Handel: Messiah (1751 version)

Bipolar Bear loves it!

Besides the magnificent sound, I think what gets me is that you get the feeling of being in a place of great religious atmosphere. There is an air of sanctity that pervades this performance. A huge triumph compared to Naxos' last Messiah by the Scholars Baroque, which I admit is still entertaining. As for overall joyousness I would rate the Koopman on Erato as still being the best, but this has a feeling of great dignity which all my other Messiah's lack. So, I would now rate this at the top of the heap along with the Koopman (available used here on Amazon). Get it! It's certainly priced right, and you'll definitely be in for a treat!

Mark Zimmerman, Bipolar Bear.

PS: Don't forget that this, the 1751 version is all male singers with boy trebles for the, normally, soprano & alto parts; plus countenor, tenor & bass and the list goes on and on. The Academy of Ancient Music gives it their all in music I'm sure they're familiar with. June 11, 2008

Nice and Neat - Not Great

I bought a copy of this during the Christmas season in 2006 along with the Jacobs version on SACD. I've delayed commenting until now in hopes that repeated listening would trigger something more than a lukewarm response. That hasn't happened. There's nothing actively irritating here. Everything is very neatly executed. The Academy is simply one of the best ensembles to have ever tackled the score on record. The choral singing is technically good, but under engergized. The "Oxbridge" sound is better represented elsewhere, including the AAM's earlier effort with the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, under Hogwood (L'Oiseau-Lyre).

The soloists are a mixed bag. The treble soloists authentic to the 1751 version sing the music well enough - although I don't care much for their tone - but they can't begin to approach the quality of the great soprano soloists that have committed their interpretations to disc. Sticking to historically informed performances, Dawson and Auger (to name only two) have sung with star quality and an emotional understanding that is beyond the depth of the boys recorded here. Toby Spence is a good tenor whose rather stiff "Every valley" fails to show him in the best light. Eamonn Dougan sings well enough, but I can't get excited over his vocal personalty, in contrast to Alastair Miles (Cleobury) and John Tomlinson (Pinnock). Iestyn Davies is the best of the group. His "He was despised" is well sung and reminds us in its intensity that Handel's alto soloist for the Dublin premiere, the "notorious" Susannah Cibber, was more what would be called a "music hall" singer than opera star, whose emotional singing conpensated for slender vocal resources.

Naxos sound is bright and well focused. At budget prices, this is a decent enough recording - certainly better than Naxos own budget offering with the Scholars Baroque Ensemble. It is not competitive with the full-priced Hogwood mentioned above, despite some bland singing from Judith Nelson (and David Thomas pronunciation of "incorrupTIBle" in "The trumpet shall sound"). Better yet, go for Cleobury's Argo set featuring the full throated King's College Choir, outstanding soloists (particularly Lynne Dawson), and playing by the Brandenburg Consort on a par with the AAM. December 4, 2007

Excellent performance

I bought this product based on the reviews I read at this site. The clarity of voices is astounding. Although the tempo was brisker than the Huddersfield recording I grew up with, I quickly grew to love it, and it clearly makes more musical "sense" with the period instruments.
My only complaint is the broken jewel case it came in, which I am sure is a fluke.
Try it...you'll like it. November 10, 2007

I was moved to tears by the beauty of it

I have heard several performances of this work, or of excerpts of it (highlights). I loved the glory of it, the musical "equivalent" of a beautiful church soaring upwards with stone arches and stained glass windows. A record my parents had mentioned that Handel had a vision of Heaven opened and Jesus sitting at the right hand of God when he completed the Hallelujah chorus (he had the gift of being able to "hear" the music by looking at the sheet music).

So, obviously I love this oratorio. This version caught my eye one day, because it was a rare performance of his 1751 version. Though I was hesitant, I decided I'd get it because of its, well, historical significance.

I have just listened to the entire oratorio. I was moved to tears at times. The 1751 version used only male voices (hence my hesitation, as the only performance I'd heard where a man sang the alto parts was disappointing--the voice was too thin). THIS performance "blew me away". The countertenor had a wonderful voice as full and rich as an alto, and the three boys who sang treble were perfect. The enunciation was great, with "t" audible but not interruptive. The instruments were those of the period, played by musicians who make a career of playing them, so the nuances of playing them were not overlooked: the result was that it sounded like music from the 1700's. The "flutter" that is done on the harpsichord was also done with the voices, and each note was done purely (not blended together) and at perfect pitch. All together, it is a beautiful rendition of beautiful music, and it comes to life as you listen. September 1, 2007

1751 Messiah

This is a wonderful recording of the _Messiah_ for those who like things historically accurate. It is the first time I've heard it done by an all-male choir, but being the appreciator of history that I am, it was amazing to finally hear it done as legend says Handel would have had a choir do it. There are also a few surprises, things that according to the label are that way because of the historical accuracy, arias given to singers in different vocal ranges than we in the 21st century are used to, that make for a nice texture to the work (my favorite example of this being "Rejoice Greatly, Oh Daughter of Zion," which is usually done by the Soprano sololist, is given to the Tenor on this disc and is absolutely beautiful on here.) August 24, 2007

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