| RECORDINGS |
|
| LABEL: |
RCA
RED SEAL HP |
| CATALOG
NUMBER: |
63317 |
| UPC
NUMBER: |
090266331727 |
| NUMBER OF DISCS: |
2 |
| RUNNING TIME: |
149:20 |
| YEAR
RECORDED: |
1981 |
| CD
RELEASE DATE: |
AUGUST
10, 1999 |
| CONDUCTOR: |
RICHARD
WESTENBURG |
| ORCHESTRA: |
MUSICA
SACRA |
| CHOIR: |
MUSICA
SACRA |
| SOPRANO: |
JUDITH
BLEGEN |
| ALTO: |
KATHERINE
CIESINSKI |
| TENOR: |
JOHN
ALER |
| BASS: |
JOHN
CHEEK |
|
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DISC ONE
1 Overture
03:19
2 Recit: Comfort ye, comfort ye my
people (Tenor) 03:01
3 Air: Eveery valley shall be
exalted (Tenor) 03:25
4 Chorus: And the glory of the Lord
02:43
5 Recit: Thus saith the Lord of
hosts (Bass) 01:29
6 Air: But who may abide the day of
His coming? (Bass)
04:58
7 Chorus: And He shall purify
02:22
8 Recit: Behold, a virgin shall
conceive (Alto) 00:
9 Air & Chorus: O thou that
tellest good tidings (Alto)
05:12
10 Recit: For behold, daarkness
shall cover the earth (Bass)
02:42
11 Air: The people that walked in
the darkness (Bass)
04:21
12 Chorus: For unto us a child is
born 03:54
13 Pifa (Pastoral Symphont)
02:58
14 Recit: There were shepherds
abiding (Soprano) 00:40
15 Recit: And the angel said unto
them (Sopraon) 00:52
16 Recit: And suddenly there was
wwith the angel (Soprano)
00:
17 Chorus: Glory to God in the
highest 01:57
18 Air: Rejoice greatly, O daughter
of Zion (Soprano) 04:41
19 Recit: Then shall the eyes of the
blind (Alto) 00:33
20 Air: He shall feed His flock;
Come unto Him (Alto & Soprano)
05:09
21 Chorus: His yoke is easy
02:25
22 Chorus: Behold the Lamb of God
04:15
23 Air: He was depissed (Alto)
05:07
24 Chorus: Surely He hath borne our
griefs 02:21
25 Chorus: And with His stripes we
are healed 01:51
26 Chorus: All we like sheep have
gone astray 04:57
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DISC TWO
1 Recit: All they that see Him
(Tenor) 00:49
2 Chorus: He trusted in God
02:09
3 Recit: Thy rebuke hath broken His heart
(Tenor) 02:21
4 Air: Behold, and see if there be any
sorrow (Tenor) 01:43
5 Recit: He was cut off out of the land of
the living (Tenor) 00:
6 Air: But Thou didst not leave his soul
in hell (Tenor) 02:21
7 Chorus: Lift up your heads, O ye gates
02:58
8 Recit: Unto which of the angels of God
worship Him 00:
9 Chorus: Let all the angels of God
worship Him 01:31
10 Air: Thou art gone up on high (Bass)
03:12
11 Chorus: The Lord gave the word
01:05
12 Air & Chorus: How beautiful the
feet; Break forth (Alto & soprano)
04:28
13 Chorus; Their sound is gone out
into all lands 01:39
14 Air: Why do the nation so
furiously rage togeether (Bass)
03:00
15 Chorus: Let us breaak their bonds
aasunder 01:56
16 Recit: He that dwelleth in Heaven
(Tenor) 00:
17 Air: Thou shall break them with a rod
of iron (Tenor) 02:02
18 Chorus: Hallelujah!
03:33
19 Air: I know that my Redeemer liveth
(Soprano) 07:48
20 Chorus: Since by man came death
02:19
21 Recit: Behold, I tell you a mystery
(Bass) 00:46
22 Air: The trumpet shall sound (Bass)
09:15
23 Recit: Then shall be brought to pass
(Alto) 00:
24 Duet: O death, where is thy sting?
(Alto & Tenor)
01:13
25 Chorus: But thanks be to God
02:48
26 Air: If God be for us (Soprano)
04:41
27 Chorus: Worthy is the Lamb that was
slain/Amen 08:20
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SITE RATING: 8/10
SITE
REVIEW: This excellent
recording from 1981 features the professional
New York-based group Musica
Sacra, led by its founder and conductor,
Richard Westenburg, who died in 2008. Of
Messiah,
he said: "I can remember as a high school boy
certain things that really moved me; many were
through some of those passages [in 'Messiah']
of tragic poignancy, and tears would come to
my eyes, because they spoke to me the truths
of man's inhumanity; or I could think about
passages of simple, unadorned, direct, honest
joy, and I would know that Handel's overall
plan for expressing reconciliation represented
a triumph the striving for which was not
futile ... it reminds me that the survival of
worthwhile things can happen; and that
Handel's 'Messiah' helped it happen in me." [1]
Westenburg was renowned for attempting
to reconcile various schools of thought about
how Messiah should be performed, and here is
an early example of his efforts: modern
instruments, with generally quick light tempi
which benefits from the smaller forces
employed. Everything here is light and
tasteful, (with the exception of the the male
soloists, who seem to be singing for a larger
hall than the others). Still, for the
price which is asked of it, this is an
exceptional recording, and a recommended first
choice; but it's fine enough on all counts to
be included in any Messiah collection. ~
BDW
[1] "Richard
Westenburg,
76, Musical Director" Stephen Miller.
2008. The New York Sun.
February 21, 2008
<http://www.nysun.com/obituaries/richard-westenburg-76-musical-director/71597/>
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