SITE RATING: 6/10
SITE REVIEW:
Johannes Somary's 1970 Messiah
is generally considered a good overall recording from this period, with
Somary choosing brisk tempos, emphatic attacks, and smaller forces for
this recording, but suffering from an odd rigidity in both the soloists
and his square, almost Germanic conducting that prevents this recording
from feeling at ease with itself. Among the soloists, Yvonne
Minton has the most pleasing tone, with tenor Alexander Young a bit
thin in his upper register, and bass Justino Diaz a distinct liability
with his swallowed tone. Soprano Margaret Price is clear, but a
touch shrill in her higher tessitura as well. It's harder to
judge the English Chamber Orchestra and the Amor Artis Chorale, since
they are quite obviously under the stern baton of Somary, making
their playing very rigid and square. They're precise, well
balanced, and unified, but it's hard to shake the impression that
they're playing under a whip-hand, with Somary allowing little grace to
enter into what sounds like a rather judgmental reading of Messiah.
I'll throw this recording into the middle of the stack - it's not
a bad recording or performance, just not terribly warm, and lacking any
feeling of easiness or pleasure in the making.
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