Handel - Messiah (1992)

Disappointing

Nev Marriner and the ASMF can usually be relied upon to produce a sparkling performance, and they and the ASMF Chorus do, in this Dublin performance to celebrate the first performance (in a long-disppeared venue in Fishamble Street). In particular, Mark Bennett, the trumpeter, playing a modern piccolo trumpet, produces the best trumpet part in "The trumpet shall sound" that I've ever heard, naturally far better than Valentine Snow could have played it with his natural trumpet.

So what's the problem? The tenor and bass soloists, that's what. Both are major disappointments. Especially with note runs of the "And I will sha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-(etc.)-ke". The notes are not clearly enunciated and just plain tuneless. It spoiled the whole thing for me.

For a really top DVD version of "Messiah", seek out the ABC (as in Australian Broasdcasting Corporation) Shop, which is selling a an absolute knockout Downunder version as a CD/DVD package. I expected a Region 4 DVD (I have a code-free player), but the DVD appears code-free. The bass Terry Tahu Rhodes is especially good (there are clips on YouTube). February 18, 2008

Jarring Soloists!

The orchestra and chorus are superb as is the video. The ornamentations used by the (especially the female)soloists are in maginal taste and quite often jarring. Buy something else! February 11, 2008

What version of the score was used?

I have a number of versions of the score for this, and there are a lot of pitch and rhythm changes in this performance that are NOT based on what Handel wrote (and I am not talking about solo vocal passages, with their rather awful improvisations...but ensemble).

The tenor is awful! He sings sharp at important points. The Basso Continuo is completely lost in ensemble.

Marriner himself seems to give a very perfunctory, uninspired reading.

The strings and brass are, as usual, fine.

Therefore, I completely disagreee with everyone that has written here.
January 12, 2008

Handel's Messiah

The orchestra using instuments used in Handel's time were enjoyable. Made it seem more authentic. The chorus was good and so were the solo singers. January 8, 2008

Very Enjoyable Performance

This is a very good performance. I am not a music expert, but I previously enjoyed Andrew Parrott's performance Handel: Messiah very much. And like it, this performance utilizes a contratenor. The video lets you enjoy a concert performance anytime you're in the mood. There is also an audio CD available Handel - Messiah / McNair · von Otter · Chance · Hadley · Lloyd · Marriner. I'm glad to have both the DVD and CD. December 27, 2007

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