SITE RATING: 8/10
SITE
REVIEW: Another one of
those highlights discs which I wish were a
full-score recording of Messiah,
since the forces assembled are so compelling.
George Malcolm leads the Scottish
Chamber Orchestra with a sure, stylistic hand,
playing in a more romantic style, but not with
leaden tempos - everything here is carefully
measured for effect, with finely-judged
dynamic changes, and alternately smooth and
sharp attacks. The soloists are
uniformly excellent, with Glenn Winslade a
triumphant, heroic tenor; soprano Felicity
Lott in her prime with careful, expertly
crafted arias; Linda Finnie a mature, vibrant
presence on her single solo; and baritone
Henry Herford vibrant, if a bit hooty in his
moments. The Scottish Philharmonic
Singers are similarly excellent, powerful and
clear with no discernible accents distracting
from the text. Malcolm's tempos are
slower than I might have expected from the
employment of a chamber orchestra, and
occasionally sound heavy, but the playing and
singing are dramatic, expert, and committed,
and I enjoyed the short (a mere 53 minutes)
program very much. Worth seeking out for
listeners who might enjoy a taste of Messiah
in the Romantic tradition - with very fine
playing and singing.
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