined to "sweetness, dignity and virtue," before launching into a highly energetic and rolling chorus.

The main chorus, "Swift our numbers, swiftly roll," is a brilliant workout for the whole choir. The voices weave together, passing the melody from part to part as they sing of wafting the news "from pole to pole." It requires crisp diction and solid breath control to keep the momentum going without losing the clarity of the words.

Pieces like this are often the highlight of a choir's repertoire during major feast days, choral festivals, or special thanksgiving masses. The triumphant final declarations of "joy and peace to all mankind" give the singers a chance to truly open up and fill the church with sound, leaving the congregation uplifted by the sheer scale of the music.