| RECORDINGS |
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| LABEL: |
CLARION |
| CATALOG
NUMBER: |
919 |
| UPC
NUMBER: |
040888091929 |
| NUMBER OF DISCS: |
2 |
| RUNNING TIME: |
137:14 |
| YEAR
RECORDED: |
2005 |
| CD
RELEASE DATE: |
OCTOBER
17, 2006 |
| CONDUCTOR: |
STEPHEN
ALLTOP |
| ORCHESTRA: |
THE
APOLLO CHORUS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA |
| CHOIR: |
THE
APOLLO CHORUS OF CHICAGO |
| SOPRANO: |
MARIA
JETTE |
| CONTRALTO: |
PATRICE
DJEREJIAN |
| TENOR: |
WILLIAM
HITE |
| BASS: |
JEFFREY
STRAUSS |
|
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DISC ONE
1 Part 1. Sinfonia
03:03
2 Part 1. Accompagnato. Comfort ye my
people 02:51
3 Part 1. Aria. Every valley shall be
exalted 03:20
4 Part 1. Coro. And the glory of the
Lord 02:49
5 Part 1. Accompagnato. Thus saith the
Lord 01:21
6 Part 1. Aria. But who may abide the
day of His coming?
04:39
7 Part 1. Coro. And He shall purify
02:23
8 Part 1. Recitativo. Behold, a virgin
shall conceive 00:22
9 Part 1. Aria/Coro. O thou that tellest
good tidings to Zion
05:11
10 Part 1. Accompagnato. For behold,
darkness shall cover the earth
01:46
11 Part 1. Aria. The people that walked
in darkness 03:46
12 Part 1. Coro. For unto us a Child is
born 03:54
13 Part 1. Pifa - Sinfonia Pastorale
01:03
14 Part 1. Recitativo. There were
shepherds abiding in the field /
Accompagnato. And lo! the angel of
00:28
15 Part 1. Recitativo. And the angel
said unto them 00:32
16 Part 1. Accompagnato. And suddenly
there was with the angel
00:16
17 Part 1. Coro. Glory to God
01:48
18 Part 1. Aria. Rejoice greatly, O
daughter of Zion
04:33
19 Part 1. Recitativo. Then shall the
eyes of the blind be opened
00:31
20 Part 1. Aria. He shall feed His flock
like a shepherd 04:57
21 Part 1. Coro. His yoke is easy and
His burden is light
02:10
22 Part 2. Coro. Behold the Lamb of God
02:49
23 Part 2. Aria. He was despised
10:16
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DISC TWO
1 Part 2. Coro. Surely He hath
borne our griefs
01:44
2 Part 2. Coro. And with His stripes we
are healed 01:56
3 Part 2. Coro. All we like sheep have
gone astray 03:56
4 Part 2. Accompagnato. All they that
see Him, laugh Him to scorn
00:42
5 Part 2. Coro. He trusted in God that
He would deliver Him
02:23
6 Part 2. Accompagnato. Thy rebuke hath
broken His heart
01:37
7 Part 2. Arioso. Behold, and see if
there be any sorrow
01:21
8 Part 2. Accompagnato. He was cut off
out of the land of the living
00:15
9 Part 2. Arioso. But Thou didst not
leave His soul in hell
02:22
10 Part 2. Coro. Lift up your heads, O
ye gates 02:54
11 Part 2. Recitativo. Unto which of the
angels said He 00:13
12 Part 2. Coro. Let all the angels of
God worship him 01:26
13 Part 2. Aria. Thou art gone up on
high 03:10
14 Part 2. Coro. The Lord gave the word
01:03
15 Part 2. Aria. How beautiful are the
feet of them 02:14
16 Part 2. Coro. Their sound is gone out
into all lands 01:25
17 Part 2. Aria. Why do the nations so
furiously rage 02:34
18 Part 2. Coro. Let us break their
bonds asunder 01:49
19 Part 2. Recitativo. He that dwelleth
in heaven 00:12
20 Part 2. Aria. Thou shalt break them
02:09
21 Part 2. Coro. Hallelujah!
03:45
22 Part 3. Aria. I know that my Redeemer
liveth 05:54
23 Part 3. Coro. Since by man came death
01:46
24 Part 3. Accompagnato. Behold, I tell
you a mystery 00:31
25 Part 3. Aria. The trumpet shall sound
08:34
26 Part 3. Recitativo. Then shall be
brought to pass 00:16
27 Part 3. Duet. O death, where is thy
sting? 01:06
28 Part 3. Coro. But thanks be to God
02:11
29 Part 3. Aria. If God be for us, who
can be against us?
05:14
30 Part 3. Coro. Worthy is the Lamb
07:44
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SITE RATING: 6/10
SITE
REVIEW: This 2005
recording by Stephen Alltop and the Apollo
Chorus of Chicago is another good "regional"
recording that suffers in comparison with more
internationally-renowned artists. You
can almost smell these "local choir makes
good" albums as soon as they're released; they
come with rapturous reviews from local
newspapers, and receive glowing reports from
people who know the conductor/choir
member/orchestra player on a personal level.
But stacked against other Messiahs,
this one is lacking is performances from both
soloists and choir. Specifically,
contralto Patrice Djerejian possesses a
particularly flimsy tone that drags her arias
down, and the tenor section of the choir, when
singing alone, is weak and undernourished.
Alltop's tempos are fine, and the live
recording is generally well-balanced, with the
occasional audience noise breaking the mood,
and the Apollo Chorus has several fine moments
that show off their unity and polish.
More distracting is the Apollo Chorus's
regional accent, which chews consonants and
slurs vowels to a noticeable degree. The
other soloists have more pleasing tones, but
are let loose on their ornamentation, and on
occasion falter in their sustaining tones.
I'm sure that the organization is a
proud one for the Chicago community, but this
Messiah
is appealing only on a local level.
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