Here the libretto pauses for the Pastoral Symphony, sometimes called the Pifa. The prophetic element of the Messiah is concluded. The symphonic interlude moves us to Bethlehem and the nativity.

According to Rosa Newmarch this transition is based on an Italian folk melody and the playing of shepherd's pipes or pifferai.

It is still a Christmas tradition for the shepherds (or those descended from shepherds) to travel to Rome on Christmas Eve to play their pipes at the church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli. The shepherds pipes look and sound like small bagpipes.

Today Romans are more likely to associate the nostalgic sounds of pifferai with the Christmas market at the Piazza Navona. All around a huge nativity scene the gift stalls, a strolling St. Nicholas, and the pipers encourage a commercial pilgrimage.

Today is Black Friday in the United States the "traditional" start of our commercial pilgrimage leading to Christmas. What is the object of the pilgrimage? The gift stalls? The gifts that St. Nick will bring us? The nostalgic sounds and sights? What about that nativity scene?

You can listen to the Pifa performed by the Peabody Institute Symphony.