# Suggest Period Instrument recordings of Handel - Messiah HWV 56 Oratorio



## JSBach85 (Feb 18, 2017)

I am looking for a good recording of Messiah Oratorio played with period instruments. Any suggestion would be appreciated.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

My favorite comes from Martin Pearlman and Boston Baroque on the Telarc label - a very invigorating performance. I'm not a devotional type of guy, so those wanting a devotional performance should look elsewhere.


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## Ekim the Insubordinate (May 24, 2015)

I really like the Higginbottom recording on NAXOS. I'm pretty sure they use period instruments.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Bulldog said:


> My favorite comes from *Martin Pearlman and Boston Baroque* on the Telarc label - a very invigorating performance. I'm not a devotional type of guy, so those wanting a devotional performance should look elsewhere.


This is an excellent Messiah recording and tends to be available at very reasonable prices used online. It is among my favorites.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

This one never fails : Richter

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/DG/4397022


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Pugg said:


> This one never fails : Richter
> 
> http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/DG/4397022


I did not know that Richter was period instrument. It s beautiful having the sung-in-German version and I do have this one, but with a different cover image. There are four missing tracks though. The booklet from mine says (someone translated this for me from German):



> "In order to achieve a tight musical flow, chorus #39 ("Let us break their bonds asunder") was not recorded, as this merely further depicts the uproar/tumult of the immediately preceding bass aria #38 ("Why do the nations"). Similarly, due to dramaturgical considerations, the strongly retarding numbers 48 ("O death where is thy sting"), 49 ("Thanks be to God") and 50 ("If God be for us") in the third part of the work were also left out"


Richter has a slow tempo. For a faster tempo Messiah sung-in-German there is Helmut Koch, which includes the tracks missing from Richter's. But I would not know if Koch is period instrument or not.


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