Handel – Messiah (Gardiner)

Disc: 1
1. Messiah: Sinfonia
2. Messiah: Part One: Comfort Ye, My People - Accompagnato: Evy'ry Valley Shall Be Exalted - Aria
3. Messiah: Part One: And The Glory Of The Lord - Coro
4. Messiah: Part One: Thus Saith The Lord - Accompagnato: But Who May Abide - Aria: He Shall Purify - Coro
5. Messiah: Part One: Behold A Virgin A Shall Conceive - Recitativo: O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings To Zion - Aria:
 O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings To Zion - Coro
6. Messiah: Part One: For Behold, Darkness Shall Cover The Earth - Accompagnato: The People That Walked In Darkness - Aria
7. Messiah: Part One:For Unto Us A Child Is Born - Coro
8. Messiah: Part One: Pifa - Sinfonia pastorale: There Were Shepherds - Recitativo: And Lo, The Angel Of The Lord - Accompagnato:
 And The Angel Said Unto Them - Accompagnato: And Suddenly There Was With The Angel - Accompagnato
9. Messiah: Part One: Rejoice Greatly - Aria
10. Messiah: Part One: Then Shall The Eyes Of The Blind - Recitativo
11. Messiah: Part One: He Shall Feed His Flock - Duetto
12. Messiah: Part One: His Yoke Is Easy – Coro

Disc: 2
1. Messiah: Part Two: Behold The Lamb Of God - Coro
2. Messiah: Part Two: He Was Despised - Aria
3. Messiah: Part Two: Surely, He Hath Borne Our Griefs - Coro: And With His Stripes - Coro: 
All We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray - Coro
4. Messiah: Part Two: All They That See Him - Accompagnato: He Trusted In God - Coro
5. Messiah: Part Two: The Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart - Accompagnato: Behold, And See - Arioso
6. Messiah: Part Two: He Was Cut Off - Accompagnato: But Thou Didst Not Leave - Aria
7. Messiah: Part Two: Lift Up Your Heads
8. Messiah: Part Two: Unto Which Of The Angels - Recitativo: Let All The Angels Of God - Coro
9. Messiah: Part Two: Thou Art Gone Up On High - Aria
10. Messiah: Part Two: The Lord Gave The Word - Coro
11. Messiah: Part Two: How Beautiful Are The Feet - Aria
12. Messiah: Part Two: Their Sound Is Gone Out - Coro
13. Messiah: Part Two: Why Do The Nations? - Aria
14. Messiah: Part Two: Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder - Coro
15. Messiah: Part Two: He That Dwelleth In Heaven - Recitativo: Thou Shalt Break Them - Aria
16. Messiah: Part Two: Hallelujah – Coro

Disc: 3
1. Messiah: Part Three: I Know That My Redeemer Liveth - Aria
2. Messiah: Part Three: Since By Man Came Death - Coro
3. Messiah: Part Three: Behold, I Tell You A Mysery - Accompagnato
4. Messiah: Part Three: The Trumpet Shall Sound - Aria
5. Messiah: Part Three: Then Shall Be Brought To Pass - Recitativo: O Death, Where Is Thy Sting? - Duetto:
 But Thanks Be To God - Coro
6. Messiah: Part Three: If God Be For Us - Aria
7. Messiah: Part Three: Worthy Is The Lamb...Amen - Coro

Charles Brett (Countertenor), 
Richard Hale (Bass), 
Anthony Rolfe Johnson (Tenor),
Catherine Robbin (Soprano), 
Margaret Marshall (Soprano), 
Saul Quirke (Boy Soprano)

English Baroque Soloists,  Monteverdi Choir
John Eliot Gardiner – conductor

This recording of this wonderful work has many virtues. It is a small ensemble with skilled singers and a very gifted conductor. Remember this is contrapuntal music with many simultaneous lines - not just a melody with harmony.

Gardiner lets us hear everything and it is wonderful. He also makes everything we here a choice. It is all on purpose. That doesn't mean deliberate or frozen. Heavens no! This piece is alive and every note is going somewhere for a reason. There are surprising interpretations as well. Sharp stacattos, dramatic pauses, strong contrasts. If we take just "Worthy is the Lamb" and the final "Amen" fugue as a case, we note that he comes in strong on the first statement of "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!". But on the second repeat, it is more of a marvellous contemplation. And the Amen begins very soft as if the chorus is part of the beatific vision and builds. After the first orchestral interlude the chorus comes in strong, but the tempo never picks up. It is rather slow throughout. That allows for a more massive feeling as things seem to mount to the infinite. It may not be my personal preference, but I certainly admire and respect Gardiner for showing me another approach and convincing me of its power and worth.

While this version lets the music carry the drama rather than letting the singers emote as if this were a romantic era opera, there is plenty of emotion and range in this recording. The ornamentation is tastefully done and does add to the expessivenes of the work. "The Trumpet Shall Sound" sounds terrific. Sometimes the natural trumpet can be played out of tune, but Crispian Steele-Perkins nails it. The "Hallelujia Chorus" is actually sung rather than roared and that is nice change. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of energy and power, but it is full volume all the way through. And every word can be understood.

Just imagine if we had heard it this clearly from our childhood and we could have avoided all those misunderstanding of what was being sung! This is a recording I am very happy to own and it is music making I am grateful to be able to hear again and again. This is wonderful stuff! --- Craig Matteson (Saline, MI)

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