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RECORDINGS |
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| LABEL: |
DECCA |
| CATALOG
NUMBER: |
430
488 2 |
| UPC NUMBER: |
028943048828 |
| NUMBER
OF DISCS: |
2 |
| RUNNING
TIME: |
136.52 |
| YEAR
RECORDED: |
1980 |
| CD
RELEASE DATE: |
OCTOBER 10, 1991 |
| CONDUCTOR: |
CHRISTOPHER
HOGWOOD |
| ORCHESTRA: |
THE
ACADEMY OF
ANCIENT MUSIC |
| CHOIR: |
CHOIR
OF CHRIST
CHURCH CATHEDRAL, OXFORD |
| SOPRANO
1: |
JUDITH
NELSON |
| SOPRANO
2: |
EMMA
KIRKBY |
| CONTRALTO |
CAROLYN
WATKINSON |
| TENOR: |
PAUL
ELLIOTT |
| BASS: |
DAVID
THOMAS |
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DISC
ONE
1.
Part 1 - Symphony The Academy of Ancient Music 2:57
2. Part 1 - 1. Accompagnato: Comfort ye, My people - 2. Air: Ev'ry
Valley shall be exalted 6:36
3. Part 1 - Chorus: And the glory of the Lord 2:51
4. Part 1 - Accompagnata: Thus saith the Lord... Aria: But who may
abide... 5:31
5. Part 1 - Chorus: And He shall purify the sons of Levi 2:43
6. Part 1 - 7. Recit: Behold, a Virgin shall conceive 8. Aria:O thou
that tellest good tidings to Zion 9. Coro 6:15
7. Part 1 - 10. Accompagnato: For behold, darkness shall
cover the earth 11. Aria: The people that walked in darkness 5:36
8. Part 1 - Chorus: "For unto us a Child is born" 4:15
9. Part 1 - Pifa (Pastoral Symphony) 0:52
10. Part 1 - Recit: There were shepherds...Chorus: Glory to God 3:21
11. Part 1 - Air: Rejoice greatly, o daughter of Zion Judith Nelson 4:09
12. Part 1 - Then shall the eyes of the blind....He shall feed his
flock 5:03
13. Part 1 - 19. Chorus: His yoke is easy 2:38
14. Part 2 - Chorus: Behold the Lamb of God 2:22
15. Part 2 - Air: He was despised 10:20
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DISC
TWO
1.
Part 2 - Chorus: Surely he hath borne...Chorus: And with his 3:57
2. Part 2 - Chorus: All we like sheep have gone astray 4:07
3. Part 2 - Recit: All they that see him...Chorus: He trusted in God
3:00
4. Part 2 - Recit: Thy rebuke...Air: Behold...Recit: He was cut.. 3:38
5. Part 2 - Aria: But thou didst not leave his soul in hell 2:22
6. Part 2 - Chorus: Lift up your heads 3:15
7. Part 2 - Recitativo: Unto which of the angels - Chorus: Let all the
Angels 1:44
8. Part 2 - Air: "Thou art gone up on high" 2:55
9. Part 2 - Chorus: The Lord gave the word 1:13
10. Part 2 - Air: How beautiful are the feet 2:05
11. Part 2 - Chorus: Their sound is gone out 1:21
12. Part 2 - Why do the nations...Let us break their bonds asunder 3:15
13. Part 2 - Recitativo: He that dwelleth...Air: Thou shalt break them
2:11
14. Part 2 - Chorus: "Hallelujah" 3:49
15. Part 3 - Air: I know that my Redeemer liveth 5:35
16. Part 3 - Chorus: Since by man came death 2:03
17. Part 3 - Behold, I tell you......The Trumpet shall sound
9:00
18. Part 3 - Then shall be brought to pass...O Death, .... 1:24
19. Part 3 - Chorus: But thanks be to God 2:17
20. Part 3 - Air: If God be for us 4:22
21. Part 3 - Worthy is the Lamb... Blessing and honour 3:45
22. Part 3 - Amen 3:37
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SITE RATING:
8/10
SITE REVIEW:
It's
not often that you can claim that your Messiah
changed the course of
history, but Christopher Hogwood's fresh, retro re-evaluation of
Handel's venerable oratorio turned more than a few heads.
Using period-appropriate instruments, a small, intimate
chorus, and brisk tempos that hadn't been attempted for decades,
Hogwood's interpretation created a tidal wave of revisionism which
hasn't yet begun to ebb. The period-instrument rage has many
detractors, and just as many champions, but listening now, Hogwood's
revisionist breakthrough sounds tame, and with an emotional detachment
that leaves the listener a little cool towards the final result.
There's no denying the startling purity of the music; Emma
Kirkby in particular was a revelation with her icy celestial soprano;
Carolyn Watkinson gives an authoritative declarative stance to the
alto;
tenor Paul Elliott is a standout, imparting a crystalline
serenity
to his arias;
David Thomas is a firm, unshakeable bass; and the Academy of Ancient
Music plays with precision and clarity;
while
the boys and men of the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
created
an other-worldly sound with their use of boy trebles. Combined with the
shrill, keening quality of the period instruments, this Messiah
sounded like no other that had come before it, and audiences
were able to hear what they considered a dusty, community choir
warhorse with fresh appreciation. The only arguable deficit
is
the extreme clipped marcattos which the director uses all too
liberally; on first hearing, it certainly captures the ear, but upon
further listening, sounds egregious and affected. It's a
startling contrast to, say, the Beecham or Ormandy
discs. All of
these revolutionary
aspects have since been duplicated numerous times since
this set was first released - sometimes, it must be said, with greater
results; but nothing
will ever be able to strip the distinction from this Messiah
of being
the first.
~ BDW
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