Customer Reviews

Handel: Messiah (Dublin Version, 1742)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Gramophone Magazine has named this excellent CD the best baroque vocal recording of 2007, and the award is fully merited. As noted above, Scotland's Dunedin Consort has aimed to recreate the premiere performance of Messiah in Dublin in 1742. Their recording now joins two other long-time favorites at the top of my list--the 1977 Marrriner recording of the 1743 London version , and the 1981 Hogwood recording of the 1754 Foundling Hospital version (both on Decca).

The differences between the Dublin version and the "standard" version of Messiah are noticeable, but should not be shocking. Perhaps the most obvious is the inclusion of the 12/8 version of "Rejoice greatly," instead of the more common 4/4 version. You'll find more information at the Dunedin Consort's website, http://www.dunedin-consort.org.uk/messiahcd.aspx.

Among the many virtues of this recording is its clean, natural sound. And that's on my 15-year-old CD player! It has made me eager to upgrade and hear what the disc sounds like in its SACD incarnation.

The relatively small vocal forces are of the highest quality and produce a remarkable clarity without sounding undernourished. The vocal ornamentation is tasteful and not overdone. If you want a larger-scale production, however, check our Marriner.

Paul N. Van de Water

Of all the recordings of Handel's Messiah I have had the pleasure to listen to this is I beleive one of the best yet if not the best.
The first thing I noticed when I was listening was how clean and spacious
the recording seemed. As for the performance, yes the Dublin version takes a little getting used to; if you are used to say the Gardiner recording on Phillips or the Pearlman recording on Telarc parts of this
performance will be different to your ears. Right at the start with "Comfort Ye My People" you hear Four extra notes that are not usually
heard in other versions of Messiah, I found myself getting quite used to them All the soloists aquit themselves briliantly, and the orchestra plays quite well too. One other thing I can say about this performance this is one of the most intimate sounding recordings of Messiah I have yet to hear. I felt that the performers were there just for my listening pleasure. Is this a first choice "Messiah"? Absolutely. If you already own one or more recordings of this work. This SACD set of Messiah from Linn Records is a must have addition to your collection. If I had to
trim my collection of Messiah recordings down to one this would be my choice. I understand that the Dunedin Consorts next recording project will
be Bach's Saint Matthew Passion.

Wow, Folks! Finally, at last, you can now order this WONDERFUL recording of Handel's MESSIAH in the Dublin Version of 1742, with John Butt leading the Dunedin Consort & Players.

It is the MOST SPECIAL recording of MESSIAH that I know of, and trust me, I've got dozens of recordings of the work! (I have been working on a listmania list of the work for a while, but have not "finished" it, but you're welcome to go there and check it out, this recording is mentioned as #1!)

This recording is a Hybrid SACD, so perhaps that has a lot to do with the sound, but I am not sure. What I DO KNOW is that I have NEVER been so pleased, fulfilled, "In Love With" or whatever, with Handel's Messiah, with all the many recordings that I own. Period.

Beginning right off with Nicholas Mulroy's beautiful, full, tenor in "Comfort Ye" you know that you are in for a special "performance" of this towering work. When the chorus comes in with "And the Glory of the Lord", the space just "opens up" and is filled with the most glorious-sounding choir you have ever heard. Matthew Brook's bass is deep, smooth, and rich...no-one has ever sounded better in this work. Susan Hamilton is a lovely, clear and creamy, soprano, and she projects cleanly above the musicians. Annie Gill and Clare Wilkinson trade off in the contralto roles, and they are just right...the parts that each has (chosen?) just seem to "fit" the expressive qualities of each of their voices. Linn Records have put their hearts into this recording, I am sure. I have never been so "overwhelmed" with a "small scale", "original instrument", "historically accurate" recording in all my years of exploring and listening.

This is a VERY special disc, and once you hear it, you will agree, I just know it! I am so very pleased that Amazon has finally gotten this recording listed here for sale so that now the general public can become acquainted with this great presentation of this towering work, and with more exposure, one can only hope that there will be more entrys into the catalogue of choral works/oratorios by Mr Butt, and the Dunedin Consort & Players.

Do not hesitate to purchase a copy of this marvelous recording...You will NEVER be sorry that you did! (As this is a new listing here on Amazon, there are not any "selections" yet that you can click on to listen to, but hopefully, there might be soon, then you can sample for yourself this truly Benchmark Recording. (One can only hope that Linn Records will continue producing great recordings like this one for our enjoyment).

Do Enjoy this Wonderful Recording of George Frideric Handel's MESSIAH herewith presented in the 1742 Dublin Version. ~operabruin
-----
By the way, this is presented in a "fold-out" case, heavily varnished, that will stand up for a long while (not a jewel case). The disc holders inside are clear and there are beautiful details of the cover painting behind for your viewing pleasure, and a slip in for the informative insert, also varnished for durability, with informative notes on the performances of 1742. Also, the text of the work is set in an easy to read format and typeface....truly a "first class" presentation for this wonderful recording.

Yuletide turkeys are already being slaughtered and fast-frozen, friends. If you don't have a Messiah (Ha! Who doesn't?) in your CD collection, or if you want a fresher one, this! is! your! best! choice!

Last year at this time, I invited other denizens of the amazoo to compare Messiah performances. Comments came in over several months. In fact, one was posted today, which explains why I'm raising the issue once again. The almost-consensus of last year's 'symposium' was that this performance by John Butt and the Dunedin Players is the cream of the crop. The orchestra plays real baroque instruments, really well. The soloists sing with fresh passion, baroque agility, and beautiful unshakey voices. The chorus sings recognizable English with determinable pitches! This is a performance of the Messiah as Music rather than as a seasonal duty or a means to raise money for the chorus director's salary. Buy it! You may fall in love with Handel once again.

I chose to buy this recording because of its billing as a reconstruction of Handel's original Dublin performances. It might be more accurate to call it a performance of Handel's original score, since certain last-minute alterations (some which have been lost) apparently had to be made in the Dublin performances. While the vast majority of the work as presented here will be familiar to Messiah listeners, included in this recording are all of the many differences between Messiah as it was first composed and what it became after Handel's numerous revisions. Other reviewers have already mentioned "Ev'ry Valley" with its extra measures, and the 12/8 version of "Rejoice Greatly." I was truly impressed with soprano Susan Hamilton's ability to hold my attention on this 50% longer version of "Rejoice Greatly," which has seemed interminable in other performances I've heard. Also notable is Matthew Brook's rendition of the authentic bass version of "But Who May Abide" (the one usually performed today was never intended for the bass voice) and the alto duet & chorus version of "How Beautiful Are the Feet." It's a delight to be able to listen to these in sequence with the many familiar numbers of Messiah. In doing so the listener is allowed a wonderful glimpse into how Messiah first emerged.

While other reviewers have praised the intimate sound of this recording, for me that aspect has proven to be the biggest distraction. Both the soloists and chorus are too closely mic'd for my taste. While the singers all seem to display fine technique, lovely vocal quality, and artistically-minded interpretation, the lack of perceived dramatic space in this recording causes their voices to come across merely as average. I sometimes feel as if I'm hearing paid singers from a local church choir instead of international recording artists. Likewise, the close mic'ing of the chorus is problematic in that it allows individual voices to dominate without letting the choral sound blend naturally in the space between the performers and the listening ear. While the sound on this Messiah recording is certainly better than the "practice room" quality of McGegan (Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra), it definitely lacks the warmth and openness of Hogwood (Choir of Christ Church, Oxford/Academy of Ancient Music), Parrott (Taverner Consort & Players), Cleobury (Choir of Kings' College, Cambridge/Brandenburg Consort), or Higginbottom (Choir of New College Oxford/Academy of Ancient Music)--my own favorites in order of preference.

Still, I do not regret purchasing this set, because I feel it is a unique and important contribution to the collection. It may well be the freshest Messiah recording since 1980, when Christopher Hogwood stepped out on a limb to recast the work so astonishingly with original performance practices and forces. Where so many Messiah renditions are simply retreads of what has already been done numerous times, there is no other recording I am aware of that offers what this one does: a reconstruction of Messiah very close to how Handel must have first conceived it. For that reason alone I recommend this set, perhaps not as a stand-alone rendition of Messiah, but as a worthy supplement to any of the other recordings mentioned above.

This DSD surround recording provides a sense of ambience, almost intimacy, to the Messiah that I had not experienced. You feel as though you are sitting in a pew rather than listening to reproduced music. The voices are clear, and have a sense of immediacy. I'm not expert enough to comment on the quality of the performance or musicianship, except to say that it pleases me.

What I appreciate about this recording is the light touch, the ease of the performers, the clarity of the text -- almost like a performance in a small setting, without the muddiness that comes as a choir gets bigger and bigger. The soloists are phenomenal -- better than any I've heard in other recordings or at live performances. I've used this recording to help with my own practice of Messiah choruses and it's been a great help. Now if I could only stop the music in my head so I can fall asleep at night . . .

I have heard The Messiah a good handful of times, and to be honest, got bored with it. However, I heard a portion of this CD played on local radio station KUSC. It was such a fresh and powerful version of the classic, so much so, I really did not recognize what I was listening to for at least 15 minutes. It was quite amazing. As soon as I found out what it was, I HAD to buy this.

This is not a full-blown orchestra or choir, so I must confess that I was underwhelmed on first listen to the Hallelujah Chorus. However, even this part grew on me upon later listens. If you are going to get only one CD version of The Messiah, THIS is it!

This was another gift to my mom for Christmas, she has always loved Handel's Messiah and yet didn't own a copy of it. She really enjoyed the music and is one of her favorites.

Great recording and performance. Best price I found as well.
Smaller more intimate ensemble. You can't go wrong. Like having a house concert....guess you will have to knock out a wall to get everybody in.