William Boughton - Handel's Messiah (2003)

14 Apr, 05:07
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Artist: English Symphony Orchestra & William Boughton
Title: Handel's Messiah
Year Of Release: 2003
Label: Nimbus Records
Genre: Classical
Quality: FLAC (image + .cue, log, scans)
Total Time: 02:23:42
Total Size: 648 MB
WebSite: Album Preview

Tracklist:

CD 1
1. Sinfonia (Overture): Grave
2. Sinfonia (Overture): Allegro Moderato
3. Recitative: Comfort Ye My People
4. Aria Tenor: Ev'ry Valley Shall Be Exalted
5. Chorus: And The Glory Of The Lord
6. Recitative: Thus Saith The Lord
7. Aria Counter-Tenor: But Who May Abide The Day Of His Coming?
8. Chorus: And He Shall Purify
9. Recitative: Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive
10. Aria Counter-Tenor: O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings To Zion
11. Chorus: O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings To Zion
12. Recitative: For Behold, Darkness Shall Cover The Earth
13. Aria Baritone: The People That Walked In Darkness
14. Chorus: For Unto Us A Child Is Born
15. Pifa ('Pastoral Symphony')
16. Recitative: There Were Shepherds Abiding In The Field
17. Recitative: And Lo, The Angel Of The Lord Came Upon Them
18. Recitative: And The Angel Said Unto Them
19. Recitiative: And Suddenly There Was With The Angel
20. Chorus: Glory To God
21. Aria Soprano: Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter Of Zion
22. Recitative: Then Shall The Eyes Of The Blind
23. Aria Counter-Tenor & Soprano: He Shall Feed His Flock
24. Chorus: His Yoke Is Easy, And His Burthen Is Light
25. Chorus: Behold The Lamb Of God
26. Aria Counter-Tenor: He Was Despised

CD 2
1. Chorus: Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs
2. Chorus: And With His Stripes We Are Healed
3. Chorus: And We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray
4. Recitative: All They That See Him Laugh Him To Scorn
5. Chorus: He Trusted In God
6. Recitative: Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart
7. Aria Soprano: Behold, And See If There Be Any Sorrow
8. Recitative: He Was Cut Off Out Of The Land Of The Living
10. Chorus: Lift Up Your Heads, O Ye Gates
11. Recitative: Unto Which Of The Angels Said He At Any Time
12. Chorus: Let All The Angels Of God Worship Him
13. Aria Counter-Tenor: Thou Art Gone Up On High
14. Chorus: The Lord Gave The Word
15. Aria Soprano: How Beautiful Are The Feet
16. Chorus: Their Sound Is Gone Out
17. Aria Baritone: Why Do The Nations So Furiously Rage Together?
18. Chorus: Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder
19. Recitative: He That Dwelleth In Heaven
20. Aria Tenor: Thou Shalt Break Them
21. Chorus: Hallelujah
22. Aria Soprano: I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
23. Chorus: Since By Man Came Death
24. Recitative: Behold, I Tell You A Mystery
25. Aria Baritone: The Trumpet Shall Sound
26. Recitative: Then Shall Be Brought To Pass
27. Duet Counter-Tenor & Tenor: O Death, Where Is Thy Sting?
28. Chorus: But Thanks Be To God
29. Aria Soprano: If God Be For Us
30. Chorus: Worthy Is The Lamb That Was Slain
31. Chorus: Amen

Why? With so many fine-to-great Messiah’s already available, who stands to benefit from this lackluster, hardly serviceable offering? William Boughton’s conducting is pedestrian at best–the performance lumbers along politely, ignoring every one of Handel’s many opportunities to soar. This is especially excruciating in the choruses: rarely have “And he shall purify”, “Lift up your heads, O ye gates”, and “Let all the angels of God worship him”–not to mention “Hallelujah”–advanced with such leaden, dispassionate propriety. Nimbus’ muted, unfocused sonics are equally dull, with the otherwise adequate soloists projecting unnaturally amid an acoustic wash reminiscent of poor early digital. Michael Foster’s notes offer plenty of history but not one word about this performance. And I have to agree: the less said the better. -- John Greene

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