Handel: Messiah

Naxos: 8570131-32

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Handel: Messiah

Label:

Naxos

Catalogue No:

8570131-32
(8.570131-32)

Discs:

2

Release date:

2nd Oct 2006

Barcode:

0747313013173

Length:

2 hours 21 minutes

Medium:

CD (download also available)

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Handel: Messiah

(1751 version)

Henry Jenkinson, Otta Jones, Robert Brooks (trebles), Iestyn Davies (countertenor), Toby Spence (tenor), Eamonn Dougan (bass), Nicholas Wearne (organ continuo)

Academy of Ancient Music & Choir of New College Oxford, Edward Higginbottom

CD - 2 discs

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(also available to download from $10.75)

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This new recording of Handel’s Messiah presents the first modern recording of a re-construction of Handel’s unique London performances of Messiah in April and May 1751, when he used treble voices from the Chapel Royal for choruses and arias.

George Frideric Handel: Messiah, HWV 56 (1751 Version)

playPart I: Sinfonia

playPart I: Accompanied recitative: Comfort ye, my people (Tenor)

playPart I: Aria: Every valley shall be exalted (Tenor)

playPart I: Chorus: And the glory of the Lord

playPart I: Accompanied recitative: Thus saith the Lord of Hosts (Bass)

playPart I: Aria: But who may abide the day of His coming (Countertenor)

playPart I: Chorus: And He shall purify

playPart I: Recitative: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son (Countertenor)

playPart I: Aria and Chorus: O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion (Countertenor)

playPart I: Accompanied recitative: For behold, darkness shall cover the earth (Bass)

playPart I: Aria: The people that walked in darkness (Bass)

playPart I: Chorus: For unto us a Child is born

playPart I: Pifa

playPart I: Accompanied recitative: There were shepherds abiding in the field (Trebles)

playPart I: Chorus: Glory to God in the highest

playPart I: Aria: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion (Tenor)

playPart I: Recitative: Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened (Countertenor)

playPart I: Aria: He shall feed His flock like a shepherd (Countertenor, Treble)

playPart I: Chorus: His yoke is easy, His burthen is light

playPart II: Chorus: Behold, the Lamb of God

playPart II: Aria: He was despised and rejected of men (Countertenor)

playPart II: Chorus: Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows

playPart II: Chorus: And with His stripes we are healed

playPart II: Chorus: All we like sheep have gone astray

playPart II: Accompanied recitative: All they that see Him, laugh Him to scorn (Tenor)

playPart II: Chorus: He trusted in God that He would deliver Him

playPart II: Accompanied recitative: Thy rebuke hath broken His heart (Tenor)

playPart II: Aria: Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow (Tenor)

playPart II: Accompanied recitative: He was cut off out of the land of the living (Treble)

playPart II: Aria: But thou didst not leave His soul in hell (Treble)

playPart II: Chorus: Lift up your heads, O ye gates

playPart II: Recitative: Unto which of the angels said He at any time (Tenor)

playPart II: Chorus: Let all the angels of God worship Him

playPart II: Aria: Thou art gone up on high (Countertenor)

playPart II: Chorus: The Lord gave the word

playPart II: Aria: How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace (Treble)

playPart II: Chorus: Their sound is gone out into all lands

playPart II: Aria: Why do the nations so furiously rage together (Bass)

playPart II: Chorus: Let us break their bonds asunder

playPart II: Recitative: He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn (Tenor)

playPart II: Aria: Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron (Tenor)

playPart II: Chorus: Hallelujah

playPart III: Aria: I know that my redeemer liveth (Treble)

playPart III: Chorus: Since by man came death

playPart III: Accompanied recitative: Behold, I tell you a mystery (Bass)

playPart III: Aria: The trumpet shall sound (Bass)

playPart III: Recitative: Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written (Countertenor)

playPart III: Duet: O death, where is thy sting (Countertenor and Tenor)

playPart III: Chorus: But thanks be to God

playPart III: Aria: If God is for us, who can be against us (Countertenor)

playPart III: Chorus: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain

playPart III: Chorus: Amen

Gramophone Classical Music Guide

2010

“Taking his cue from Handel's 1751 performances, Edward Higginbottom assigns all the soprano solos to some talented boy trebles from the Choir of New College, Oxford. Otta Jones's contribution to 'He shall feed his flock' and Henry Jenkinson's 'I know that my redeemer liveth' are lovely testaments to Higginbottom's crusading 30 years with his choir.
At best, Higginbottom's choir produces some marvelous moments ('All we like sheep', and one of the finest 'Amen' fugues on disc). Higginbottom's direction does not boil with dramatic intensity but instead simmers along with patience, elegant judgement and articulate tastefulness.
Some familiar music bears ripe fruit when taken a shade slower than has become common in recent times ('Glory to God' is splendid rather than hurried, and all the better for it). Ex-scholar Toby Spence is on fine form in 'Rejoice greatly', and Iestyn Davies's poetic singing is another enjoyable feature, although one might hanker for a more dramatic treatment of 'shame and spitting' ('He was despised'). 'The trumpet shall sound' resounds with David Blackadder's magnificent playing, and the Academy of Ancient Music play Handel's orchestral parts immaculately.
This Naxos release will appeal to those who want an affordable Messiah that is beautifully played, brightly sung, sweetly satisfying and unashamedly English in its sentimental roots.”

The Telegraph

“This is a very special recording. Not only is it of quite outstanding quality both musically and dramatically, but, being sung entirely by male voices associated with a single institution (all the soloists are past or present members of New College Choir), it probably comes as close as modern conditions permit to a sound that Handel would have recognized.”

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