The Messiah

Dad was asked by the Stake to direct the Messiah one year.   Dad loved conducting.  In preparation for this specific task dad would listen to a recording of the messiah on a cassette player with headphones.  He followed along with the sheet music in his lap while he practiced directing it.  We thought it was funny to watch Dad directing in the empty living room.  He would quietly mouth the words as if he were singing.  What I remember most was him getting to no.24 Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs and hearing dad (at this point not so quietly) saying/singing Surely Surely.  Dad took he preparation to conduct seriously.