| RECORDINGS |
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| LABEL: |
NIMBUS
RECORDS |
| CATALOG
NUMBER: |
NIM
5709 |
| UPC
NUMBER: |
710357570926 |
| NUMBER OF DISCS: |
2 |
| RUNNING TIME: |
2003 |
| YEAR
RECORDED: |
143:42 |
| CD
RELEASE DATE: |
JULY
6, 2004 |
| CONDUCTOR: |
WILLIAM
BOUGHTON |
| ORCHESTRA: |
ENGLISH
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA |
| CHOIR: |
SAINT
MICHAEL'S SINGERS |
| SOPRANO: |
ALISON
SMART |
| COUNTERTENOR: |
WILLIAM
TOWERS |
| TENOR: |
MICHAEL
HART-DAVIS |
| BASS: |
GAVIS
CARR |
|
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DISC ONE
1. Part One: Sinfonia -
Overture: Grave
1:41
2. Part One: Sinfonia - Overture:
Allegro moderato 2:09
3. Part One: Recitative: Comfort ye my
people 3:18
4. Part One: Aria - Tenor: Ev'ry valley
shall be exalted 3:28
5. Part One: Chorus: And the glory of
the Lord 2:35
6. Part One: Recitative: Thus saith the
Lord 1:22
7. Part One: Aria - Counter-Tenor: But
who may abide the day of his
coming? 4:30
8. Part One: Chorus: And he shall
purify 2:48
9. Part One: Recitative: Behold, a
virgin shall conceive
0:27
10. Part One: Aria - Counter-Tenor: O
thou that tellest good tidings to
Zion 4:06
11. Part One: Chorus: O thou that
tellest good tidings to
Zion 1:37
12. Part One: Recitative: For behold,
darkness shall cover the
earth 1:54
13. Part One: Aria - Baritone: The
people that walked in
darkness 3:37
14. Part One: Chorus: For unto us a
child is born 4:26
15. Part One: Pifa - 'Pastoral
Symphony' 1:05
16. Part One: Recitative: There were
shepherds abiding in the
field 0:13
17. Part One: Recitative: And lo, the
angel of the Lord came upon
them 0:21
18. Part One: Recitative: And the angel
said unto them 0:38
19. Part One: Recitative: And suddenly
there was with the
angel 0:17
20. Part One: Chorus: Glory to
God 1:54
21. Part One: Aria - Soprano: Rejoice
greatly, O daughter of
Zion 5:01
22. Part One: Recitative: Then
shall the eyes of the
blind 0:33
23. Part One: Aria - Counter-Tenor &
Soprano: He shall feed his
flock 5:18
24. Part One: Chorus: His yoke is easy,
and his burthen is
light 2:42
25. Part Two: Chorus: Behold the Lamb of
God 3:25
26. Part Two: Aria - Counter-Tenor: He
was despised 10:40
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DISC TWO
1. Part Two: Chorus: Surely he
hath borne our griefs
1:52
2. Part Two: Chorus: And with his
stripes we are healed
1:47
3. Part Two: Chorus: All we like sheep
have gone astray 3:58
4. Part Two: Recitative: All they that
see him laugh him to
scorn 0:45
5. Part Two: Chorus: He trusted in
God 2:15
6. Part Two: Recitative: Thy rebuke hath
broken his heart 2:02
7. Part Two: Aria - Soprano: Behold,and
see if there be any
sorrow 1:23
8. Part Two: Recitative: He was cut off
out of the land of the
living 0:23
9. Part Two: Aria - Tenor: But thou
didst not leave his soul in
hell 2:19
10. Part Two: Chorus: Lift up your
heads, O ye gates 3:04
11. Part Two: Recitative: Unto which of
the angels said he at any
time 0:20
12. Part Two: Chorus: Let all the angels
of God worship him
1:25
13. Part Two: Aria - Counter-Tenor: Thou
art gone up on high
3:16
14. Part Two: Chorus: The Lord gave the
word 1:08
15. Part Two: Aria - Soprano: How
beautiful are the feet
2:03
16. Part Two: Chorus: Their sound is
gone out 1:26
17. Part Two: Aria - Baritone: Why do
the nations so furiously rage
together? 3:00
18. Part Two: Chorus: Let us break their
bonds asunder 1:55
19. Part Two: Recitative: He that
dwelleth in heaven
0:16
20. Part Two: Aria - Tenor: Thou shalt
break them 2:14
21. Part Two: Chorus:
Hallelujah 3:47
22. Part Three: Aria - Soprano: I know
that my redeemer
liveth 6:02
23. Part Three: Chorus: Since by man
came death 1:53
24. Part Three: Recitative: Behold, I
tell you a mystery
0:43
25. Part Three: Aria - Baritone: The
trumpet shall sound
9:06
26. Part Three: Recitative: Then shall
be brought to pass
0:19
27. Part Three: Duet - Counter-Tenor
& Tenor: O death, where is thy
sting? 0:55
28. Part Three: Chorus: But thanks be to
God 2:02
29. Part Three: Aria - Soprano: If God
be for us 4:41
30. Part Three: Chorus: Worthy is the
Lamb that was slain
3:23
31. Part Three: Chorus: Amen
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SITE RATING: 4/10
SITE
REVIEW: An unfortunate
recording, this 2003 Messiah by William Boughton
sounds shrill, nervous, and generally
ill-at-ease with itself. High points
include countertenor William Towers, with his
mellow, natural sound very easy and pleasant,
and the Saint
Michael's Singers who collectively bring
a freshness and innocence to their readings.
But the minuses on this Messiah are very
distinct: Tenor Michael Hart-Davis is
particularly harsh and clipped on his solos,
as is soprano Alison Smart, giving one of the
most hard, unnatural performances I've heard
on disc. Baritone Gavis Carr also sounds
unsteady on his melismas, and the three of
them all sound forced - as if they had not
warmed up their voices previous to the
concert. Boughton's tempos are
unfocused, having an unnatural, brittle
quality to them, leading the whole fabric of
the piece unable to gel into a pleasing whole.
The recorded sound is soft was well,
leaving such bright contrapuntal pieces such
as "Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder" awash in
muddiness. A recording that's
frustrating on many levels, and not worth
picking over far-better alternatives.
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