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Handel & Haydn Society, Harry Christophers - Handel: Messiah (2014)

Handel & Haydn Society, Harry Christophers - Handel: Messiah (2014)
  • Title: Handel: Messiah
  • Year Of Release: 2014
  • Label: Coro
  • Genre: Classical
  • Quality: FLAC (image + .cue, log, scans)
  • Total Time: 02:14:47
  • Total Size: 688 MB
  • WebSite:
Tracklist:

CD 1
Part 1
1 Sinfony 3.05
2 Accompagnato (tenor): Comfort ye, my people 2.39
3 Air (tenor): Ev’ry valley shall be exalted 3.10
4 Chorus: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed 2.53
5 Accompagnato (bass): Thus saith the Lord of Hosts 1.21
6 Air (alto): But who may abide the day of His coming? 4.21
7 Chorus: And He shall purify 2.30
8 Recit (alto): Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son 0.27
9 Air (alto) and Chorus: O Thou that tellest good tidings to Zion 4.55
10 Accompagnato (bass): For behold, darkness shall cover the earth 2.15
11 Air (bass): The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light 3.02
12 Chorus: For unto us a child is born 3.52
13 Pastoral Symphony (Pifa) 2.38
14 Recit (soprano): There were shepherds abiding in the field 1.05
Accompagnato (soprano): And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them
Recit (soprano): And the angel said unto them: Fear not
15 Accompagnato (soprano): And suddenly there was with the angel 2.09
Chorus: Glory to God in the highest
16 Air (soprano): Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion 4.11
17 Recit (alto): Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened 0.30
18 Air (alto and soprano): He shall feed His flock like a shepherd 4.59
19 Chorus: His yoke is easy and His burden is light 2.14

Part 2
20 Chorus: Behold the Lamb of God 2.44
21 Air (alto): He was depised and rejected of men 9.41
22 Chorus: Surely He hath borne our griefs 1.46
23 Chorus: And with His stripes we are healed 1.44
24 Chorus: All we like sheep have gone astray 3.59

CD 2
1 Accompagnato (tenor): All they that see Him laugh Him to scorn 0.47
2 Chorus: He trusted in God that He would deliver Him 2.12
3 Accompagnato (tenor): Thy rebuke hath broken His heart 1.50
4 Arioso (tenor): Behold and see if there be any sorrow 1.14
5 Accompagnato (tenor): He was cut off out of the land of the living 0.15
6 Air (tenor): But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell 2.07
7 Chorus: Lift up your heads, O ye gates 2.50
8 Recit (tenor): Unto which of the angels said He at any time 1.36
Chorus: Let all the angels of God worship Him
9 Air (alto): Thou art gone up on high 3.10
10 Chorus: The Lord gave the word 1.01
11 Air (soprano): How beautiful are the feet of them that preach 2.04
12 Chorus: Their sound is gone out into all lands 1.19
13 Air (bass): Why do the nations so furiously rage together? 2.39
14 Chorus: Let us break their bonds asunder 1.54
Recit (tenor): He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn
15 Air (tenor): Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron 2.01
16 Chorus: Hallelujah! For The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth 3.55

Part 3
17 Air (soprano): I know that my redeemer liveth 5.29
18 Chorus: Since by man came death 2.03
18 Accompagnato (bass): Behold, I tell you a mystery 0.35
20 Air (bass): The trumpet shall sound 8.25
21 Recit (alto): Then shall be brought to pass 0.16
22 Duet (alto and tenor): O Death, where is thy sting? 1.02
23 Chorus: But thanks be to God who giveth us the victory 2.04
24 Air (soprano): If God be for us, who can be against us? 4.44
25 Chorus: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain 3.07
26 Chorus: Amen 4.24

Boston's Handel and Haydn Society gave the first complete performance of Messiah in the U.S. in 1818 and has done the work hundreds of times since then, with an annual performance tradition, of which this live recording is a part, since 1854. Since the last quarter of the 20th century, the group has moved in the direction of historically informed performance, but a bit of the old community flavor remains. It's characteristic of H&H's current conductor, Harry Christophers, that he steers a course incorporating the choir's American strengths. His Handel and Haydn Society is 30 voices strong, in no way minimalist, but entirely clean in bringing a focus to the text and well balanced with the orchestra. The precision of his readings resembles that in the Baroque recordings of his English group, The Sixteen, but the overall effect is different: he lets the singers, including a strong quartet of soloists, hold forth strongly; the group makes a lot of noise for 30 singers. The result is a real English-American hybrid performance that some may find splendid, others a bit shouty; you can sample one of the big choruses, like "And with his stripes" to determine which camp you might fall into. The live sound from Boston's Symphony Hall, which has heard this music countless times, is clear. Recommended for those enjoying Christophers' American experiment, although there are, of course, many other choices for Messiah. -- James Manheim


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