'Messiah', along with Mendelssohn's 'Elijah', is to me the greatest oratorio ever written and one of the greats in the choral repertoire (Verdi and Mozart's Requiems are up there too). It's no wonder that it's Handel's most performed and celebrated work.
Despite how negative some of the review might be, this performance hardly is a disgrace. Far from it, because there are some truly impressive elements and even the weaker elements don't come over disastrously, more like inconsistent. On DVD however, it is my second least favourite with the interesting but at times perplexing 1999 film. The Christopher Hogwood, earlier Stephen Cleobury and Zubin Mehta performances are superior.
The performance is done in a magnificent looking building, where one really marvels at the architecture. The acoustic is resonant and the music sounds wonderful in there, if perhaps at times a little too reverberant.
A lot to admire musically. The orchestra play very impressively much of the time, they make a real effort to give some vitality and a good deal of nuance while throughout having a beautiful tone. The chorus are even better, especially in the sublime "Amen" chorus, despite "Hallelujah" being one of the most famous parts (understandably, it's fun to sing and a real knees up) my favourite chorus from 'Messiah' is "Amen", the final fugal section is a masterpiece of choral writing.
It is Cleobury's conducting where the performance is more problematic. Certainly not bad, it's very correct, respectful to Handel's intentions, authoritative, easy to follow and sometimes sympathetic, but a little too conservative and could have been more alert. While "Amen", "The Trumpets Shall Sound", "Comfort Ye", "He Shall Feed His Flock" and "I Know that My Redeemer Liveth" come off well, it is less good in the pastoral interlude, "For Unto Us a Child is Born" (the sprightliness is gone here), "Hallelujah" (could have had more punch and grandeur) and particularly the Da Capo section of "He Was Despised" (which severely sags in momentum and renders a lovely but potentially dull aria if done too slow a dirge).
Soloists are mostly good. Matthew Rose fares best, with a powerful bass voice and interpretations of his arias that are bold and rich in authority, especially in "The Trumpets Shall Sound". Before one forgets, the trumpet solo in this aria is flawless. Ailish Tynan also comes across well, singing with commitment and spontaneity. Her voice is pure and expressive, particularly well served in an exquisite "He Shall Feed His Flock" and a tear-jerking "I Know that My Redeemer Liveth". She copes with the challenging runs of "Rejoice Greatly" very well.
Allan Clayton sings with an unstrained and commanding sound, particularly in "Comfort Ye", with well-articulated runs and clear diction. Alice Coote's tone is warm and rich and there is also a maternal expressiveness, sadly the too slow tempo of "He Was Deserved" doesn't serve her well.
In conclusion, solid if lacking excitement. 7/10 Bethany Cox
Despite how negative some of the review might be, this performance hardly is a disgrace. Far from it, because there are some truly impressive elements and even the weaker elements don't come over disastrously, more like inconsistent. On DVD however, it is my second least favourite with the interesting but at times perplexing 1999 film. The Christopher Hogwood, earlier Stephen Cleobury and Zubin Mehta performances are superior.
The performance is done in a magnificent looking building, where one really marvels at the architecture. The acoustic is resonant and the music sounds wonderful in there, if perhaps at times a little too reverberant.
A lot to admire musically. The orchestra play very impressively much of the time, they make a real effort to give some vitality and a good deal of nuance while throughout having a beautiful tone. The chorus are even better, especially in the sublime "Amen" chorus, despite "Hallelujah" being one of the most famous parts (understandably, it's fun to sing and a real knees up) my favourite chorus from 'Messiah' is "Amen", the final fugal section is a masterpiece of choral writing.
It is Cleobury's conducting where the performance is more problematic. Certainly not bad, it's very correct, respectful to Handel's intentions, authoritative, easy to follow and sometimes sympathetic, but a little too conservative and could have been more alert. While "Amen", "The Trumpets Shall Sound", "Comfort Ye", "He Shall Feed His Flock" and "I Know that My Redeemer Liveth" come off well, it is less good in the pastoral interlude, "For Unto Us a Child is Born" (the sprightliness is gone here), "Hallelujah" (could have had more punch and grandeur) and particularly the Da Capo section of "He Was Despised" (which severely sags in momentum and renders a lovely but potentially dull aria if done too slow a dirge).
Soloists are mostly good. Matthew Rose fares best, with a powerful bass voice and interpretations of his arias that are bold and rich in authority, especially in "The Trumpets Shall Sound". Before one forgets, the trumpet solo in this aria is flawless. Ailish Tynan also comes across well, singing with commitment and spontaneity. Her voice is pure and expressive, particularly well served in an exquisite "He Shall Feed His Flock" and a tear-jerking "I Know that My Redeemer Liveth". She copes with the challenging runs of "Rejoice Greatly" very well.
Allan Clayton sings with an unstrained and commanding sound, particularly in "Comfort Ye", with well-articulated runs and clear diction. Alice Coote's tone is warm and rich and there is also a maternal expressiveness, sadly the too slow tempo of "He Was Deserved" doesn't serve her well.
In conclusion, solid if lacking excitement. 7/10 Bethany Cox
