RECORDINGS

LABEL: PHILIPS
CATALOG NUMBER: 434 695-2
UPC NUMBER: 028943469524
NUMBER OF DISCS: 2
RUNNING TIME: 2.10:50
YEAR RECORDED: 1992
CD RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 17, 1992
CONDUCTOR: SIR NEVILLE MARRINER
ORCHESTRA: ACADEMY OF ST. MARTIN IN THE FIELDS
CHOIR: CHORUS OF ST. MARTIN IN THE FIELDS
SOPRANO: SYLVIA MCNAIR
MEZZO-SOPRANO: ANNE SOFIE VON OTTER
ALTO: MICHAEL CHANCE
TENOR: JERRY HADLEY
BASS: ROBERT LLOYD

AUDIO SAMPLES HIGHLIGHTS OTHER RELEASES

DISC ONE

1.Messiah/Symphony
2.Messiah/Part 1. Accompagnato. Comfort Ye, Comfort Ye, My People
3.Messiah/Part 1. Air. Ev'ry Valley Shall Be Exalted
4.Messiah/Part 1. Chorus. And the Glory of the Lord
5.Messiah/Part 1. Accompagnato. Thus Saith the Lord
6.Messiah/Part 1. Air. But Who May Abide the Day of His Coming
7.Messiah/Part 1. Chorus. And He Shall Purify the Sons of Levi
8.Messiah/Part 1. Recitative. Behold, A Virgin Shall Concieve
9.Messiah/Part 1. Air and Chorus. O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings
10.Messiah/Part 1. Accompagnato. For Behold, Darkness Shall Cover the ...
11.Messiah/Part 1. Air. The People That Walked in Darkness
12.Messiah/Part 1. Chorus. For Unto Us a Child Is Born
13.Messiah/Part 1. Pifa. Pastoral Symphony
14.Messiah/Part 1. Recitative and Accompagnato. There Were ...
15.Messiah/Part 1. Chorus. Glory to God in the Highest
16.Messiah/Part 1. Air. Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion
17.Messiah/Part 1. Recitative. Then Shall the Eyes of the Blind
18.Messiah/Part 1. Duet. He Shall Feed His Flock
19.Messiah/Part 1. Chorus. His Yoke Is Easy
20.Messiah/Part 2. Chorus. Behold the Lamb of God
21.Messiah/Part 2. Air. He Was Despised
22.Messiah/Part 2. Chorus. Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs
23.Messiah/Part 2. Chorus. And with His Stripes We Are Healed
24.Messiah/Part 2. Chorus. All We Like Sheep
 DISC TWO

1.Messiah/Part 2. Accompagnato. All They That See Him
2.Messiah/Part 2. Chorus. He Trusted in God
3.Messiah/Part 2. Accompagnato. Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart
4.Messiah/Part 2. Arioso. Behold, And See
5.Messiah/Part 2. Accompagnato. He Was Cut Off
6.Messiah/Part 2. Aria. But Thou Didst Not Leave
7.Messiah/Part 2. Chorus. Lift Up Your Heads
8.Messiah/Part 2. Recitative. Unto Which of the Angels
9.Messiah/Part 2. Chorus. Let All the Angels of God
10.Messiah/Part 2. Air. Thou Art Gone Up on High
11.Messiah/Part 2. Chorus. The Lord Gave the Word
12.Messiah/Part 2. Air. How Beautiful Are the Feet
13.Messiah/Part 2. Arioso. Their Sound Is Gone Out
14.Messiah/Part 2. Air. Why Do the Nations
15.Messiah/Part 2. Chorus. Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder
16.Messiah/Part 2. Recitative. He That Dwelleth in Heaven
17.Messiah/Part 2. Air. Thou Shalt Break Them
18.Messiah/Part 2. Chorus. Hallelujah
19.Messiah/Part 3. Air. I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
20.Messiah/Part 3. Chorus. Since by Man Came Death
21.Messiah/Part 3. Accompagnato. Behold, I Tell You a Mystery
22.Messiah/Part 3. Air. The Trumpet Shall Sound
23.Messiah/Part 3. Recitative. Then Shall Be Brought to Pass
24.Messiah/Part 3. Duet. O Death, Where Is Thy Sting?
25.Messiah/Part 3. Chorus. But Thanks Be to God
26.Messiah/Part 3. Air. If God Be for Us
27.Messiah/Part 3. Chorus. Worthy Is the Lamb
28.Messiah/Amen
SITE RATING:  8/10
SITE REVIEW:  Another solid Messiah, this one reveling in the Handellian grandeur of the piece, with a distinct aura of both British and operatic influences.  This is a splendid live performance, also captured on DVD, and performed with impeccable professionalism and class.  Sir Neville Marriner leads the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields with finesse, and the performers, from the orchestra (playing on modern instruments) and the small chorus perfectly in sync with each other.  The soloists are similarly grand, with lyric tenor Jerry Hadley displaying an heroic persona, soprano Anne Sofie von Otter beautifully rich and thrilling, male alto Michael Chance giving a smooth mellow tone to his arias.  This is a very mannered and proper Messiah, somewhat over-reverent in its tone, although given the circumstances of it's production (being the 250th Anniversary of Messiah's first performance), it's appropriate.  This recording feels like a black-tie affair, with all the pomp and ceremony of the event permeating every moment.  As such, it's not my favorite Messiah, feeling somewhat restricted and stiff, but a very classy, professional document of an important anniversary.

The Compleat Messiah All Content Copyright © 2015 Bret D. Wheadon
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