Do I already know a classic?

Ever since I was in college, it has been impossible for the Christmas spirit to officially be stirred in me until the annual community chorus performance of Handel's Messiah.  As a student I attended the event, sitting in the near top row, almost always by myself. (I'm not sure why this was, but it was.  Did I have friends singing in it?  I don't remember.  I'm not even sure why I even attended my first one....perhaps it was a course requirement.  Thank goodness I did!)

Neverthless, I was hooked.  What an amazing masterpiece Handel created.  A few interesting facts:

• It was originally intended to be an Easter and Lent piece
• Handel wrote the entire piece in 24 days.  TWENTY-FOUR DAYS!  (ummm, wow.)
• It debuted in 1742
• Handel was born the same year as Bach (1685)
• Handel was 56 years old when he created Messiah

Of course, there's so much more to this piece and this man.  And I, by no means am a music historian.  (to be perfectly honest, the facts above came from various sources on the internet.  I cross checked to make sure they are close to true.  :) 

This morning on my way to my meeting I selected the Messiah from my playlist.  As I drove in early this morning, I wondered, "Did Handel think this piece would become so famous?  That we would still be creating annual traditions around it around the world 270 years later?"

Or.

Did Handel's friends know what a genius he was?  When they were sitting around on a Friday night eating the 18th century version of a carryout pizza and beer did they realize he would become a classic?

And then.

Do I already know a classic?  Will one day I be able to say, "oh yeah, one time we had just ordered a pizza and were sitting around when he/she said....."

And then, of course.....

Did Jesus's childhood friends know the true miracle that was in their midst?  Did they still argue whether he was safe at first base?  Did they make fun of him for being scrawny?  Or did they know he would some day be larger than life?

"For unto us a child is born!"