VIDEO

LABEL: EMI CLASSICS
CATALOG NUMBER: 2 68156 9
UPC NUMBER: 5009926815695
NUMBER OF DISCS: 2
RUNNING TIME: 160 MIN.
YEAR RECORDED: 2009
RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 3, 2009
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
AUDIO: DOLBY DIGITAL DTS SURROUND
REGION: 0 (NTSC)
CONDUCTOR: STEPHEN CLEOBURY
ORCHESTRA: ACADEMY OF ANCIENT MUSIC
CHOIR: CHOIR OF KING'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE
SOPRANO: AILISH TYNAN
MEZZO-SOPRANO: ALICE COOTE
TENOR: ALLAN CLAYTON
BASS: MATTHEW ROSE

VIDEO SAMPLES OTHER RELEASES


SITE RATING:  9/10
SITE REVIEW:  Although I rated this performance lower in the album review, the filmed concert, which was shown in movie theaters in Great Britain, is excellent in every technical aspect, with sound, film, and lighting beautifully realized.  Recorded in the stunning chapel of King's College Cambridge, this is a very professionally-captured performance, with an intimate ambiance, fully-felt singing from the soloists and choir, and rich, warm surround sound.  You can tell you're in for a class act, with the opening boom shot of tenor Allan Clayton, which begins from the audience, and slowly pans into close-up.  Rarely is so much care taken in concert shots; and that imaginative approach is carried throughout the concert, with director David Kremer using camera angles unobtrusively, but to great effect.  Although not shot in High-Definition, the video resolution is high enough to see the stubble on some of the choirboys faces!  How well you enjoy this Messiah will depend not only on the technical aspect, but the performance as well, which is slower, and more deliberate than to my tastes, but that is offset to a great extent by the pleasure of watching the performers, and seeing close-up their dedication and effort.  I enjoyed the DVD of this Messiah far more than the CD; and would recommend it, even if you don't feel affectionate about the performance - this is perhaps the best filmed Messiah available, and, unlike other videos, is complete, with the concert spread out onto two lengthy DVDs.


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