Customer Reviews

Handel: Messiah / Harwood, J. Baker, Esswood, Tear, Herincx; Mackerras

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'll be thrilled to have this performance of "Messiah" back. I used to have it on vinyl, and only today saw it on my Wish List, once again available on CD. I know that the Lamb edition, on which it is based, includes more than a few alternative versions of numbers (that skipping "Rejoice, rejoice...," for example), but, having heard many other esteemed recorded performances, this is the one that gives me the most pleasure. It has flourishes that my ear hasn't found elsewhere, and, not finding them, misses.

One of the first attempts at baroque scale (along with the Colin Davis) in modern recordings of this work, Mackerras makes it both fleet and luscious (and what could be more baroque than that?). I love original instrumentation, but I haven't found such a marriage of soloists and conductor and edition that flies like this one. The esteemed commenter who has 30 recordings has to fill me in on the details.

Until he/she does (or until I find this CD edition full of flaws in the transfer), I can recommend it without reservation.

Talk about covering your bets (even with a straight-flush!)!

This recording is my favorite of the "Messiah" recordings. Recorded in the late sixties at the beginning of the 'early music' movement, it boasts very fine English singers offering full-throated, bel canto, all-out singing. The soloists embellish thier lines, but so also do the orchestra and chorus with none of that 'hooty' straight tone sound the English choruses serve up all too often now. Included in the line up of solos are versions that are not often heard today: "Rejoice Greatly" in the bouncing version in triple time, "Their Sound is gone out" for tenor, and "How Beautiful are the Feet: for contralto/counter-tenor duet. Baroque ornamentation is elegant and expressive all-round. The orchestra is comprised of modern instruments who play with elegance and marvelous sensitivity. If you're looking for an out-of the way recording that is well worth listening to more than once, this underrated recording is for you!

I have to say, Messiah is one work I have sung in so often I nearly have come to hate it. I have sung in very Victorian Pompous versions, Mozart Orchestration versions, authentic versions with modern instruments, and authentic with Baroque instruments. I have to admit, this is not a work I would walk very far to see or hear again. I have taken part in so many authentic versions with their *Hooty* vibratoless nazal screeches, boys choirs, etc that I thought I would never find a recording that I could stomach.

Well, was I surprised! I thoroughly enjoyed this recording. I loved the *new music* taken from Handel's many variations of the work ( and for those who don't know, he never did decide which version was his definitive version ). I loved the thoughtful reflection of the soloists, and the evident joy they are feeling singing the work. Like the other reviewer, this is a truly under-rated recording, and that really shouldn't be. It offers so much in the way of life, and so much in the way of expression. And if one thinks carefully about it, it is about a very moving and wonderful subject matter -- The Life of Christ. One is made to believe these performers actually care about That fact more than just doing Handel justice, and that is a nice thing to hear.

It is gratifying to read the glowing comments about this performance. I bought the LP when it came out in the late '60's and have constantly returned to it. Historically accurate performances abound, but this is the one which truly captures the Baroque spirit. Every aspect is outstanding: conductor, orchestra, chorus and soloists (mezzo Janet Baker and countertenor Paul Esswood unparalleled in my opinion). What particularly distinguishes this performance is a sense of spontaneity and freedom. A treasure...

I have 30 complete Messiahs and a bunch of excerpts. While Westenberg's is the only one I give five stars to, Mackerras (together with Scimone, Davis, Marriner, and the Shaw choruses) is close behind. Raimund Herincx is the best Messiah bass you'll hear anywhere: huge dark sound, glorious feeling for the music, fine ornamentation. Janet Baker is magnificent, frequently makes the other altos/mezzos sound like amateurs in comparison, although Minton w/Somary and von Otter w/Marriner also have fine moments. Strings and chorus are excellent, as is Mackerras' conception in most cases. Listen in particular to "For as in Adam all died." Overall, this beats the trendy dry-as-dust stuff too frequently recorded now. Recorded fidelity is adequate, although of course not as good as many of the newer ones. Transfer from vinyl to CD is fine, nothing lost that I can hear. On the downside, Philip Jones' thin harsh trumpet is a weak point.

I have had an old LP version of the Mackerras Messiah with Ambrosian singers, for some time. It is a superb recording, using a smallish orchestra. It has always been my favorite. I will have to say, I recently picked up a version of the Messiah with Martin Pearlman and the Boston Baroque, which is as good or even better. I'll still give the Mackerras the top rating.

This is an extraordinary performance of Handel's inexhaustible masterpiece. The edition used (by Basil Lam) is like no other - in every way wonderfully over the top: banks of oboes and bassons, deliciously unlikely versions of certain items and a confection of ornamentation from the extremely fine group of soloists (though Robert Tear is less than an ideal comforter in his opening number). The small, but not too small, choir sing like angels and the whole thing bounds along with life and feeling and sensitivity and joyfulness - as the mood demands. In many ways this version has no rival and no equal. A wonderful success!

This is a good recording of Handel's great oratorio. However, some moments dissapoint me and are against my taste.

It is mainly because music effects in some parts, especially a few choruses, are exaggerated. Examples:

In famous "Hallelujah" chorus and strings are so loud that i cannot hear properly the great trumpet part. Chorus "Worthy is the lamb" starts from fortissimo, and the very first tone is sung awfully. Later in the part "to recieve power" they sing too slow and the effect is weaker than in other performances. Lyric, calm choruses are much better here.

Soloists are strong point of this Messiah, each of them is at least good, and they are diversed: Herinck sings strongly, Esswood has very subtle tone. It's hard to bring much better soloists than those.

This recording, done decades ago, remains the best performance of Handel's Messiah I have ever heard. The voices are beautiful, the orchestration modest and not overblown.

David Francis

and what a difference! Almost everything is right in this performance, except perhaps some of the orchestral ornamentation, which is decidedly overdone. And some of the soloists ornament their lines more than others, which makes for a rather lopsided overall view. The biggest and pleasantest surprise for me was Paul Esswood. What a gorgeous voice! His was the first counter-tenor I heard that I really liked. I never was able to warm to Alfred Deller. I haven't heard this performance for decades (it's on LP) and I eventually replaced it with the Hogwood one that uses the boy trebles and I found I preferred the Hogwood. But I'm sure I would still enjoy Mackerras's performance if I could bother with all the kerfuffle it takes to play LPs. The Hogwood is also on LP so I need to replace that too. But I doubt it will be with the Hogwood version because it's still way too expensive, especially for such an old performance.