Handel: Messiah

George Frideric Handel (Composer), Sir Colin Davis (Conductor), London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (Orchestra), Heather Harper (Performer), Helen Watts (Performer), John Wakefield (Performer), John Shirley-Quirk (Performer), London Symphony Choir (Performer), Ralph Downes (Performer), Leslie Pearson (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Heather Harper, Helen Watts, John Wakefield, John Shirley-Quirk, London Symphony Choir, et al.
• Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
• Conductor: Sir Colin Davis
• Composer: George Frideric Handel
• Audio CD (November 9, 1993)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Philips
• ASIN: B00000416H
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #62,930 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

67 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic reading, June 7, 2001

By 

klavierspiel "klavierspiel" (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Handel: Messiah (Audio CD)

Originally recorded in the 1960s using modern instruments, a good-sized chorus and standard A-440 concert pitch, this is not a Messiah for fanatics of historically informed performances. On the other hand, Sir Colin Davis strikes an intelligent compromise between conventional forces and an awareness of Baroque performance practice that holds up remarkably well after three-plus decades. Textures and articulations are light, tempi are quick (sometimes too quick for soloists' maximum comfort) and ornamentation is not only permitted but encouraged. Moreover, this is a note-complete Messiah, except for an odd cut in the Da Capo of "He was despised," that chooses among the differing versions of various numbers with good results. Orchestra and choir execute the familiar music with superb precision and diction. The soloists, all English, give committed, idiomatic performances of their numbers, though as mentioned above, they occasionally seem taxed in their florid music.

One ought to have another recording of Messiah on period instruments, perhaps one that uses alternate versions of some of the familiar numbers, for a truly complete picture of this masterpiece. But for a standard recording of this work Davis' reading (his first) remains one of the top choices.

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous Messiah, get the "Philips 50" series remaster, May 17, 2004

By 

R. Lane (Tracy, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Handel: Messiah (Audio CD)

This is a spectacular recording, as many have indicated. But, what few know is that Philips in 2001 remastered the sound as part of their "Philips 50" celebration.

The remastering reperesents a significant improvement in sound over this Duo series issue. The master used for the Duo series issue here reviewed was actually made in the early 1980s when CDs first appeared, adn is quite inferior bypresent standards.

While Philips chose not to issue the remastered Philips 50 release in the USA, it is available form Amazon.com as asin # B000051YDC.

But get it while you can. Even European countries are reporting issues in the Philips 50 series as discontinued, so I suspect that there is only a limited number of copies of each issue with no intenetion of making additional copies when they sell out.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't overlook this splendid sixties set., September 3, 2000

By 

"quia-nihil-sum" (Inverness,Scotland.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Handel: Messiah (Audio CD)

If you want a happy medium in performances of Handel's great oratorio,which eschews the earlier overblown pomp and excesses of the past,and quite nicely bridges the yawning gulf to the period authenticity of recent times,then this is the recording for you.

I've always retained a lasting affection for this reading ever since those halcyon days of my first exploring classical music.I came to "Messiah" through the good auspices of John Eliot Gardiner and co;and if he is a bit willfully idiosyncratic and mannered in his approach to this wonderful masterpiece,it is still one of my favourite interpretations.Not least for Margaret Marshall's serenely stunning,"I know that my Redeemer liveth".Has this been bettered on record ? I somehow doubt it.Although,I am very fond of the performance given by Lorraine Hunt under Nicholas McGegan on Harmonia Mundi.There is a soprano who really does KNOW that her Redeemer is alive and well,and I for one wouldn't dare to argue with her !

Anyway,back to Sir Colin et al.I think the most distinctive elements which contribute to the ultimate success of this robust and vibrant version are the perfectly judged orchestral dynamics and the outstanding work of the London Symphony Choir,who absolutely dominate proceedings;and my hat is off to their director John Aldiss.They make an immediate impact from the first in,"And the glory of the Lord".Then they round off superbly ,"O thou that tellest good tidings...",and go on to do sterling work throughout,concluding with a magisterial account of "Worthy is the Lamb" and the final "Amen" chorus.And,surely,surely the stunning "Hallelujah" chorus has got to be one of the finest ever committed to record ?

The soloists comprise those "usual suspects" and sixties stalwarts,Heather Harper,Helen Watts,John Wakefield and John Shirley-Quirk.The soprano Heather Harper is one of my favourite vocalists of this period,and for the most part she is her usual excellent self here.However,I find her,"I know..." just a tad too over-decorated for my liking,and it's just a shame that I can't give her my customary imaginary bouquet for her work on that particular aria.But still,she is quite excellent in,"Rejoice greatly,O daughter of Zion" and beyond criticism for her sensitively aware,"How beautiful are the feet"

The mezzo Helen Watts also meets with mixed success on this Cd,and some of you might find her voice just a little too dark and "old world" for comfort.Mind you her stern,almost Victorian authority does grow on you and her,"O thou that tellest.." is pretty good,but she has the advantage of our excellent choir rushing in like the proverbial U.S Cavalry a the end ! She also makes a fine partner for the tenor in the duet,"o death,where is thy sting ?" In the sublime aria,"He was despised" (the heart of Messiah in my opinion) she puts in some fine work,but I find it impossible to get the heartbreaking performance by Anne Sofie Von Otter under Trevor Pinnock out of my head at this point in proceedings.There is a vocal miracle that will have you reaching for a box of tissues and a strong,stiff drink by the end.

The tenor John Wakefield gets proceedings off to a most distinguished start with his beautiful readings of "Comfort ye..." and "Ev,ry valley..",but he saves his most masterful work for Part 2,when he really gets every ounce of tearful emotion out of,"Thy rebuke has broken his heart","Behold and see",He was cut off" and the brilliant,"But thou didst not leave..".Marvellous,tender,evocative portrayals all,and perhaps my favourite section of this recording as a whole.

The bass John Shirley-Quirk comes up with the requisite goods as he virtually always does in his career.Yet,again I am labouring under the imposing shadow of John Tomlinson (Pinnock once more)who brings an almost Wagnerian sonority and deep,thunderous authority to his part.I'm quite sure that God will enlist his personal assistance to "shake the Heavens and the Earth" at the last judgement ! Even so,J.S-Q makes a fine fist of his part and his,"Thus saith the Lord" is most enjoyable,and he has the benefit of wonderful support from the orchestra and the Harpsichord as played by Leslie Pearson.In fact I should emphasise now just what a valuable contribution L.P makes to the whole shooting match.For a start his decoration and improvisation are quite outstanding,and thank goodness he is well-balanced within the sound-stage as a whole.He really buoys up and underlines the music in general,and further qualifies the general desireablity of this set.

If I could end this review with just a couple of minor moans i.e. the booklet doesn't provide us with complete texts,which is not a real drawback where Messiah is concerned,but it would be nice to know at least the biblical source of the arias.I'm sure that beginners would be interested to know that say ,"I know that my Redeemer liveth" is drawn from the book of Job and Corinthians--don't you think ? Also there are a couple of errors as to who's singing what and where.For a start,it is quite definitely John Wakefield who sings,"But thou didst not leave",and not the soprano as marked.I know that Heather Harper is supremely talented,but I didn't realise she was a brilliant mimic as well ! Also the book has "Zion" down as singing "Rejoice greatly".It would have been a neat trick if they could have managed it,but I don't think my poor speakers could have stood the strain ! However,the book does come up trumps in the excellent and enlightning notes by Bernard Jacobson.I love his re-telling of the anecdote when Handel was congratulated on the entertaining effect that one of his performances of Messiah had upon the audience,and replied,"I should be sorry if I only entertained them -- I wish to make them better".Well,I for one have been entertained thoroughly by this 1966 recording,and Handel need have no fear of the latter effect that he wished his masterpiece to engender upon us.It is as the Americans so concisely and effectively say, "A GIVEN".