| RECORDINGS |
|
| LABEL: |
DECCA |
| CATALOG
NUMBER: |
430
488
2 |
| UPC
NUMBER: |
028943048828 |
| NUMBER OF DISCS: |
2 |
| RUNNING TIME: |
136.52 |
| YEAR
RECORDED: |
1980 |
| CD
RELEASE
DATE: |
OCTOBER
10, 1991 |
| CONDUCTOR: |
CHRISTOPHER
HOGWOOD |
| ORCHESTRA: |
THE
ACADEMY
OF ANCIENT MUSIC |
| CHOIR: |
CHOIR
OF
CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL, OXFORD |
| SOPRANO
1: |
JUDITH
NELSON |
| SOPRANO
2: |
EMMA
KIRKBY |
| CONTRALTO |
CAROLYN
WATKINSON |
| TENOR: |
PAUL
ELLIOTT |
| BASS: |
DAVID
THOMAS |
|
|
|
DISC ONE
1. Part 1 - Symphony The
Academy of Ancient Music 2:57
2. Part 1 - 1. Accompagnato: Comfort
ye, My people - 2. Air: Ev'ry Valley
shall be exalted 6:36
3. Part 1 - Chorus: And the glory of
the Lord 2:51
4. Part 1 - Accompagnata: Thus saith
the Lord... Aria: But who may abide...
5:31
5. Part 1 - Chorus: And He shall
purify the sons of Levi 2:43
6. Part 1 - 7. Recit: Behold, a Virgin
shall conceive 8. Aria:O thou that
tellest good tidings to Zion 9. Coro
6:15
7. Part 1 - 10. Accompagnato: For
behold, darkness shall cover the earth
11. Aria: The people that walked in
darkness 5:36
8. Part 1 - Chorus: "For unto us a
Child is born" 4:15
9. Part 1 - Pifa (Pastoral Symphony)
0:52
10. Part 1 - Recit: There were
shepherds...Chorus: Glory to God 3:21
11. Part 1 - Air: Rejoice greatly, o
daughter of Zion Judith Nelson 4:09
12. Part 1 - Then shall the eyes of
the blind....He shall feed his flock
5:03
13. Part 1 - 19. Chorus: His yoke is
easy 2:38
14. Part 2 - Chorus: Behold the Lamb
of God 2:22
15. Part 2 - Air: He was despised
10:20
|
DISC TWO
1.
Part
2 - Chorus: Surely he hath borne...Chorus:
And with his 3:57
2. Part 2 - Chorus: All we like sheep have
gone astray 4:07
3. Part 2 - Recit: All they that see
him...Chorus: He trusted in God 3:00
4. Part 2 - Recit: Thy rebuke...Air:
Behold...Recit: He was cut.. 3:38
5. Part 2 - Aria: But thou didst not leave
his soul in hell 2:22
6. Part 2 - Chorus: Lift up your heads
3:15
7. Part 2 - Recitativo: Unto which of the
angels - Chorus: Let all the Angels 1:44
8. Part 2 - Air: "Thou art gone up on
high" 2:55
9. Part 2 - Chorus: The Lord gave the word
1:13
10. Part 2 - Air: How beautiful are the
feet 2:05
11. Part 2 - Chorus: Their sound is gone
out 1:21
12. Part 2 - Why do the nations...Let us
break their bonds asunder 3:15
13. Part 2 - Recitativo: He that
dwelleth...Air: Thou shalt break them 2:11
14. Part 2 - Chorus: "Hallelujah" 3:49
15. Part 3 - Air: I know that my Redeemer
liveth 5:35
16. Part 3 - Chorus: Since by man came
death 2:03
17. Part 3 - Behold, I tell you......The
Trumpet shall sound 9:00
18. Part 3 - Then shall be brought to
pass...O Death, .... 1:24
19. Part 3 - Chorus: But thanks be to God
2:17
20. Part 3 - Air: If God be for us 4:22
21. Part 3 - Worthy is the Lamb...
Blessing and honour 3:45
22. Part 3 - Amen 3:37
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SITE RATING: 8/10
SITE
REVIEW: It's not often
that you can claim that your Messiah
changed the course of history, but
Christopher Hogwood's fresh, retro
re-evaluation of Handel's venerable oratorio
turned more than a few heads. Using
period-appropriate instruments, a small,
intimate chorus, and brisk tempos that
hadn't been attempted for decades, Hogwood's
interpretation created a tidal wave of
revisionism which hasn't yet begun to ebb.
The period-instrument rage has many
detractors, and just as many champions, but
listening now, Hogwood's revisionist
breakthrough sounds tame, and with an
emotional detachment that leaves the
listener a little cool towards the final
result. There's no denying the
startling purity of the music; Emma Kirkby
in particular was a revelation with her icy
celestial soprano; Carolyn Watkinson gives
an authoritative declarative stance to the
alto; tenor Paul Elliott is a standout,
imparting a crystalline serenity to his
arias; David Thomas is a firm, unshakeable
bass; and the Academy of Ancient Music plays
with precision and clarity; while the boys
and men of the Choir of Christ Church
Cathedral, Oxford created an other-worldly
sound with their use of boy trebles.
Combined with the shrill, keening quality of
the period instruments, this Messiah
sounded like no other that had come before
it, and audiences were able to hear what
they considered a dusty, community choir
warhorse with fresh appreciation. The
only arguable deficit is the extreme clipped
marcattos which the director uses all too
liberally; on first hearing, it certainly
captures the ear, but upon further
listening, sounds egregious and affected.
It's a startling contrast to, say, the
Beecham or Ormandy
discs. All of these revolutionary
aspects have since been duplicated numerous
times since this set was first released -
sometimes, it must be said, with greater
results; but nothing will ever be able to
strip the distinction from this Messiah
of being the first.
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