RECORDINGS

LABEL: NAXOS
CATALOG NUMBER: 8.550667-228
UPC NUMBER: 0730099566728
NUMBER OF DISCS: 2
RUNNING TIME: 2:21:30
YEAR RECORDED: 1992
CD RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER, 1992
CONDUCTOR: N/A
ORCHESTRA: THE SCHOLARS BAROQUE ENSEMBLE
CHOIR: THE SCHOLARS BAROQUE ENSEMBLE
SOPRANO: KYM AMPS, HELEN PARKER
ALTO: FRANCES JELLARD
COUNTERTENOR: ANGUS DAVIDSON
TENOR: ROBIN DOVETON, JOHN BOWEN
BASS: DAVID VAN ASCH, ADRIAN PEACOCK
AUDIO SAMPLES HIGHLIGHTS OTHER RELEASES
DISC ONE

1. Part I: Sinfonia   00:03:12
2. Part I: Recitative: Comfort ye my people (Tenor) 00:03:08
3. Part I: Aria: Every valley shall be exalted (Tenor) 00:03:35
4. Part I: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed (Chorus) 00:02:37
5. Part I: Recitative: Thus saith the Lord (Bass) 00:01:24
6. Part I: Aria: But who may abide the day of His coming (Counter - tenor) 00:03:06
7. Part I: And He shall purify the sons of Levi (Chorus) 00:02:29
8. Part I: Recitative: Behold, a virgin shall conceive (Alto) 00:00:25
9. Part I: Aria: O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion (Alto) 00:05:33
10. Part I: Recitative: For behold, darkness shall cover the earth (Bass) 00:02:42
11. Part I: Aria: The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light (Bass) 00:04:25
12. Part I: For unto a child is born (Chorus) 00:04:03
13. Part I: Pifa 00:00:56
14. Part I: Recitative: There were shepherds abiding in the field (Soprano) 00:01:22
15. Part I: Glory to God in the highest (Chorus) 00:01:54
16. Part I: Aria: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion (Soprano) 00:04:04
17. Part I: Recitative: Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened (Alto) 00:00:20
18. Part I: Aria: He shall feed His flock like a shepherd (Alto) 00:05:13
19. Part I: His yoke is easy, His burthen is light (Chorus) 00:02:22
20. Part II: Behold the Lamb of God (Chorus) 00:02:52
21. Part II: Aria: He was despised and rejected of men (Alto) 00:11:11
22. Part II: Surely, He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows (Chorus) 00:02:05
23. Part II: And with His stripes we are healed (Chorus) 00:01:54
24. Part II: All we like sheep have gone astray (Chorus) 00:03:55
DISC TWO

1. Part II: Recitative: All they that see Him Laugh Him to scorn (Tenor)   00:00:44
2. Part II: He trusted in God that He would deliver Him (Chorus) 00:02:23
3. Part II: Recitative: Thy rebuke hath broken His heart (Tenor) 00:01:48
4. Part II: Arioso: Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow! (Tenor) 00:01:34
5. Part II: Recitative: He was cut off out of the land of the living (Tenor) 00:00:19
6. Part II: Aria: But thou didst not leave His soul in Hell (Tenor) 00:02:42
7. Part II: Lift up your heads (Chorus) 00:03:04
8. Part II: Recitative: Unto which of the angels said He at any time (Tenor) 00:00:14
9. Part II: Let all the angels of God worship Him (Chorus) 00:01:28
10. Part II: Aria: Thou art gone up high (Counter - tenor) 00:03:17
11. Part II: The Lord gave the word (Chorus) 00:01:10
12. Part II: Duet: How beautiful are the feet of Him that bringeth glad tidings of salvation (Soprano, Counter - tenor) 00:03:22
13. Part II: Aria: Why do the nations so furiosly rage together (Bass) 00:03:08
14. Part II: Let us break their bonds asunder (Chorus) 00:01:50
15. Part II: Recitative: He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn (Tenor) 00:00:12
16. Part II: Aria: Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron (Tenor) 00:02:10
17. Part II: Hallelujah! (Chorus) 00:03:44
18. Part III: Aria: I know that my Redeemer liveth (Soprano) 00:06:07
19. Part III: Since by man came death (Chorus) 00:01:52
20. Part III: Recitative: Behold, I tell you a mystery (Bass) 00:00:32
21. Part III: Aria: The trumpet shall sound (Bass) 00:09:06
22. Part III: Recitative: Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written (Counter - tenor) 00:00:17
23. Part III: Duet: O Death, where is thy sting (Counter - tenor, Tenor) 00:03:24
24. Part III: Aria: If God be for us, who can be against us (Soprano) 00:04:57
25. Part III: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain (Chorus) 00:07:19
SITE RATING:  5/10
SITE REVIEW:  The Scholars Baroque Ensemble, a self-directed group of singers and players originated by David van Asch in 1987, has long been a staple at Naxos Records, with dozens of recordings on that label.  This, their only recording of Handel's Messiah, has both high and low points - first, the bad news: David van Asch, one of the founders and bass soloists, cannot sing; at least, he has huge problems with the melismas, sounding very much out of his league, while the other bass soloist, Adrian Peacock, swallows all of his notes, but manages to come out of his shell in his upper registers.  The other soloists are all over the map, with the soprano who sings "Rejoice greatly" also struggling with the technical demands of Handel's writing, while the tenor on "Ev'ry Valley" is excellent.  The orchestra, playing period instruments, is also fine, and the chorus, when singing together, have a pleasant tone, but again, they seem to struggle with the melismas, which begs the question - how can you be a professional "Baroque" ensemble if you cannot competently perform the music?  One of the more amateur Messiah recordings on the market, and a wonder that it's still in print, especially since Naxos has other, much better Messiahs in their catalog.
The Compleat Messiah All Content Copyright © 2009 Bret D. Wheadon
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