|
RECORDINGS |
|
| LABEL: |
ERATO |
| CATALOG NUMBER: |
2564 69283-5 |
| UPC NUMBER: |
825646928354 |
| NUMBER OF DISCS: |
2 |
| RUNNING
TIME: |
78:44, 78:37 |
| YEAR RECORDED: |
1974 |
| CD RELEASE DATE: |
APRIL 6, 2009 |
| CONDUCTOR: |
RAYMOND LEPPARD |
| ORCHESTRA: |
ENGLISH CHAMBER
ORCHESTRA |
| CHOIR: |
ENGLISH CHAMBER CHORUS |
| SOPRANO: |
FELICITY PALMER |
| ALTO: |
HELEN WATTS |
| TENOR: |
RYLAND DAVIES |
| BASS: |
JOHN SHIRLEY-QUIRK |
|
|
|
DISC ONE
Part One
01 No. l Sinfony (Overture) 3.11
02 No.2 Recitative: Comfort ye my people tenor 3.36
03 No.3 Air: Ev'ry valley shall be exalted tenor 3.37
04 No.4 Chorus: And the glory of the Lord shall be
revealed 2.39
05 No.5 Recitative: Thus saith the Lord bass 1.37
06 No.6 Air: But who may abide the day of his coming?
alto 4.44
07 No.7 Chorus: And he shall purify the sons of Levi
2.51
08 No.8 Recitative: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son
alto 0.27
09 No.9 Air: O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion
alto 3.49
10 No.9 Chorus: O thou that tellest good tidings to
Zion 1.41
11 No. 10 Recitative: For behold, darkness shall cover the earth
bass 2.54
12 No. l l Air: The people that walked in darkness have seen a great
light bass 4.11
13 No. 12 Chorus: For unto us a child is born 4.17
14 No.13 Pifa (Pastoral Symphony) 3.23
15 No.14a Recitative: There were shepherds abiding in the field soprano
No. 14b Recitative: And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them
soprano
No. 15 Recitative: And the angel said unto them: Fear not soprano
No. 16 Recitative: And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of
the heav'nly host soprano
16 No. 17 Chorus: Glory to God in the highest 1.54
17 No. 18 Air: Rejoice greatly, o daughter of Zion
soprano 4.06
18 No.19 Recitative: Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened
alto 0.26
19 No.20 Air: He shall feed his flock like a shepherd soprano,
alto 6.04
20 No.21 Chorus: His yoke is easy
Part Two
21 No.22 Chorus: Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of
the world 4.05
22 No.23 Air: He was despised and rejected of men
alto 11.44
23 No.24 Chorus: Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our
sorrows 2.25
|
DISC
TWO
01 No.25 Chorus: And with his stripes
we are healed 2.09
02 No.26 Chorus: All we like sheep have gone astray
4.26
03 No.27 Recitative: All they that see him laugh him to scorn
tenor 0.55
04 No.28 Chorus: He trusted in God that he would deliver
him 2.39
05 No.29 Recitative: Thy rebuke hath broken his heart
tenor 1.54
06 No.30 Air: Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto his
sorrow tenor 1.53
07 No.31 Recitative: He was cut off out of the land of the living
tenor 0.20
08 No.32 Air: But thou didst not leave his soul in hell
tenor 2.32
09 No.33 Chorus: Lift up your heads, o ye gates 3.28
10 No.34 Recitative: Unto which of the angels said he at any time
tenor 0.19
11 No.35 Chorus: Let all the angels of God worship
him 1.45
12 No.36 Air: Thou art gone up on high, thou hast led captivity captive
bass 3.37
13 No.37 Chorus: The Lord gave the word: great was the company of the
preachers 1.20
14 No.38 Air: How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel
of peace soprano 2.29
15 No.39 Air: Their sound is gone out into all lands
tenor 1.10
16 No.40 Air: Why do the nations so furiously rage together
bass 2.40
17 No.41 Chorus: Let us break their bonds asunder 2.12
18 No.42 Recitative: He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to
scorn tenor 0.18
19 No.43 Air: Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron
tenor 2.17
20 No.44 Chorus: Hallelujah 4.06
Part Three
21 No.45 Air: I know that my Redeemer liveth soprano
6.38
22 No.46 Chorus: Since by man came death 2.19
23 No.47 Recitative: Behold, I tell you a mystery
bass 0.43
24 No.48 Air: The trumpet shall sound bass 8.11
25 No.49 Recitative: Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is
written alto 0.21
26 No.50 Duet: O death, where is thy sting? alto,
tenor 1.42
27 No.51 Chorus: But thanks be to God, who giveth us the
victory 3.31
28 No.52 Air: If God be for us, who can be against us?
soprano 4.32
29 No.53 Chorus: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
3.51
30 [No.53 Chorus:] Amen 4.24
|
|
SITE RATING: 8/10
SITE REVIEW:
Raymond Leppard's 1974 recording of Messiah ranks nearly as highly as
other great Messiahs of the
same era, such as Colin Davis's and Neville Marriner's.
Bright, light, dancing tempos, excellent performances by the
English Chamber Orchestra and Chorus, and generally fine soloists, with
the exception of bass John Shirley-Quirk, who seems out of step here,
bringing great weight and force to his melismas, offsetting the
otherwise baroque feel of the piece. Alto Helen Watts brings
great warmth to her readings, while Felicity Palmer is almost
unsurpassed in her ability to bring a wonderful drama to all her
pieces, sung with equal warmth and emotion. Tenor Ryland Davies
is technically good, but sounds young and peacock-ish in his
presentation, with a bit of nasalness to his tone. The recorded
tone is not as brilliant as you'll find on today's recordings, but the
2008 remastering is very good, a bit distant, but warm and natural.
A very enjoyable, natural Messiah,
exhibiting the kind of warmth and humanity lacking on many other
recordings, and worth seeking out.
|
|
