Customer Reviews

The Young Messiah: Messiah XXI

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

 

 

I thought that this would be one of those neither fish nor fowl CDs but when I put it on I was pleasantly surprised. Handel;'s music translates well into the Gospel/Funk/Soul/Rock versions sung by Jeffrey Osborn, Glady Knight (snas Pips), Chaja Khan and Roger Daltry. The Gospel ensemble is exciting and on the money whil eht eIrish Philharmonic Chorus sings the choral parts both legit and funky perfectly.

The orchestr ais able to keep up with the changes and transitions as well.

I heartily recommend this to anyone who wants an exciting and herat lifting reading and retelling of the birth and resurrection on the MESSIAH!

Handel's Messiah is almost pop anyway, it has so many bona fide hits. Why not see what singers who grew up in the Black church can make of it? The cast is absolutely stellar - Jeffrey Osborne, Roger Daltry, the Visual Ministry Gospel Choir, and (thank you, Lord!) the legendary Gladys Knight and Chaka Khan. Unfortunately, the arrangement (by the very Irish Frank McNamara) only fitfully comes to life. The "classical" chorus - yes, there are TWO choirs - is a poor one, with muddy tone and mushy articulation. Roger Daltrey embarrasses himself among the other singers. He sounds practically asthmatic. He has no business on the same stage as Knight, Khan, and Osborne. They show up his thin, nasal pipes.

However, the big problem is an excess of respect for the original. The arrangement suffers from it. Gladys Knight sounds paralyzed with it. Nevertheless, her voice still can pierce your heart. The voice alone saves her. The only two singers who really get into it are Osborne and the amazing Chaka Khan (you have to hear her "Trumpet shall sound"). The Visual Ministry Choir puts the Irish Philharmonic Choir (does such a group exist outside this recording?) to shame not only rhythmically, but communicatively. I'm not sorry I bought this album, but I had hoped for something that would have made my jaw drop.

I am so disappointed of this version. I know The Messiah very well and also other versions of The Young Messiah. This one lacks joy and harmony in every piece.

Having been thrilled and uplifted many years ago by the New London Chorale's Young Messiah, I looked forward immensely to this 2006 rendering. I could not have been more disappointed.From the very beginning with Aidan Quinn's pseudo ironic narration this was an out of key production.The Irish Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir were loose and uninspiring and where did they dig up the raucous Visual Ministry Gospel Choir? There are many superb Gospel Choirs in the UK,but this is certainly not one of them. The leads were uninspiring with the exception of the superb Jeffrey Osborne who sadly could not redeem a very poor Show. Chaka Khan in particular was a letdown and epitomised what this production lacked-the sense of worship that this wonderful music by Handel normally brings. Don't waste your money.

This version is OK, but it doesn't have the energy and dynamics that my old version from the 80th has.