Handel: Messiah

George Frideric Handel (Composer), John Eliot Gardiner (Conductor), English Baroque Soloists (Orchestra), Margaret Marshall (Performer), Catherine Robbin (Performer), Anthony Rolfe Johnson (Performer), Robert Hale (Performer), Charles Brett (Performer), Monteverdi Choir (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Margaret Marshall, Catherine Robbin, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Robert Hale, Charles Brett, et al.
• Orchestra: English Baroque Soloists
• Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner
• Composer: George Frideric Handel
• Audio CD (January 14, 2003)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Philips
• ASIN: B0000266WD
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #118,097 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best known Messiah ?, October 25, 2004

By 

Bill King (Reno, Nv., United States) - See all my reviews

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

This 1982 Phillips _Messiah_ by Sir John Gardiner is still very often recomended as the best. But keep in mind that no version is generaly recognized as definative so it's wise to sample before purchase. With that in mind, I'm happy to say that right now (Oct 2004) you can hear all the tracks over on Amazon's page for another boxset of this same recording.

Actually there's three, this two disk Phillips version, an older three disk version (the identical recording but with the same tracks spread over three disks and therefore higher priced), and a one disk 'highlights'.

Search Gardiner Handel Messiah to jump to the three disk page, Sample from disk two _The Lord gave the word_, and _Why do the nations?..._ This will demonstrate how every part of the staged ensemble can be discerned with clarity, in either chorus or aria.

Precision playing is a Gardiner trademark. Note his style is stately rather than devotional; the presentation is dramatic and energetic, rather than emotional. As a result I found this recording of lasting appeal, and never got tired of it over all these years.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite Messiah, December 22, 2004

By 

moviemusicbuff (Walnut, CA United States) - See all my reviews

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

This is one of the best versions of Handel's Messiah. J. Eliot Gardiner is always great with conducting oratorios and this version is done on authentic instruments with a smaller choir. The choir singing is excellent -- the tempos for such favorites such as "For unto us a Child is born" is just perfect -- not too fast or slow, but graceful and lively. The soprano, Margaret Marshall, is particularly outstanding and beautiful, especially on arias such as "Rejoice Greatly," and "For My Redeemer Liveth." The tenor, Rolfe Johnson is also wonderful. Some of the alto pieces are sung by a male alto and others by the female alto. The only soloist that I found somewhat disappointing was the bass, especially on "For the trumpet shall sound" -- his singing was pretty heavy-handed and not distinct enough on the words "for the trumpet shall sound." (I listen to other versions for the bass solos).

That aside, I still love this version of the Messiah and would rate it as one of the best versions of Handel's Messiah alongside Trevor Pinnock's version, which I also highly recommend.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still A Good Messiah Recording!!!, November 4, 2003

By 

Alan Craig (Grand Junction,CO) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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

This recording is a reissue of Phillips 411041 which is a Three

Disc set. Universal Classics which includes Decca who now owns

Phillips decided to make this recording a little bit more

affordable by issuing it on Two CDs It is still one of the best

"Original Instrument" "Messiah" recordings on the market today.

This in an ever growing field of Messiah recordings. Enjoy.