Antony Walker - Handel: Messiah (2014)

  • 08 Feb, 07:41
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Artist:
Title: Handel: Messiah
Year Of Release: 2014
Label: ABC Classics
Genre: Classical
Quality: FLAC (image + .cue, log, scans)
Total Time: 2:21:50
Total Size: 688 MB
WebSite:

Tracklist:

CD1
Part The First
1-1 Majora Canamus (Narrator): And Without Controversy 0:36
1-2 Symphony 3:07
1-3 Accompagnato (Tenor): Comfort Ye My People 2:55
1-4 Air (Tenor): Ev'ry Valley Shall Be Exalted
1-5 Chorus: And The Glory Of The Lord Shall Be Revealed 2:48
1-6 Accompagnato (Bass): Thuis Saith The Lord 1:27
1-7 Air (Alto): But Who My Abide The Dy Of His Coming 4:20
1-8 Chorus: And He Shall Purify The Sons Of Levi 2:27
1-9 Recitative (Alto): Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive 0:29
1-10 Air And Chorus: O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings To Zion 5:36
1-11 Accompagnato (Bass): For Behold, Darkness Shall Cover The Earth 2:02
1-12 Air (Bass): The People That Walked In Darkness 3:47
1-13 Chorus: For Unto Us A Child Is Born 3:46
1-14 Pifa 2:48
1-15 Recitative (Soprano): There Were Shepherds Abiding :15
1-16 Accompagnato (Soprano): And Lo, The Angel Of The Lord 0:17
1-17 Recitative (Soprano): And The Angel Said Unto Them 0:32
1-18 Accompagnato (Soprano): And Suddenly There Was With The Angel 0:16
1-19 Chorus: Glory To God In The Highest 1:47
1-20 Air (Soprano): Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter Of Zion 4:12
1-21 Recitative (Alto): Then Shall The Eyes Of The Blind Be Open'd 0:31
1-22 Duet (Alto, Soprano): He Shall Feed His Flock 4:49
1-23 Chorus: His Yoke Is Easy, His Burthen Is Light 2:15

CD2
Part The Second
1-24 Chorus: Behold The Lamb Of God 3:11
1-25 Air (Alto): He Was Despised And Rejected Of Men 11:04
2-1 Chorus: Surely, He Hath Borne Our Griefs 1:49
2-2 Chorus: And With His Stripes We Are Healed 1:34
2-3 Chorus: And We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray 3:57
2-4 Accompagnato (Tenor): All They That See Him Laugh 0:46
2-5 Chorus: He Trusted In God That He Would Deliver Him 2:18
2-6 Accompagnato (Tenor): Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart 1:47
2-7 Arioso (Tenor): Behold, And See If There Be Any Sorrow 1:47
2-8 Accompagnato (Soprano): He Was Cut Off Out Of The Land 0:17
2-9 Air (Soprano): But Thou Didst Not Leave His Soul In Hell 2:10
2-10 Chorus: Lift Up Your Heads, O Ye Gates 2:59
2-11 Recitative (Tenor): Unto Which Of The Angels Said He 0:22
2-12 Chorus: Let All The Angels Of God Worship Him 1:26
2-13 Air (Alto): Thou At Gone Up On High 2:53
2-14 Chorus: The Lord Gave The Word 1:11
2-15 Air (Soprano): How Beautiful Are The Fat Of Him 2:18
2-16 Chorus: Their Sound Is Gone Out 1:44
2-17 Air (Bass): Why Do The Nations So Furiously Rage Together 1:22
2-18 Chorus: Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder 1:46
2-19 Recitative (Tenor): He That Dwelleth In Heaven 0:12
2-20 Air (Tenor): Thou Shalt Break Them With A Rod Of Iron 2:07
2-21 Chorus: Hallelujah! 3:29

Part The Third
2-22 Air (Soprano): I Know That My Redeemer Liveth 5:31
2-23 Chorus: Since By Man Came Death 2:04
2-24 Accompagnato (Bass): Behold, I Tell You A Mystery 0:39
2-25 Air (Bass): The Trumpet Shall Sound 8:48
2-26 Recitative (Alto): Then Shall Be Brought To Pass 0:17
2-27 Duet (Alto, Tenor): O Death, Were Is Thy Sting 1:45
2-28 Chorus: But Thanks Be To God 2:09
2-29 Air (Alto): If God Be For Ever 4:27
2-30 Chorus: Worthy Is The Lamb that Was Slain 7:01

On this 2002 recording for ABC Classics, Antony Walker leads the Australian vocal ensemble Cantillation and the Orchestra of the Antipodes in a historically informed reading of Handel's Messiah that is closely based on the 1741 autograph. Considering how many other versions Handel made of this work and how it has been further adapted over the centuries, often for enormous forces with exaggerated effects, it has become necessary for scholars and early music performers to present streamlined versions that eliminate the later accretions to better reflect the composer's earliest intentions. This may not be an original Messiah -- which performance truly is? -- but considering that Handel's autograph seems designed to allow for any number of contingencies of performance, it comes close to being authentic in having only five vocal soloists, a small choir, trumpets, timpani, strings, and continuo. This lean ensemble follows Walker's generally spry tempos with ease and delivers the most overwrought counterpoint with a light, transparent tone that makes the long passages of sixteenth notes seem effortless. Walker allows sufficient ornamentation and improvisational freedom in the arias, but on the whole the performance is not overly embellished and it feels clean and uncluttered. Yet beyond technical aspects, the music is wonderfully expressive and in many instances quite thrilling to hear, especially in the brisk choruses. Among period Messiahs, this recording is certainly a contender, and listeners looking for an authentic Baroque experience that conveys genuine feeling should definitely consider this one for owning and gift giving. -- Blair Sanderson