SITE RATING: 7/10
SITE
REVIEW: I'm going to
label this recording the "Ritalin Messiah"
since Harnoncourt & Co. sound like they
need nothing more than a good dose of
medication to tone down this odd,
ADHD-infected performance. After
listening to this, I can easily imagine all of
the participants having chugged down a Red
Bull energy drink before they hit the record
button. Everyone sounds wayyyyyy too
happy and bouncy throughout, and Harnoncourt
leads the oratorio with all of the enthusiasm
of a sixteen-year-old being give the keys to
his first car. It's interesting to
listen to, but a little unnerving as well.
I cannot fault any of the performers -
they sing and play expertly, and the recorded
sound is similarly excellent, with this
recording having dual releases in standard CD
and SACD formats. It simply sounds as if
everyone is bouncing off the walls - with
chipper, fey readings of each movement.
The soloists are very good, Christine
Schafer and Gerald Finley in particular giving
lovely-toned performances which I found
enchanting, except for the somewhat manic,
wide-eyed approach which Harnoncourt demands
of them. Harnoncourt is well-known for
his brilliant, idiosyncratic performances
which he brings out, and here it's in full
flower; you'll either love it or hate it, as
for me, I'll give it a qualified
recommendation - it certainly stands out from
the crowd, even if it does so by jumping up
and down trying to get our attention.
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