Worthy Lord

Track Listings

1. Your Are Worthy Lord

2. Great Is Thy Faithfulness

3. The Blood

4. Yes, Jesus Loves Me

5. Ain't He Good

6. Worship Him

7. Put Your Trust In Him

8. Worthy Lord

9. I Will Be There

10. Holy, Holy, Holy

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
Deborah Biddle believes that hearts can be blessed and lives changed through the ministry of gospel music. She has dedicated herself to changing lives by God's word through song. Her debut release, Worthy Lord, embodies her wide ranging musical influences as well as her love for the Lord. Whether hymns, contemporary, traditional, or spiritual, Deborah Biddle is committed to the preservation, perfection, and perpetuation of sacred music.

Deborah is very clear about the message of her debut album: “Give God glory! Acknowledge Him in all things!” “Not unto us, O Lord, unto us. But to Your name give glory because of Your mercy and because of Your truth.” (Psalm 115:1)

Although this is Deborah's first CD release, her music has always been influential in the lives of her listeners. A native of Waukegan, Illinois, the mezzo-soprano started singing in her church choir at the age of thirteen. Since that time, she has participated in choirs and ensembles across the state of Illinois including the Grammy award winning Thompson Community Singers.

Product Description
Deborah Biddle's debut gospel release is a mix of contemporarry and traditional vocal stylings inviting you to give God glory! Worthy Lord opens with the powerful proclamation “You Are Worthy Lord”. Next the calming cadence of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” leads into the joyously rhythmic arrangement of “The Blood” followed by the more traditional uplifting declaration “Yes, Jesus Loves Me”. The urban flow of “Ain't He Good” moves to the fervent convicting call to “Worship Him”. The final four tracks of Deborah's debut album, “Put Your Trust in Him”, “Worthy Lord”, “I Will Be There”, and “Holy, Holy, Holy” display the vast range of her vocal clarity, insight, and interpretation.

Worthy Lord,Deborah Biddle

Worthy Lord

Tracks:

Hallelujah Chorus (Messiah)
Pastorale (Messiah)
Bourree (Music For The Royal Fireworks) - Anthony Newman
Overture (Water Music)
Adagio E Staccato (Water Music)
Allegro I (Water Music)
Air (Water Music)
Bourree (Water Music)
Hornpipe (Water Music)
Aria (Con Grosso No. 12 In B Minor)
Grand Fugue No. 3 In B Minor - Anthony Newman
Chorus & March (Judas Maccabaeus) - Anthony Newman
Allegro II (Concerto Grosso No. 5 in D Major)
Allegro V (Concerto Grosso No. 5 in D Major)
Overture (Music For The Royal Fireworks)
La Paix: Sarabande (Music For The Royal Fireworks)
La Rejouissance: Allegro (Music For The Royal Fireworks)
Minuet (Music For The Royal Fireworks)
Silent Worship (Tolomeo) - Mary Ann Hart
Lascia Ch'io Pianga (Rinaldo) - Madeline Tsingopoulos
And The Glory Of The Lord (Messiah)
For Unto Us A Child Is Born (Messiah)
All We Like Sheep (Messiah)
Why Do The Nations (Messiah)
Worthy Is The Lamb (Messiah)

Customer Reviews:

25 Handel Favorites.......2007-01-12

Absolutely what I expect of Handel! Good stuff, if this is your "bag".

Average customer rating:

Mad about Baroque
The beauty of the songs brings tears to my eyes
Brilliant
Be Welcome then, great Sirs (and Mesdames).
Brilliant Purcell Disc

Essential Purcell
Henry Purcell , New College Choir Oxford , King's Consort , Robert King , Roy Goodman , Charles Daniels , John Mark Ainsley , James Bowman , Peter Buckoke , Jane Coe , Rogers Covey-Crump , Gillian Fisher , Michael George , Miles Golding , Jane Norman , Barbara Bonney , Mark Caudle , William Carter , King's Consort Choir , Helen Gough , Paul Nicholson , Angela East , Barry Guy , Tessa Bonner , Jerome Finnis , Rupert Bawden , Lucy Howard , Richard Campbell , Susan Addison , James O'Donnell , and Stephen Saunders
Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Odes | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Purcell: Odes for St. Cecilia's Day - Music for Queen Mary / Taverner Consort
Purcell: The Fairy Queen
Purcell: Songs & Airs / Argenta, North, Boothby, Nicholson, Toll
Purcell: Dido and Aeneas / James, Lewis, Baker, Herincx
Purcell: Full Anthems & Organ Music

ASIN: B000002ZDU
Release Date: 1995-04-10

Tracks:

Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol. 5: Welcome, Welcome Glorious Morn. Symphony And Opening Chorus
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol. 3: Be Welcome Then, Great Sir
Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.1: Oh, Fair Cedaria
The Choir Of The King's Consort: Hear My Prayer, O Lord
Great Baroque Arias: When I Am Laid In Earth ('Dido's Lament')
Complete Anthems And Services Vol.1: Let Mine Eyes Run Down With Tears (Part 1)
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.4: The Sparrow And The Gentle Dove
Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.1: If Music Be The Food Of Love (First Setting)
Complete Anthems And Services Vol.5: Rejoice In The Lord Always ('The Bell Anthem')
Complete Anthems And Services Vol.3: Hosanna To The Highest
Complete Anthems And Services Vol.7: Thou Knowest, Lord, The Secrets Of Our Hearts
Mr. Henry Purcell's Most Admirable Composures: Fairest Isle, All Isles Excelling
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.6: Mark, How Readily Each Pliant String
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.8: Sound The Trumpet
Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.3: She Loves And She Confesses Too
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.8: O How Blest Is The Isle
Complete Anthems And Services Vol.3: Remember Not, Lord, Our Offences
Complete Anthems And Services Vol. 11: An Evening Hymn
Complete Church Music Vol.2: Vouchsafe, O Lord, To Keep Us This Day
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.2: With Rapture Of Delight... Hail Bright Cecilia

Amazon.com essential recording

The "Essential" Purcell? Well, you could get a bunch of critics to argue about that for a few days, but in the meantime, here is a sampler of highlights from the King's Consort's three admirable Purcell series: the Complete Odes and Welcome Songs, Complete Anthems and Services, and Complete Secular Solo Songs. There are, of course, some of Purcell's most-performed pieces (which probably are "essential"): Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas, "Sound the trumpet" from Come, ye sons of Art, Rejoice in the Lord alway (the "Bell Anthem," named for the string figure at the opening that sounds like pealing bells), the gently patriotic "Fairest isle, all isles excelling" (sung by a miscast James Bowman), and a selection from the funeral music for Queen Mary. There are also some delightful surprises--particularly among the little-known secular songs and church music. The plaintive "O fair Cedaria" gets a lovely performance by Barbara Bonney (a singer not usually associated with Purcell); tenor Rogers Covey-Crump (possibly the ideal high tenor for Purcell) sings the enchanting "If music be the food of love"; the church anthems "Let mine eyes run down with tears" and "Remember not, O Lord, our offences" have some startling harmonies as daring as any Monteverdi ever wrote. If you're unfamiliar with Purcell, this reasonably priced disc is a good place to start exploring without a big initial investment. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Mad about Baroque.......2007-02-12

This is a terrific CD. The music is breathtaking. Just buy IT !!!!!

The beauty of the songs brings tears to my eyes.......2002-08-21

Absolutely beautiful baroque music! The arrangament, singing and instrumentation is superb. It is too bad that Henry Purcell is not as widely known as Bach, because he should be recognized equally well."The Sparrow and the Gentle dove" is alone worth the price of the album! I can not stop playing it!

Brilliant.......2001-10-31

Like in his renditions of Handel's oratorios, Robert King manages to bring a freshness and strenght to Purcell's music that I had seldom heard before. This CD also features some of the best performers of early music in the world. My favourite tracks are Oh, Fair Cedaria, sung by the multi-talented Barbara Bonney; Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas, sung by Gillian Fisher; She Loves and she Confesses too, sung by the wonderful Susan Gritton; and Welcome, Welcome Glorious Morn, sung by Rogers Covey-Crump. The only track I didn't find absolutely wonderful is Fairest Isle, sung here by James Bowman. Don't get me wrong, I generally love Mr Bowman, I think that his performance in Mr Purcell's Most Admirable Composures (also conducted by Robert King) makes it another essential Purcell recording; but I find that Fairest Isle was much better done elsewhere, particularly by Christopher Hogwood and Barbara Bonney.

These songs aren't only beautiful, they're also poignant, sweet and unpretentious. I think that it will be very clear to anyone who listens to this recording that Mr Purcell was one of the finest composers that ever lived.

Be Welcome then, great Sirs (and Mesdames)........2001-10-20

If anyone has benefitted from the reversion in the last three or so decades to period instruments and historical reconstruction, it is Henry Purcell. Before, he was merely great, the peerless word-setter in the English language, a virtuoso of boundless range, a professional composer whose offical commissions were always imbued with personality and invention. But period instrumentation has added to this a greater depth, an other-worldly texture of sound. With his intricate, multi-part vocal writing, his preference for low, rumbling instruments such as the bass viol and the strange and remarkable theorbo, as well as his often sombre and low-key subject matter and treatment, Purcell creates a round, glowing, humming sound as pregnantly full as dub reggae.

This has an extraordinary effect on the listener. Whereas Bach, with his mathematical abstractions, sounds universal and timeless, Purcell's music takes the listener back 300 years, back to different ways of thinking about, feeling about and addressing things we still think etc. about today - death, love, friendship. The emotion is timeless, but the music's beauty is alien, THEIRS, hence its preciousness.

A lot of intelligence has gone into the unity of this compilation, beginning with two Welcomes (to the dawn and to the listener, in this case a King), and ending with thoughts of evening, death and a Baroque 'Thank you for the music'. These are bright, fanfare-like works, but the predominant mood is slow, ruminative, quiet. The selection covers the wide range of Purcell's oeuvre, from opera and funeral marches to secular songs and odes, and includes his most famous vocal works - Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas, sung by Gillian Fisher, and never more evocative of pagan loss and death; the massive 'Bell Anthem', with its ingenious opening symphony and joyful antiphon; and a miraculously serene 'Evening Hymn', Dido's opposite, death indicating hope, the treble voice swirling over the heavy ground bass like the soul released from the inert body.

it might seem quixotic to choose highlights from an exemplary collection of highlights, but the entry of the strings washing over the serene repetition of 'Be Welcome then, great Sir' always makes my heart stop still, while the musical picture of 'Bold Honour', the 'noisy Nothing, stalking shade', blocking the poet's amorous intentions in 'She loves and confesses too', adds a chilling hint of life's transience to a bouyantly bawdy song.

Brilliant Purcell Disc .......2000-11-30

With this album director and Purcell expert Robert King provides the listener with an excellent introduction to the composer's vocal works. The pieces presented here were taken from Mr. King's recordings of 'The Complete Odes and Welcome Songs', 'The Complete Anthems and Services', 'The Complete Secular Solo Songs' and diverse anthology discs. King, his wonderful soloists and musicians do the brilliance of Purcell's music fully justice. Whether he was commissioned by royalty, the church or theatre, Purcell shone in all areas. This disc certainly demonstrates the variety and originality of his craft, not to speak of his uncanny ability of setting words to music.

An outstanding Purcell offering. With a beautiful perfomance by Barbara Bonney of 'Oh, fair Cedaria'. Susan Gritton is equally captivating in 'She loves and she confesses too'. Gillian Fisher's rendition of the famous 'Dido's Lament' is haunting and poignant. Further an intelligent and brilliant 'Hosanna to the highest' by Michael George. James Bowman and Michael Chance sparkle in the countertenor duet 'Sound the trumpet' (from 'Come Ye sons of Art away'). And I should not forget to mention the joyous, luminous performance of the beautiful 'Bell Anthem'. To name but a few favourites, only James Bowman's 'Fairest Isle' was a disappointment.

Those who are familiar with Purcell's music will get an excellent disc with some of his most beloved works. If you are new to Purcell, this is, as already said a great introduction. Which might be the incentive to further explorations of Purcell.

by stardustraven

Average customer rating:

Enjoyment of old Russian liturgical nusic
Finally, a recording I can sing along with!
Good Music from Russia
Great CD
Well Below the Bass Range

Basso Profondo From Old Russia

Manufacturer: Russian Season Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ancient Echoes
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ASIN: B00000JQGJ
Release Date: 1999-08-10

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyment of old Russian liturgical nusic.......2007-01-09

The Basso Profundo recording reminds one of the recordings of Tibetan Monks in chant and is very stirring.

Finally, a recording I can sing along with!.......2006-11-04

As a low bass and wannabe octavist, I really enjoy singing along with this recording. Luckily, I have performed the Rachmaninov "All Night Vigil", Tchaikovshy "Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom", and other works in Old Church Slavonic, so the words are mostly familiar.

I still find it amazing that these singers can make notes in the midrange still sound low! Enjoy!

Good Music from Russia.......2005-07-21

This CD is very good for those who like orthodox music. Buy it!

Great CD.......2003-03-02

I have done a good bit of research on basso profundo's, contrabasses, etc and these guys seem to be lower than any I've heard. The soloist on "Do Not Reject Me In My Old Age" has a full voiced G1, below low bass C which he hits a number of times on the CD. Very amazing recording... good musically, not the VERY best choir I've ever heard or anything, but definetly good. Russian music is great, many of the tracks are very dark musically, but there are some more majestic tracks, and a few tracks that sound kinda militaristic.

Well Below the Bass Range.......2002-01-15

The music on this CD won't be to everyone's liking, but the unique sound of the voice of a "basso profundo" or "octavist"
is a musical rarity that shouldn't be missed. These basses have a gripping effect, with a timbre resembling that of an organ's pedal tones. These basses can sing the low A below the bass range. They are, simply, extraordinarily powerful voices. Savor the unearthly sound of them. Who knows - you might just get to like Russian polyphonic liturgical chant, as well.

The Best of the Vienna Boys' Choir (Box Set)

Average customer rating:

This is awesome!
Awesome CD!!
I absolutely LOVE this!
Vienna Boys do it again
Wow

The Best of the Vienna Boys' Choir (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Christmas With the Vienna Boys Choir
Angelic Voices: The Best of the Vienna Boys' Choir
Christmas with the Vienna Boys Choir
The Christmas Album: Vienna Boys Choir
Luminosa

ASIN: B00000IGUW
Release Date: 2000-12-06

Tracks:

Mass in C major K. 317 'Coronatoin' Mass: I. Kyrie
Mass in C major K. 317 'Coronatoin' Mass: II. Gloria
Mass in C major K. 317 'Coronatoin' Mass: Ave verum corpus KV 618 - K. 618
Requiem KV 626 (Auszuge) - K. 626: Dies irae
Requiem KV 626 (Auszuge) - K. 626: Lacrimosa
Requiem KV 626 (Auszuge) - K. 626: Agnus Dei
Requiem KV 626 (Auszuge) - K. 626: Lux aeterna
Ave Maria
The Creation: Terzett: 'In holder Anmut stehn'
The Creation: Terzett mit Chor: 'Der Herr ist gross in seiner Macht'
Locus iste
Ave Maria
Abendsegen
Pueri concinite
Messiah: No. 03 Chorus: ' And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed'
Messiah: No. 06 Chorus: 'And he shall purify'
Messiah: No. 42 Chorus: 'Hallelujah'
Messiah: No. 51 Chorus: 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain' - 'Amen'

Tracks:

The Blue Danube
Annen - Polka Op. 117
Walzer - Tales from the Vienna Woods, Waltz
Tritsch - Tratsch Polka
Village Swallows from Austria
Pizzicat - Polka
Morning papers, waltz
Radetzky - Marsch
Thousand and one night, waltz
Heidenroslein
The Magic Flute: Trio
Innsbruck, I must leave thee
Aba Heidschi Bumbeidschi
Edelweiss
Do - Re - Mi

Customer Reviews:

This is awesome!.......2002-12-13

I love this bos set, especially the second one Edelweiss is simply great, it's filled with passion and truly shows the beauty of music.But if you had already bought Ave Maria and Edelweiss please don't buy this one, they are the same, this CD is just perfect!

Awesome CD!!.......2002-06-07

Wow...That was my first word when I listend to this CD.

I like classical numbers more than like traditional songs of
other countries, so the 1st one was wonderful
(Of course as well as the second one.)

When you want to relax, you may choose the 1st one, but
if you want to be excited, choose 2nd one!!

You will feel as if you were out of this world.

I absolutely LOVE this!.......2002-02-20

When I received this album, I found that it was much, much more than I had expected. The angelic, pure, innocent yet DEFINED voices of these boys add the spark to your day. (at least to mine!)

The first CD is absolutely beautiful choral music which is really relaxing. I DO prefer boys' singing to adults, because it just sounds so much better.
When I bought the CD, I wasn't expecting much out of the second CD because I bought it for the first CD's sake, but the second CD turned out to be my real favorite.
Not that I don't adore the first one, but the second one is SO IRRESISTABLY CUTE!! whenever I listen to it, I keep on smiling and going "awww. isn't this cute!"
It is REALLY sweet and fun to listen to. I just LOVE this CDs and want to give 10 stars out of 5, but obviously there are limitations, so..

Well, if you like choral music, you won't regret getting this one.

Vienna Boys do it again.......2001-08-18

Their performance is just superb. If you like classical music. I find this elevating my spirits.

Wow.......2000-09-06

What can really be said about this two CD set except "Wow." The tone quality and emotion contained in the music is incredible, and I don't think there's another boys' choir out there who can match it. The rendition of Schubert's "Ave Maria" alone is worth buying the CD. Amazing. Between the two CD's there is a great variety of music as well, ranging from the soft, sad "Locus Iste," to Johann Strauss' polkas. There is a piece for every mood. These CDs are more than worth the money and rank among the favorites in my collection.

Average customer rating:

Handel: The Masterworks (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Anthems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Vivaldi: The Masterworks (Box Set)
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ASIN: B00062FLI8
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Handel - Messiah / Augér, von Otter, Chance, Crook, Tomlinson, English Concert, Pinnock

Average customer rating:

Ladies & gentleman: The Lord'n Savior, God Almighty
So Fashionable, and So Disappointing
A nice combination of period nad tradiitonal
Wait! Before you buy...
La mas bella y fidedigna interpretacion que se pueda obtener

Handel - Messiah / Augér, von Otter, Chance, Crook, Tomlinson, English Concert, Pinnock
George Frideric Handel , Arleen Auger , Anne Sofie von Otter , Trevor Pinnock , The English Concert & Choir , Michael Chance , Howard Crook , and John Tomlinson
Manufacturer: Archiv Produktion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Handel - Messiah / Ameling · A. Reynolds · Langridge · Howell · Marriner
Belcea Quartet ~ Debussy · Dutilleux · Ravel
Beethoven: Symphony No 9 /ORR * Gardiner
Handel: Messiah /Nelson * Kirkby * Watkinson * Elliott * Thomas * AAM * Hogwood
Haydn: Lord Nelson Mass / Willcocks, King's College Choir

ASIN: B0000057DB
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Messiah: Part One - 1. Sinfony (Grave - Allegro moderato)
Messiah: Part One - 2. Accompagnato : Comfort Ye My People
Messiah: Part One - 3. Air : Ev'ry Valley Shall Be Exalted
Messiah: Part One - 4. Chorus : And The Glory Of The Lord Shall Be Revealed
Messiah: Part One - 5. Accompagnato : Thus Saith The Lord Of Hosts
Messiah: Part One - 6. Air : But Who May Abide The Day Of His Coming
Messiah: Part One - 7. Chorus : And He Shall Purify
Messiah: Part One - 8. Recitative : Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive
Messiah: Part One - 9. Air and Chorus : O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings
Messiah: Part One - 10. Accompagnato : For Behold, Darkness Shall Cover
Messiah: Part One - 11. Air : The People That Walked In Darkness
Messiah: Part One - 12. Chorus : For Unto Us A Child Is Born
Messiah: Part One - 13. Pifa (Pastoral Symphony)
Messiah: Part One - 14. Recitative: There Were Shepherds Abiding In The Field - Accompagnato: And Lo, The Angel Of The Lord - 15. Recitative: And The Angel Said Unto Them - 16. Accompagnato: And Suddenly There Was With The Angel
Messiah: Part One - 17. Chorus : Glory To God In The Highest
Messiah: Part One - 18. Air : Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter Of Zion
Messiah: Part One - 19. Recitative : Then Shall The Eyes Of The Blind
Messiah: Part One - 20. Air : He Shall Feed His Flock
Messiah: Part One - 21. Chorus : His Yoke Is Easy, His Burthen Is Light
Messiah: Part Two - 22. Chorus : Behold The Lamb Of God
Messiah: Part Two - Air : 23. He Was Despised

Tracks:

Messiah: Part Two - 24. Chorus : Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs
Messiah: Part Two - 25. Chorus : And With His Stripes We Are Healed
Messiah: Part Two - 26. Chorus : All We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray
Messiah: Part Two - 27. Accompagnato : All They That See Him
Messiah: Part Two - 28. Chorus : He Trusted In God
Messiah: Part Two - 29. Accompagnato : Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart
Messiah: Part Two - 30. Arioso : Behold, And See If There Be Any Sorrow
Messiah: Part Two - 31. Accompagnato : He Was Cut Off Out Of The Land
Messiah: Part Two - 32. Air : But Thou Didst Not Leave His Soul
Messiah: Part Two - 33. Chorus : Lift Up Your Heads, O Ye Gates
Messiah: Part Two - 34. Recitative : Unto Which Of The Angels
Messiah: Part Two - 35. Chorus : Let All The Angels Of God Worship Him
Messiah: Part Two - 36. Air : Thou Art Gone Up On High
Messiah: Part Two - 37. Chorus : The Lord Gave The Word
Messiah: Part Two - 38. Air : How Beautiful Are The Feet
Messiah: Part Two - 39. Chorus : Their Sound Is Gone Out
Messiah: Part Two - 40. Air : Why Do The Nations So Furiously Rage
Messiah: Part Two - 41. Chorus : Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder
Messiah: Part Two - 42. Recitative : He That Dwelleth In Heaven
Messiah: Part Two - 43. Air : Thou Shalt Break Them
Messiah: Part Two - 44. Chorus : Hallelujah
Messiah: Part Three - 45. Air : I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
Messiah: Part Three - 46. Chorus : Since By Man Came Death
Messiah: Part Three - 47. Recitative : Behold, I Tell You A Mystery
Messiah: Part Three - 48. Air : The Trumpet Shall Sound
Messiah: Part Three - 49. Recitative : Then Shall Be Brought To Pass
Messiah: Part Three - 50. Duet : O Death, Where Is Thy Sting?
Messiah: Part Three - 51. Chorus : But Thanks Be To God
Messiah: Part Three - 52. Air : If God Be For Us
Messiah: Part Three - 53. Chorus : Worthy Is The Lamb That Was Slain --- Amen

Amazon.com essential recording

This is a terrific performance of Messiah. Not only are the soloists all superb, but Trevor Pinnock completely contradicts the image of many period instrument performances as small-scale, scrappy affairs. Indeed, he invests the choruses with as much genuine Handelian pomp as Beecham at his most extravagant. The trumpets really blaze, and the timpani thunder, and everyone simply has a great time. A joyous performance, just right for the holiday season. --David Hurwitz

Amazon.com

Trevor Pinnock meets with mixed success in this account of the Messiah with the English Concert & Choir and soloists Arleen Auger, Anne Sofie von Otter, Michael Chance, Howard Crook, and John Tomlinson, recorded and released in 1988. Its strengths are the strengths of the early-music movement in general. The size and distribution of the instrumental and vocal forces are optimal, which means that textures are clear and balances apt. Rhythms are nicely pointed, though often, in Pinnock's case, not quite well enough sprung. Tempos are well chosen; for example, "All we like sheep"--which turns out to be one of the set's best numbers--is a real bourré, and Pinnock animates it in just the right way. But the performance often seems workmanlike and unemotional, weighed down in too many instances by the humdrum work of the chorus. The alto section in particular, which is half male and half female, sings timidly and is constantly swallowing its entrances. Bass soloist John Tomlinson is a further drag on the effort. He has the right idea--that there's an Italian opera hiding behind all this biblical imagery--but his cottony sound is out of place, a misguided attempt to mimic Nicolai Ghiaurov. His usable range is less than a tenth (he croaks the low G's and F-sharps), and his diction is horrible. "Thus spake the Lord" is strangled, and when, in "The trumpet shall sound" Tomlinson gets to the words "we shall be changed," one can't help wishing that he had been changed too, right before the sessions started. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Ladies & gentleman: The Lord'n Savior, God Almighty.......2007-06-13

Handel's Messiah is my favorite piece of classical music. Of the two versions that I had I only have left this one, and it is not the best (the other had been a cheap recording whose author's name I forgot too). This version seems to lack a little enthusiasm from the voices; too melancholic. Anyway, this is the first review of any music that I write, and probably will be the last too, so I just want to leave my impression of how I feel when I hear these solemn and heavenly sounds. One feels so raised to the heavenlies... I can almost sense the presence of the Lord Almighty up yonder among the clouds, and me being carried in solemnity to meet Him. Far away are the buzzing sounds of earthly chores. The air is fresh and clean as we are raised above the valleys, and we come to meet God's elected amid the singing, stronger and stronger. Jubilant, bathed in the glorious rays of the Savior's Light, we come together and sing: Glory to God, glory to God, praise and glory for He is coming...

So Fashionable, and So Disappointing.......2007-02-01

This would be a great 21st Century Reader's Digest version of Messiah, if such a thing existed any more. Handel did as much as he could, but really, the performers still have to do something besides posture, which, by the way, seems to me to characterize many performances these days. Fashionable, but musically deficient.

Specifically: John Tomlinson sings like he thinks he IS God, instead of singing about Him. Heavy, cumbersome, and overblown. May I add boorish?

Arleen Auger has a very sweet voice. And??

Despite the program notes insisting that certain segments of this Messiah are given to "the contralto", Anne Sofie von Otter is NOT a contralto. Not even close.

The male alto can barely sustain a legato line - why he insists upon throwing in those complicated, badly-performed embellishments I can't figure. Well, I can, but I'd really rather not say.

Wake up, choristers!! It's 'For Unto Us A Child Is Born," not "Oy, I have to go to the grocery store today."

Boy do I regret having spent almost $40 on this one. Thank goodness I have the Colin Davis to console me.

A nice combination of period nad tradiitonal.......2006-12-17

This 1988 recording sits between the euqally English, euqally period-ifnluenced Hogwood and Garidner. Of the three, Hogwood sounds more 'authentic' because it uses boys in the chorus and singers schooled period practice. By comparison, Pinnock's soprano, Arleen Auger, and mozeeo, Von Otter, are essentially modern singers--gorgeous ones, of course, Gardiner is far more anemic in his conducting and uses a scrwny-sounding orchestra, so if that's more authentic, so be it. Of the three, Pinnock gives us more traditional music values in his emotional expression and instrumental timbres.

The competiiton is mushc stiffer now than in 1988, but Pinnock's reading has survived the test of time. He is not a genuinely inspired conductor--sadly, Messiah has become a cottage industry that excludes most big-name talents--but neither are Gardiner and Hogwood. (For sheer musicality, I tend to put my money on Andrew Parrott, Robert King, Marc Minkowski, Niklaus Harnoncourt, and Rene Jacobs.) But he's certainly good eough. The reason I haven't given five stars is that the male soloists aren't first-rate, and in particular the Wotan voice of John Tomlinson sounds cavernous in the bass arias. Add to that Pinnock's tendency toward tepidness, and what you end up with is a very good but not great performance.

Wait! Before you buy..........2006-05-28

... This Messiah has recently been re-released at a much cheaper price. Go back and look for the DG "The Originals" release, which is being sold new for under $12.

La mas bella y fidedigna interpretacion que se pueda obtener.......2004-12-29

Soy uno de los mas fanaticos seguidores de Handel y de su obra El Mesias... He escuchado muchas versiones de esta genial e impresionante obra del maestro Handel y, sencillamente no me queda mas que recomendar esta interpretacion, bajo la batuta del maestro Trevor Pinnock. Se nota la exigencia con que esta version se interpreto, dentro el contexto del arte barroco y la magnificencia de la pronunciacion del ingles de la epoca. La orquesta se luce impresionantemente desde la obertura... y le da a cada movimiento, toda aquella fuerza y a la vez delicadeza requerida en el sentimiento que aplica en cada uno de los textos biblicos escogidos por el guionista Jennens. El Coro del English Concert es arrebatador y demuestra maestria en la interpretacion de cada una de las arias que le corresponde. La soprano Arleen Auger, la puedo definir como un angel cantando y resulta ser una caricia a los oidos, a la vez que es capaz de arrancarle a uno las lagrimas por lo excelso de su magia interpretativa. El tenor Crook, aunque no es un tenor con tesitura para canto barroco, es realmente habil y agil al momento de interpretar los melismas caracteristicos de este brillante periodo musical. El contratenor Michael Chance, es fenomenal y quiera Dios que yo tenga el honor de conocer a este genio del canto: "But who may abide..." interpretado por Chance en esta version, es como para caer en extasis. La contralto Anne Sophie von Otter..., tiene una voz oscura y redondeada..., tambien resulta una caricia a los oidos y su "If God be for us..." es desbordante, capaz tambien de hacerle a uno derramar lagrimas por su belleza interpretativa. El bajo Tomlinson..., es barbaro!!! (Soy bajo-baritono en el Coro de la Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional de Costa Rica...) A pesar de su voz tan oscura, es tremendamente agil cuando le toca cantar los melismas y es genial al alcanzar la tonalidad brillante en las partes de notas altas y agudas...; por ejemplo: "The people that walked in darkness..." y "Why do the nations..." Tengo seis años de experiencia, interpretando musica coral y tengo que decir que espere esos seis años, desde 1999, para felizmente cantar esta obra "El Mesias". Ha sido fantastico finalmente lograr este objetivo..., la espera valio la pena y debo admitir que mi inspiracion ha sido sin duda alguna, la version que puede usted encontrar en este disco compacto. Doy gracias a todos los que intervinieron en esta grabacion (al maestro Trevor Pinnock, al English Concert and Choir y a los solistas ya mencionados), en nombre mio y en nombre del maestro Handel.

Average customer rating:

Highlights from stately classic version of Messiah
Good performances, mediocre sound quality
A signature Christmas album (at least for me)

Handel: Messiah - Arias & Choruses

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Handel: Messiah

ASIN: B00004Z1BB
Release Date: 2001-03-27

Tracks:

No. 2 Recitative: Comfort Ye, Comfort Ye My People - Kenneth McKellar
No. 3 Aria: Every Valley Shall Be Exalted - Kenneth McKellar
No. 4: And The Glory Of The Lord - London Symphony Orchestra And Chorus
No. 8 Recitative: Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive; No. 9 Aria: O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings To Zion - Grace Bumbry
No. 12: For Unto Us A Child Is Born - London Symphony Orchestra And Chorus
No. 16: Recitative: And Suddenly There Was With The Angel; No. 17: Glort To God In The Highest - Joan Sutherland
No. 18 Aria: Rejoice Greatly, O Duaghter Of Zion - Joan Sutherland
No 40 Aria: Why Do The Nations So Furiously Rage Together? - David Ward
No. 41: Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder - London Symphony Orchestra And Chorus
No. 44: Hallelujah! - London Symphony Orchestra And Chorus
No. 45 Aria: I Know That My Redeemer Liveth - Joan Sutherland
No. 47 Recitative: Behold I Tell You A Mystery; No. 48 Aria: The Trumpet Shall Sound - David Ward
No. 53: Worthy Is The Lamb - Amen - London Symphony Orchestra And Chorus

Customer Reviews:

Highlights from stately classic version of Messiah.......2005-12-11

This recording by Sir Adrian Boult and the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus dates from the early 1960s, and seems now very much an old-school rendering of Handel's beloved masterpiece. As such it still has its pleasures, among them the skilled singing of the chorus and two major stars, Joan Sutherland and Grace Bumbry, in their youthful primes. Though there are no "added accompaniments" of the kind that used to be routine and unwelcome additions to Handel's original, lean orchestration, modern connoisseurs of Baroque music may find the choruses, particularly the famous "Hallelujah," and final "Amen," altogether too leaden in pacing and glutinous in texture. In general the performance practice is restrained, with barely an ornamented da capo to be found, and even essential vocal appoggiaturas omitted. The selection of numbers on this highlights disc is not particularly satisfying; an apparent desire to give all soloists and chorus more or less equal time results in some jarring skips in continuity and unfathomable omissions, as well as equally strange inclusions. I would have opted for hearing the chorus "Lift up your heads, O ye gates" over a complete, nine-minute "Trumpet Shall Sound," for example, since there is not one ornament in the da capo and bass David Ward is taxed by the high tessitura. Nevertheless, the overall authority of Boult's interpretation makes this venerable Messiah still worth a listen, especially at this bargain price.

Good performances, mediocre sound quality.......2004-11-29

The remastering of this CD was not top notch. The sound quality is far inferior to my DDD from Hyperion starring Lynn Dawson,Katherine James et al.
But I'm still looking for the perfect Messiah recording.

A signature Christmas album (at least for me).......2002-12-24

I remember this playing in the background in the house back when I was a kid. It defined Christmas for me. I've heard several versions of "The Messiah" but this one, from the London Symphony Orchestra, is the most full and robust. There seems to be no rival, in my opinion. I highly recommend this for new families. Whether you're religious or not and celebrate Christmas/the year-end holidays as a religious event or a simple but important time for a family get-together, either the lyrics and/or the sound of the music will stay with you for many Christmases to come. The stand out song is Hallelujah. Though, I'm not a complete aficionado of classical music (especially of the religious kind), this must be one of Sir Adrian Boult's finest. But I'm speaking from the LP and tape versions. I can only imagine the sound from the CD version. I highly recommend this recording.

UPDATE: Yup, this is the tape I remember. Down to the quality. I dunno about anybody else, but that's part of the charm for me. It reminds me of the tape and that reminds me of Christmases past. I love it.

Enduring Light: 60 Inspirational Favorites

Average customer rating:

Enduring Light: 60 Inspirational Favorites

Manufacturer: Sound Exchange
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tracks:

Handel's 'Messiah': Overture - The London Philharmonic Orchestra/Walter Susskind
Handel's 'Messiah': And The Glory Of The Lord - The London Philharmonic Choir/Frederick Jackson
Handel's 'Messiah': Behold A Virgin Shall Conceive - The London Philharmonic Choir/Frederick Jackson
Handel's 'Messiah': For Unto Us A Child Is Born - The London Philharmonic Choir/Frederick Jackson
Handel's 'Messiah': There Were Shepherds Abiding In The Field - The London Philharmonic Choir/Frederick Jackson
Handel's 'Messiah': He Shall Feed His Flock Like A Shepherd - The London Philharmonic Choir/Frederick Jackson
Handel's 'Messiah': Behold The Lamb Of God - The London Philharmonic Choir/Frederick Jackson
Handel's 'Messiah': He Was Despised And Rejected Of Men - The London Philharmonic Choir/Frederick Jackson
Handel's 'Messiah': Lift Up Your Heads, O Ye Gates - The London Philharmonic Choir/Frederick Jackson
Handel's 'Messiah': Why Do The Nations So Furiously Rage - The London Philharmonic Choir/Frederick Jackson
Handel's 'Messiah': Hallelujah - The London Philharmonic Choir/Frederick Jackson
Handel's 'Messiah': Since By Man Came Death - The London Philharmonic Choir/Frederick Jackson
Handel's 'Messiah': Worthy Is The Lamb That Was Slain/Amen - The London Philharmonic Choir/Frederick Jackson

Tracks:

The Lord's Prayer
Old Rugged Cross
Onward Christian Soldiers
Rock Of Ages
How Great Thou Art
Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow
I Believe
Lord Hear Our Prayer
Now The Day Is Over
Amazing Grace
Ave Maria
Let Us Humbly Sing Our Praises
O Holy Night
Praise, Praise The Lord
Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven
Oh Lord Most Holy
Unfold Your Portals
Jesu Joy Of Man's Desiring
The Lord Is My Shepherd
All The People That On Earth Do Dwell
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Oh God Our Help In Ages Past
Holy, Holy, Holy
Battle Hymn Of The Republic
Keeping Faith

Tracks:

A Dream Of Peace
All In This April Evening
Our Wedding
Bless This House
Bridge Over Troubled Waters
Climb Every Mountain
Day By Day (Theme From Godspell)
Down By The Riverside
The Impossible Dream
Swing Low Sweet Chariot
The Day Is Gently Sinking To Close
Jesus Christ Superstar
Abide With Me
March On
Peace In The Valley
Go Tell It On The Mountain
Born Free
American Trilogy
Sunrise, Sunset
I Don't Know How To Love Him
Blessed Be The Tie That Binds
Enduring Light

Handel - Messiah / McNair · von Otter · Chance · Hadley · Lloyd · Marriner

Average customer rating:

a voice teacher and early music fan
I really love this recording
Some very good parts
Great mezzo and trumpet
And He Shall Reign Forever and Ever, Amen.

Handel - Messiah / McNair · von Otter · Chance · Hadley · Lloyd · Marriner
George Frideric Handel , Neville Marriner , Anne Sofie von Otter , Michael Chance , Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields , Sylvia McNair , Jerry Hadley , and Robert Lloyd
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Handel - Messiah - The 250th Anniversary Performance / Marriner, Academy and Chorus of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel - Messiah / Ameling · A. Reynolds · Langridge · Howell · Marriner
Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (The Historic 1955 Debut Recording)

ASIN: B00000414Y
Release Date: 1992-11-17

Tracks:

Messiah: Part I: Symphony
Messiah: Part I - No. 1 Accompagnato: Comfort Ye, Comfort Ye, My People
Messiah: Part I - No. 2: Air Ev'ry Valley Shall Be Exalted
Messiah: Part I - No. 3 Chorus: And The Glory Of The Lord
Messiah: Part I - No. 4 Accompagnato: Thus Saith The Lord
Messiah: Part I - No. 5 Air: But Who May Abide The Day Of His Coming
Messiah: Part I - No. 6 Chorus: And He Shall Purify The Sons Of Levi
Messiah: Part I - No. 7 Recitative: Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive
Messiah: Part I - Nos. 8-9 Air And Chorus: O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings
Messiah: Part I - No. 10 Accompagnato: For Behold, Darkness Shall Cover The Earth
Messiah: Part I - No. 11 Air: The People That Walked In Darkness
Messiah: Part I No. 12 Chorus: For Unto Us A Child Is Born
Messiah: Part I No. 13 Pifa: Pastoral Symphony
Messiah: Part I No. 14 Recitative: There Were Shepherds - And Lo, The Angel Of The Lord - And The Angel Said Unto Them - And Suddenly There Was
Messiah: Part I No. 15 Chorus: Glory To God In The Highest
Messiah: Part I No. 16 Air: Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter Of Zion
Messiah: Part I No. 17a Recitative:Then Shall The Eyes Of The Blind
Messiah: Part I No. 18a Duet: He Shall Feed His Flock
Messiah: Part I No. 19 Chorus: His Yoke Is Easy
Messiah: Part II No. 20 Chorus: Behold The Lamb Of God
Messiah: Part II No. 21 Air: He Was Despised
Messiah: Part II No. 22 Chorus: Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs
Messiah: Part II No. 23 Chorus: And With His Stripes We Are Healed
Messiah: Part II No. 24 Chorus: All We Like Sheep

Tracks:

Messiah: Part II No. 25 Accompagnato: All They That See Him
Messiah: Part II No. 26 Chorus: He Trusted In God
Messiah: Part II No. 27 Accompagnato: Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart
Messiah: Part II No. 28 Arioso: Behold, And See
Messiah: Part II No. 29 Accompagnato: He Was Cut Off
Messiah: Part II No. 30 Aria: But Thou Didst Not Leave
Messiah: Part II No. 31 Chorus: Lift Up Your Heads
Messiah: Part II No. 32 Recitative: Unto Which Of The Angels
Messiah: Part II No. 33 Chorus: Let All The Angels Of God
Messiah: Part II No. 34a Air: Thou Art Gone Up On High
Messiah: Part II No. 35 Chorus The Lord Gave The Word
Messiah: Part II No. 36 Air: How Beautiful Are The Feet
Messiah: Part II No. 37a Arioso: Their Sound Is Gone Out
Messiah: Part II No. 38 Air: Why Do The Nations
Messiah: Part II No. 39 Chorus: Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder Let us break their bonds asunder
Messiah: Part II No. 40 Recitative: He That Dwelleth In Heaven
Messiah: Part II No. 41 Air: Thou Shalt Break Them
Messiah: Part II No. 42 Chorus: Hallelujah
Messiah: Part III No. 43 Air: I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
Messiah: Part III No. 44 Chorus: Since By Man Came Death
Messiah: Part III No. Accompagnato: Behold, I Tell You A Mystery
Messiah: Part III No. 46 Air: The Trumpet Shall Sound
Messiah: Part III No. 47 Recitative: Then Shall Be Brought To Pass
Messiah: Part III No. 48 Duet: O Death, Where Is Thy Sting?
Messiah: Part III No. 49 Chorus: But Thanks Be To God
Messiah: Part III No. 50 Air: If God Be For Us
Messiah: Part III No. 51 Chorus: Worthy Is The Lamb - Blessing And Honour
Messiah: Part III: Amen

Customer Reviews:

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-10-21

The "Messiah" was composed by Handel at his London home in the late summer of 1741..Charles Jennens described his libretto for the 'Messiah' as a "Scripture Collection", because it consists of a cleverly-arranged selection of biblical texts. Musically speaking, the recitatives and arias are definately in a style derived from opera, supplemented by choruses of the type Handel has developed in his English odes and oratorios-the presentation of the story was unconventional. The work is divided into three acts or parts, but the narrative is largely confined to Part Two: Part One is mainly concerned with prophecy and its fullfilment and Part Three with commentary on the importance of the previous story. This recording of the famous 1992 performance at Dublin took place at the Point Theatre on the 250th anniversary of the work's premeire which took place in Dublin on April 13th 1742. It is an outstanding performance, especially chorally and instrumentally. The soloists: Sylvia McNair(soprano)-Anne Sofie von Otter(mezzo)-Michael Chance (alto) were superb!!! Personally I was not pleased by Jerry Hadley's interpretation of Handel; I have a recording of him singing show tunes, and I think he does that best! Robert Lloyd's (bass) diction was most peculiar and annoyed me. However, the last 2 comments may not be universally accepted. All in all, it's one of the best 'Messiahs' I have heard, and is actually my favorite of many that I own.

I really love this recording.......2005-03-26

While I haven't sampled that many different recordings of the Messiah, I really like this version. I sometimes find myself singing it, and this is the version I hear. One thing I don't like about it is that it is a 2-disc set, but the Messiah has three parts. Part II is divided -- the first half on disc 1 and the second part on disc 2. It would be nice if the parts weren't divided in the middle.

Some very good parts.......2002-12-14

This is my fifth Messiah disk and I had hoped my last. Von Otter is a real draw and she is truly great. Marriner's pacing is still good. But many aspects of this CD pull it down. I have a theory that the tenor (Jerry Hadley) was mad at Marriner and sang technically perfect with zero emotion. I don't how he was allowed to get away with this. I also did not like the baritone. While I think varying the size of the chorus in this piece has merit, this choir is generally on the small side and does not have the punch when needed. Messiah choirs carry a two edged burden, either the choir is large and it gets muddy in the delicate sections or it is small and can't punch the big sections. This disk errs on the small side. The recording quality is very good, something that dodges many Messiahs. The violins are too close to the soloist microphone (or poorly mixed) and come in much too loud. So whenever there is an sprite from the violins it jumps out at you and drowns the soloists.

The best Messiah for me is still Marriner's 1976 disk, much better overall rendition.

Great mezzo and trumpet.......2002-05-17

This is one of the better Messiahs, although not quite up to Westenberg's level.

Its world-beater aspects include mezzo Anne-Sophie von Otter, whose "He was despised" is well north of magnificent: Warmly mournful in the slow sections, snarling and spitting in the center section.

Trumpeter Mark Bennett does by far the best trumpeting on any of my 30 complete Messiahs. "Glory to God" and "Hallelujah" are as good as it gets -- no, better than any other recording gets.

Countertenor Michael Chance is quite good in "If God be for us" -- I say that as someone who doesn't like countertenors.

Some of the other choruses are also well done. But tenor Jerry Hadley seems to have thought he had more lucrative things to do with his time than to think about Messiah.

And He Shall Reign Forever and Ever, Amen........2002-01-01

This recording ranks itself on the top of the greatest recordings of Handel's Messiah. Being a live recording, it surpasses every other studio recordings of this piece in terms of interpretation and drama. The soloists are superb, the chorus are crisp and vital, and the ensemble plays with great virtuoso. My special remark goes to Miss McNair, I simply cannot grow tired of her! Her lyrical voice is simply destined for this work, especially in aria no 16 `Rejoice greatly, o daughter of Zion' - rejoice indeed! It is to Marriner we should all be grateful for producing this remarkable recording in the first place. Known mainly for his stupendous recordings of Mozart, it is not surprising that he's able to interpret in a true Handelian way. It's a pity that he seldom records works by Handel - I don't know if he performs them unrecorded.
There are actually two versions of this live performance, the one here and the other is available on LaserDisc. I believe that they were recorded on two different performance time, for on some arias the soloists have different style in singing the cadenza. Whichever you prefer, this is a recording you must simply own - even when your music library boasts a dozen or so of Handel's Messiah!!

Handel - Messiah / Vyvyan · Sinclair · Vickers · Tozzi · Royal PO · Beecham

Average customer rating:

Beecham's noisy Messiah
The Big Victorian Handel 'Messiah': Indulge Yourself!
Comfort Ye!
Familiarity hasn't bred much affection
Thanks to Jon!

Handel - Messiah / Vyvyan · Sinclair · Vickers · Tozzi · Royal PO · Beecham
George Frideric Handel , Sir Thomas Beecham , Jennifer Vyvyan , Monica Sinclair , Royal Philharmonic Orchestra , Jon Vickers , and Giorgio Tozzi
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Handel - Messiah / Harper, Watts, Wakefield, Shirley-Quirk, LSO, C. Davis
Handel: Messiah
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Samson

ASIN: B000003FB8
Release Date: 1992-07-14

Tracks:

Messiah: Overture - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Messiah: Recit: Comfort Ye, My People (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Air: Every Valley Shall Be Exalted (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Chorus: And The Glory Of The Lord - John McCarthy
Messiah: Recit: Thus Saith The Lord Of Hosts (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
Messiah: Air: But Who May Abide (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
Messiah: Chorus: And He Shall Purify - John McCarthy
Messiah: Recit: Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive (Contralto) - Monica Sinclair
Messiah: Air & Chorus: O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings (Contralto) - John McCarthy
Messiah: Recit: For, Behold, Darkness Shall Cover (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
Messiah: Air: The People That Walked In Darkness (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
Messiah: Chorus: For Unto Us A Child Is Born - John McCarthy
Messiah: Pastoral Symphony - Royal Philharmonic Chorus
Messiah: Recit: There Were Shepherds Abiding (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
Messiah: Recit: And The Angel Said Unto Them (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
Messiah: Recit: And Suddenly There Was (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
Messiah: Chorus: Glory To God In The Highest - John McCarthy
Messiah: Air: Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
Messiah: Recit: Then Shall The Eyes (Contralto) - Monica Sinclair
Messiah: Air: He Shall Feed His Flock; Come Unto Him (Contralto & Soprano) - Monica Sinclair
Messiah: Chorus: His Yoke Is Easy - John McCarthy

Tracks:

Messiah: Chorus: Behold The Lamb Of God - John McCarthy
Messiah: Air: He Was Despised (Contralto) - Monica Sinclair
Messiah: Chorus: Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs - John McCarthy
Messiah: Chorus: And With His Stripes We Are Healed - John McCarthy
Messiah: Chorus: All We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray - John McCarthy
Messiah: Recit: All They That See Him (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Chorus: He Trusted In God - John McCarthy
Messiah: Recit: Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Air: Behold, And See If There Be (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Recit: He Was Cut Off Out Of The Land (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Air: But Thou Didst Not Leave (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Chorus: Lift Up Your Heads - John McCarthy
Messiah: Air: How Beautiful Are The Feet (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
Messiah: Chorus: Their Sound Is Gone Out Into All Lands - John McCarthy
Messiah: Air: Why Do The Nations So Furious Rage (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
Messiah: Chorus: Lets Us Break Their Bonds Asunder - John McCarthy
Messiah: Recit: He That Dwelleth In Heaven (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Air: Thou Shalt Break Them (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Chorus: Hallelujah! - John McCarthy
Messiah: Part III - Air: I Know That My Redeemer Liveth (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
Messiah: Chorus: Since By Man Came Death - John McCarthy
Messiah: Recit: Behold, I Tell You A Mystery (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
Messiah: Air: The Trumpet Shall Sound (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
Messiah: Chorus: Worthy Is The Lamb - John McCarthy

Tracks:

Messiah: Recit: Unto Which Of The Angels (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
Messiah: Chorus: Let All The Angels Of God Worship Him - John McCarthy
Messiah: Air: Thou Art Gone Up On High (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
Messiah: Chorus: The Lord Gave The Word - John McCarthy
Messiah: Recit: Then Shall Be Brought To Pass (Contralto) - Monica Sinclair
Messiah: Duet: O Death, Where Is Thy Sting? (Contralto & Tenor) - Monica Sinclair
Messiah: Chorus: But Thanks Be To God - John McCarthy
Messiah: Air: If God Be For Us (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan

Amazon.com essential recording

Sir Thomas Beecham's Messiah has become notorious among baroque purists (like this writer) for embodying the worst excesses of pre-1960 Handel performance: ponderous tempos, stentorian opera singers, huge lumbering choruses and orchestras, crashing cymbals, clanging triangles.... Well, we'll need a new straw man: this performance is WONDERFUL. Jon Vickers and Giorgio Tozzi negotiate Handel's writing surprisingly well; Jennifer Vyvyan takes to it naturally. The chorus and orchestra (yes, including trombones, tuba, triangle, and cymbals) may obscure the part-writing, but they fill the music with power, grandeur, and faith. If Mozart could re-orchestrate Messiah, why not Beecham? This may not be Handel's Messiah as such, it may even be a period piece itself--but it's magnificent. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Beecham's noisy Messiah.......2006-12-23

Here's the famous Messiah from Thomas Beecham and forces that uses crashing cymbals, enhanced timpani and brass to make it sound like a collusion between classical forces, a rock band and Canadian Brass. Listen to second CD excerpt from "Hallelujah!" for the opening cymbal crash to get an idea of what's going on.

This performance has been debated for 40 years as to whether it is musically adept, musically correct, an exemplar of the English choral tradition, or just a big old batch of fun at Handel's expense. I first owned this during a time when I also owned a recording Handel's "Royal Fireworks Music" featuring 40 woodwinds. The two made roughly an equal amount of noise.

There isn't much question this performance is completely out of step with the way Handel is performed in most venues today. Check out the wonderful Jon Vickers' highly operatic opening aria, "Comfort ye", then compare that to any leaned-out period group you've heard. You'll get another idea of the dimension of Beecham's project.

While not on the agenda of the Flat Earth Society, the only real interest in a performance like this -- especially having to endure it on three CDs when just about everyone else puts it on two -- is nostalgia or history, whichever happens to be the case for you.

My personal favorite version is in the 4-CD box of "Messiah" and "Israel In Egypt" where Andrew Parrott leads his Taverner Choir & Players and some of the best early music singers including Emma Kirkby, Emily van Evera, Margaret Cable, David Thomas, and Joseph Cornwall. HIs Messiah isn't perfect -- it uses a countertenor for a bass in one aria -- but it is more moderate than most PPP recordings and has a wonderful romantic edge to most of the score. It comes with a top notch recording of "Israel in Egypt" and still costs less than the Beehcham.

The Big Victorian Handel 'Messiah': Indulge Yourself!.......2006-12-16

We live in an era when purity of intent and respect for composers' works is at an all time high. Not only are we blessed with superb 'authentic' performances on period instruments and with small choruses and countertenors and state of the art bel canto singers for Handel's evergreen "Messiah", there are many superlative recordings that are as polished as any one work on current recordings. Supposedly we are hearing Messiah the way Handel envisioned it. Perhaps so, but who is to say that had Handel the resources available today he wouldn't have jumped for joy at the drama of the old British Choral Societies version that Sir Thomas Beecham conducts on this anything but dusty recording from many years ago. The 'Old School' had its good points.

Beecham goes all out with an orchestration, while attributed to Sir Eugene Goosens is also probably some of Beecham's own inimitable tinkering, that adds instruments not only in numbers but also in color and depth of sound. Winds double strings, percussion includes the full battery instead of just tympani, the big cello and viola sound stand equally with the big violin sound, etc. The chorus is huge, and while this allows the big dramatic moments to be intense, the fine diction Beecham demanded remains solidly intact.

The soloists are in an operatic class of their own. Jennifer Vyvyan and Monica Sinclair were major singers when this recording was made and their singing is big and well ornamented. Jon Vickers and Giorgio Tozzi bring Verdi into the room and he is a welcome visitor to Beecham's vision of this work.

For this listener, who prefers the 'correct, authentic' performance, this recording and others even older that celebrate the BIG Messiah are a delight. And that just proves that performance standards, no matter the interpretation of the conductor, are paramount: Beecham gives a solid, convincing interpretation to the operatic Messiah. It is lush, and huge, and absolutely wonderful to hear again! Grady Harp, December 06

Comfort Ye!.......2006-10-30

If your not familiar with "Messiah" don't let the reviews scare you - this is certainly a great choice for your first or only recording. There is a lot of feeling in the playing and singing, and i feel it is quite respectful not only of the composer, but the subject matter. It includes a booklet with all the lyrics, and an essay by Beecham himself about the piece. It is a complete recording, with a "bonus cd" of extra verses not usually performed (as explained in the essay). The audio quality is great for the time it was recorded. Its much more worthy to be listened to and contemplated than to be put on as backround music at Christmastime. The price is certainly reasonable in light of the quality of the performance.

Familiarity hasn't bred much affection.......2005-11-02

I first became acquainted with this recording at the tender age of 12 when I received the original Soria edition as a Christmas gift. I remember being intensely disappointed at what seemed to me then as more circus than music. Time has mellowed that negative reaction and gives a more balanced assessment of Beecham's achievement - I bought the CD reissue after all. It still doesn't inspire much affection in yours truly although I can appreciate the soloists' contributions, particularly Tozzi. The lamented Vyvyan was in better voice with Boult. Here she has a rapid vibrato and a curious way of articulating the high notes. The orchestrations seem to maintain more of the clarity of the writing by concentrating on the bass and the top without clogging up the middle voices in the manner of the Victorians. There are three pieces where it just doesn't work at all to these ears: the brassy "All we like sheep," "Hallelujah" (which summons visions of Fucik's 'Entry of the Gladiators' every time I hear it), and the disintegration of the obbligato trumpet into flute noodlings in "The trumpet shall sound," in a lightweight performance that is at odds with the grandeur of the text. I'll also admit that the splashy brilliance of "For unto us a Child is born" and the surging drama of "Surely, He hath borne our griefs" are very satisfying.

In the forty some recordings I own (and the many performances I've attended) there's no best and no definitive. This is one I respect but don't care to hear very often.

Thanks to Jon!.......2005-03-08

This recording is worth having first of all beacause of the credible singing of Jon Vickers! Yes, he really sings on the words. The "Comfort Ye" and "Every valley..." have a knew dimension after Jons reading of the score. Of course I know that in tradition we want a very much more lyrical voice to this masterpiece. But he's not alone here, and now we are already into the problem; the choir! It's just terrible, yes terrible!
I'm just ending up with "Thanks to Jon!"

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