RECORDINGS

LABEL: PRO ARTE
CATALOG NUMBER: CDD 232
UPC NUMBER: 015095028327
NUMBER OF DISCS: 2
RUNNING TIME: 138.09
YEAR RECORDED: 1974
CD RELEASE DATE: 1985
CONDUCTOR: ANTAL DORATI
ORCHESTRA: SMITHSONIAN CONCERTO GROSSO
CHOIR: UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CHOIRS / CATHEDRAL CHORAL SOCIETY
SOPRANO: EDITH MATHIS
COUNTERTENOR: JAMES BOWMAN
TENOR: CLAES H. AHNSJO
BASS: TOM KRAUSE
AUDIO SAMPLES HIGHLIGHTS OTHER RELEASES

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

(WILL OPEN IN NEW WINDOW)
Questar UPC 033937303524		 Intersound
DISC ONE

1. Sinfony
2. Comfort Ye
3. Every Valley
4. And the Glory of the Lord
5. Thus Saith the Lord of Hosts
6. But Who May Abide
7. And He Shall Purify
8. Behold! A Virgin Shall Conceive    
9. O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion
10. For, Behold! Darkness Shall Cover the Earth
11. The People That Walked in Darkness
12. For Unto Us a Child Is Born
13. Pifa
14. There Were Shepherds Abiding in the Field
15. And, Lo! An Angel of the Lord Came Upon Them
16. And Suddenly There Was With the Angel a Multitude    
17. Glory to God
18. Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion
19. Then Shall the Eyes of the Blind Be Opened    
20. He Shall Feed His Flock
21. His Yoke Is Easy
22. Behold the Lamb of God
23. He Was Despised
24. Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs
25. And With His Stripes We Are Healed
DISC TWO

1. All We, Like Sheep
2. All They That See Him Laugh Him to Scorn
3. He Trusted in God
4. Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart
5. Behold and See
6. He Was Cut Off    
7. But Thou Didst Not Leave
8. Lift Up Your Heads / Who Is This King of Glory / The Lord Strong and Mighty / The Lord of Hosts: He
9. Unto Which of the Angels    
10. Let All the Angels of God Worship Him
11. Thou Art Gone Up High
12. The Lord Gave the Word
13. How Beautiful Are the Feet
14. Why Do the Nations So Furiously Rage Together
15. Let Us Break Their Bonds
16. He That Dwelleth In Heaven    
17. Thou Shalt Break Them
18. Hallelujah!
19. I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
20. Since By Man Came Death
21. Behold! I Tell You a Mystery
22. The Trumpet Shall Sound
23. O Death! Where Is Thy Sting?
24. But Thanks Be to God
25. If God Is For Us
26. Worthy Is the Lamb
SITE RATING:  7/10
SITE REVIEW:  Recorded live at the Maryland Handel Festival in 1974, within the Washington Cathedral, ostensibly to celebrate the anniversary of the 1784 Westminster Abbey performance of Messiah, this performance is a remarkably clean document, showing little audience noise or distortion.  Dorati conducts very neatly, with tempos never breaking out, and the combined choirs of Maryland University and the Cathedral Choral Society blending together admirably.  Their performance of "And He Shall Purify" is excellent, with beautiful intonation and unity.  Unfortunately, some of the mixing shoves the chorus into the background, but on the whole, it's an excellent-sounding performance.  Among the soloists, soprano Edith Mathis comes off best, with lovely tones and superb control; the rest of them I was less taken with, with all of them exhibiting excessive vibrato, particularly the counter-tenor, James Bowman, where it became very distracting.  Tempos are generally slow, but rarely did I feel the performance drag (as on a leaden "Behold The Lamb Of God").  Overall, a very good Messiah, out of print in complete form (but still readily found), but the highlights disc is generous. ~ BDW
The Compleat Messiah All Content Copyright © 2009 Bret D. Wheadon
All Rights Reserved.