Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Accompagnato. Comfort ye my people
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Air. Ev'ry valley shall be exalted
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Chorus. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Accompagnato. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Air. But who may abide the day of His coming
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Chorus. And He shall purify
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Recitative. Behold, a virgin shall conceive
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Air & chorus. O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Recitative. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Air. The people that walked in darkness
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Chorus. For unto us a child is born
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Pifa. Larghetto e mezzo piano
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Recitative & accompagnato. There were shepherds
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Recitative. And lo, the Angel of the Lord
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Recitative. And the angel said unto them
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Accompagnato. And suddenly there was with the angel
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Chorus. Glory to God in the highest
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Air. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Recitative. Then shall the eyes of the blind be open'd
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Air. He shall feel His flock like a shepherd
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 1. Chorus. His yoke is easy, his burthen is light
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Chorus. Behold, the Lamb of God
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Air. He was despised
Track Listings (28) - Disc #2
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Chorus. Surely, He hath borne our griefs
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Chorus. And with His stripes we are healed
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Chorus. All we like sheep have gone astray
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Accompagnato. All they that see Him, laugh Him to scorn
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Chorus. He trusted in God
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Accompagnato. Thy rebuke hath broken His heart
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Arioso. Behold, and see if there be any sorrow
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Accompagnato. He was cut off out of the land of the living
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Air. But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Chorus. Lift up your heads, O ye gates
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Recitative. Unto which of the angels
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Chorus. Let all the angels of God worship Him
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Air. Thou art gone up on high
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Chorus. The Lord gave the word
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Chorus. Their sound is gone out into all lands
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Air. Why do the nations so furiously rage together?
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Chorus. Let us break their bonds asunder
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Recitative. He that dwelleth in heaven
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Air. Thou shalt break them
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 2. Chorus. Hallelujah!
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 3. Air. I know that my Redeemer liveth
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 3. Chorus. Since by man came death
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 3. Accompagnato. Behold, I tell you a mystery
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 3. Recitative. Then shall be brought to pass the saying
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 3. Duet. O death, where is thy sting
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 3. Chorus. But thanks be to God
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 3. Air. If God be for us
Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Part 3. Chorus. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain - Amen
The Gemini Series features an impressive roster of singers, conductors, soloists, and ensembles of international renown, all from the incomparable EMI Classics stable. EMI's rich legacy of recording expertise comes to the ... more »fore in performances from the 1960s to the 1990s. Gemini titles are predominantly collections of single composers and fantastic value with well over an hour of music on each CD, making them the ideal place to start or develop a collection of classical music. Each 2-CD set contains over two hours of music for a fantastically low price. Attractively designed and packaged in space-saving brilliant boxes, each set includes three-language booklets with detailed notes on the music. This release of 10 new Gemini titles will bring the total number of titles in the series to 175. As with previous Gemini releases, this instalment includes many recordings new to CD and as well as recordings that have been transferred from Double Forte. Among the excellent releases in this new set are performances by Plácido Domingo, Natalie Dessay, Deborah Voigt, Janet Baker, Jean-Philippe Collard, Simon Rattle, Michel Plasson, Claudio Abbado, and others! These titles have been digitally remastered to the highest standards at the world famous Abbey Road Studios.« less
The Gemini Series features an impressive roster of singers, conductors, soloists, and ensembles of international renown, all from the incomparable EMI Classics stable. EMI's rich legacy of recording expertise comes to the fore in performances from the 1960s to the 1990s. Gemini titles are predominantly collections of single composers and fantastic value with well over an hour of music on each CD, making them the ideal place to start or develop a collection of classical music. Each 2-CD set contains over two hours of music for a fantastically low price. Attractively designed and packaged in space-saving brilliant boxes, each set includes three-language booklets with detailed notes on the music. This release of 10 new Gemini titles will bring the total number of titles in the series to 175. As with previous Gemini releases, this instalment includes many recordings new to CD and as well as recordings that have been transferred from Double Forte. Among the excellent releases in this new set are performances by Plácido Domingo, Natalie Dessay, Deborah Voigt, Janet Baker, Jean-Philippe Collard, Simon Rattle, Michel Plasson, Claudio Abbado, and others! These titles have been digitally remastered to the highest standards at the world famous Abbey Road Studios.
CD Reviews
A Resplendent *Messiah* for Traditionalists
Johannes Climacus | Beverly, Massachusetts | 02/02/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This has always been one of the finest modern-instrument versions of *Messiah* available, and it is now an irresistible bargain as reissued in the EMI/Gemini series. In this 1987 recording, Andrew Davis has performed something like a miracle: he has managed to rehabilitate the traditional "choral festival" approach to *Messiah* --huge choir, operatic soloists, Mozart rescorings and all--without a hint of the stuffiness and squareness one associates with that tradition. For all the splendors of a modern symphony orchestra and full-throated chorus, textures do not sound unduly inflated and tempi are by no means as laconic as they could be under Sargent or Beecham (much though one remembers with fondness their--some would say infamous--versions). Indeed, the crispness and precision of both singing and playing are a consistent delight of Davis's performance. The soloists are splendid, too. Battle is on her best behavior, at least vocally; her "I know that my Redeemer liveth" is one of the most gorgeous on record. Quivar is a sonorous contralto whose ample voice is firmly under control; her "He was despised" is quite riveting. Aler and Ramey also give of their best while not quite eclipsing Vickers and Tozzi in Beecham's stereo recording.
More importantly, Davis's interpretation is by no means an all-purpose, generalized conception of the work. Given the outstanding musicianship of his forces that might have been sufficient to give this recording the nod; but Davis has a distinctive, and deeply considered approach to *Messiah*--at once grandly majestic, festive, and devotional without being sanctimonious--which is evident from the stately Sinfonia through the heaven-storming "Amen." Part of that conception includes the judicious, and fully audible, employment of "full organ" (no piping positiv, this!) in certain passages that call for a sense of spectacle. It is clear that Davis has these climactic moments in view all along; they provide structural punctuation in a work that can in less perceptive performances seem like a string of individual movements. The spectacular and superbly balanced recording amply conveys the majesty of Davis's interpretation.
Given the bargain-basement price tag, you cannot go wrong investing in this recording--even if you might have a priori misgivings about the performance practice or interpretive approach. Indeed, I issue a challenge to all die-hard denizens of Period Performance Practice: sample this, at very least, and do not resist what might amount to a broadening of aesthetic horizons, if not a belated conversion."
Track Listings (24) - Disc #1