# Handel's Messiah



## Eric

I just got it a week ago, and I must say, I was quite pleased. What do you guys think?

Also, should I spend my recently acquired ten dollars on Holst's Planets, or Mahler's 5th? I know I should already have both of them, but I haven't been into classical for an extremely long time.


----------



## cato

Dude! Handel rules!!!! 

If you like Messiah, may I recomend.....

*Julius Caesar *(A wonderful opera! )

*Solomon* ( A wonderful Oratorio! )

I am just begining to really get into this guy's work, and the operas and oratorios that are available is staggering. I plan on buying and exploring a lot more of his work.


----------



## Handel

Handel is God. That is all.


----------



## Handel

cato said:


> *Solomon* ( A wonderful Oratorio! )


I completely agree. He is somewhat "forgotten". But it is a masterpiece in its own right.


----------



## Lisztfreak

For me, 'Messiah' is one of the best oratorios ever written. Grand, glorius, subtle, pastoral, all of that at once.

Of course you should get both, but may I suggest you buy the 'Planets' first. They're somewhat more accesible than Mahler and every 'planet' is a musical world for itself (especially 'Mars', 'Venus', 'Saturn' and 'Neptune) while still never exceeding 8-9 mins. duration.


----------



## Rod Corkin

*King Handel*

I was wondering with recording of Messiah you bought, because good recordings of Messiah are as rare as Poppies on the Moon. The CD by Pinnock and the English Concert is fantastic.

I agree Solomon is one of many supreme epics of Handel that have been largely forgotten due to the Bachian cult of the musical 'intelligencia'. I could also mention Saul, Israel in Egypt, and Theodora to name but 3, all supreme epics. Handel's operas are also fantastic, I have recordings of about 27 of them.

Handel is the KING of opera and oratorio, the King of Baroque for sure.


----------



## Handel

Rod Corkin said:


> I was wondering with recording of Messiah you bought, because good recordings of Messiah are as rare as Poppies on the Moon.


There are many good versions. But since one can play the Messiah following different perpsectives, there is no "universal" Messiah.


----------



## Morigan

I've heard one performed by the Academy of Ancient music (I think?) with period instruments and a boys choir...

Being a period-instrument-recording fan I thought I'd like it, but I really did NOT. I have no idea why... but it just sounded incredibly dull and lifeless. That, and I hate boys choirs.


----------



## Rod Corkin

Morigan said:


> I've heard one performed by the Academy of Ancient music (I think?) with period instruments and a boys choir...
> 
> Being a period-instrument-recording fan I thought I'd like it, but I really did NOT. I have no idea why... but it just sounded incredibly dull and lifeless. That, and I hate boys choirs.


I'm a period instrument fan too, for composers like Beethoven & Handel they are essential. But Messiah is poorly served largely due to the direction, regardless of the instruments. With Pinnock's recording nothing sounds contrived, every number is the hit that it should be.

For Theodora get the DVD of the famous Glyndebourne production with Christie the OAE and David Daniels amongst other superb vocalists, a miraculous revelation.


----------



## Guest

Morigan said:


> I've heard one performed by the Academy of Ancient music (I think?) with period instruments and a boys choir...
> 
> Being a period-instrument-recording fan I thought I'd like it, but I really did NOT. I have no idea why... but it just sounded incredibly dull and lifeless. That, and I hate boys choirs.


'Messiah' is so difficult to perform ! boys are not experienced enough.


----------



## z9kd3d9

My favorite rendition of _Messiah _ still remains that of Colin Davis w/ the London Symphony Orchestra & Choir.

While the recording is some 40+ years old, it has never lost any of its charm throughout its subsequent years.

This was one of the very first classical recordings I purchased. Back then (i.e., the early 1970's) about all you could buy were vinyl 33.33 rpm LPs (Remember them?). Thankfully Philips re-issued this recording in CD format in 1993. What a difference! The CDs brought out much more of the instruments (which were also supposed to be period ones) than the LPs ever did!

Handel's _Solomon _and _Israel in Egypt _ would, in my book, both be tied for a close second for his other oratorio masterpieces.


----------



## Rod Corkin

Daffodylls said:


> 'Messiah' is so difficult to perform ! boys are not experienced enough.


It is beyond even most of the adults!


----------



## Guest

Rod Corkin said:


> It is beyond even most of the adults!


How unfair it is! (when it occurs).


----------



## Amy

I absolutely adore it- it's my e-mail address and my ringtone. Lol, well not the whole thing, clearly...I was lucky enough to perform it last year and yes, it was beyond me


----------



## david johnson

my favorite 'messiah' is beecham's on rca  
NOT period instrument.

dj


----------



## JohnM

Handel said:


> There is no "universal" Messiah.


That is so very true <sigh>


----------



## Handel

But I think it is great. It can increase its longevity in the public esteem.


----------



## SixFootScowl

For all us Messiah freaks, here is a must visit site:

www.messiah-guide.com


----------



## DavidA

Florestan said:


> For all us Messiah freaks, here is a must visit site:
> 
> www.messiah-guide.com


Must confess some of his reviews are baffling!


----------



## Guest

Florestan said:


> For all us Messiah freaks, here is a must visit site:
> 
> www.messiah-guide.com


And this one is also interesting for Handel lovers.

http://gfhandel.org/recordings/recordingreviews.html


----------



## johnfkingmatrix

Handel said:


> there is no "universal" Messiah.


wrong. our lord and savior jesus christ.

Arrival of queen sheba is my favorite part, so pretty when it does the Bb-F-Gm-F6-Eb-Bb 16th note arpegios while the bass is banging out the chords in 8th notes

I cant wait for his next album to come out


----------



## SixFootScowl

DavidA said:


> Must confess some of his reviews are baffling!


I just read two of them, Westenburg and Butt (both of which I have), and both reviews seemed pretty good to me.


----------



## Vaneyes

Eric said:


> I just got it a week ago, and I must say, I was quite pleased. *What do you guys think?*
> 
> Also, should I spend my recently acquired ten dollars on Holst's Planets, or Mahler's 5th? I know I should already have both of them, but I haven't been into classical for an extremely long time.


I think if I never hear another Messiah, it'll be too soon.


----------



## Pugg

johnfkingmatrix said:


> wrong. our lord and savior jesus christ.
> 
> Arrival of queen sheba is my favorite part, so pretty when it does the Bb-F-Gm-F6-Eb-Bb 16th note arpegios while the bass is banging out the chords in 8th notes
> 
> I cant wait for his next album to come out


Do you mean another messiah or what?


----------



## SixFootScowl

Pugg said:


> Do you mean another messiah or what?


Must mean Handel's oratorio, Solomon. That is where the Queen of Sheba comes in.

Not sure what is meant by next album.


----------



## SixFootScowl

johnfkingmatrix said:


> wrong. our lord and savior jesus christ.


I got ya. When I posted the link, I was thinking someone could make a play off what I said above "For all us Messiah freaks,..." and relate it to "Jesus freaks."


----------



## johnfkingmatrix

Florestan said:


> I got ya. When I posted the link, I was thinking someone could make a play off what I said above "For all us Messiah freaks,..." and relate it to "Jesus freaks."


You guys don't think im funny 

Queen of sheba from solomon, yes. I thought that was part of the messiah? I could very well be mistaken.


----------



## SixFootScowl

johnfkingmatrix said:


> You guys don't think im funny
> 
> Queen of sheba from solomon, yes. I thought that was part of the messiah? I could very well be mistaken.


Yes I am pretty sure it is not in Messiah, but thanks for bringing it up as it is a work (Solomon with the Queen of Sheba) that I should have in my collection but don't--Ah, something else to search out an purchase!


----------



## SixFootScowl

johnfkingmatrix said:


> You guys don't think im funny
> 
> Queen of sheba from solomon, yes. I thought that was part of the messiah? I could very well be mistaken.


Here ya go. Here is a set that includes the one track on the arrival of the Queen of Sheba with the complete Messiah:








https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DCQJ36/


----------



## Antiquarian

Florestan said:


> For all us Messiah freaks, here is a must visit site:
> 
> www.messiah-guide.com


Thank you. This is a fascinating website.

I particularly enjoyed his observation of modern orchestrations of the work (by Davis and others), comparing them with Goossens. I have, and enjoy ( in a sort of guilty pleasure way) the Beecham 1959. Not my first choice, I gravitate toward Shaw 1984 during the Christmas season.


----------



## Pugg

Florestan said:


> Here ya go. Here is a set that includes the one track on the arrival of the Queen of Sheba with the complete Messiah:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DCQJ36/


Thorough as always.


----------



## SixFootScowl

Pugg said:


> Thorough as always.


I hadn't listened to my Messiah CDs in months, perhaps over a year, and suddenly I am going nuts with it and have purchased two more sets! I was checking out Messiah sets for 2-3 hours today, but I think I am done. It didn't help I found this http://messiah-guide.com/ site that lists some 200+ recordings with click-able detail lists.


----------



## pcnog11

Who is this bass/baritone?


----------



## SixFootScowl

Antiquarian said:


> Thank you. This is a fascinating website [www.messiah-guide.com].
> 
> I particularly enjoyed his observation of modern orchestrations of the work (by Davis and others), comparing them with Goossens. I have, and enjoy ( in a sort of guilty pleasure way) the Beecham 1959. Not my first choice, I gravitate toward Shaw 1984 during the Christmas season.


I just go through all my sets and have three new ones this season (one in hand, two in mail).

Besides the messiah-guide site, I found this list on Amazon with brief review info on 34 Messiah sets:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/listmania/fullview/RSMEWTU9ZPIQM


----------



## SixFootScowl

pcnog11 said:


> Who is this bass/baritone?


Nice. I guess you have to search all the comments to see if he is identified, or search the web for that performance info, or simply post the question at the You Tube.


----------



## Pugg

pcnog11 said:


> Who is this bass/baritone?


His name is Dashon Burton, hope that helps.

http://www.dashonburton.com/
He's also on Facebook.


----------



## SixFootScowl

for lack of finding a thread of Messiah You Tube videos, I'll post this here.


----------



## MAS

Stephen Cleobury’s Choir Of King’s College Cambridge from the 1990s is my preferred version, though I love the excesses of Beecham, too. I love Arlene Auger in the Pinnock recorded version, as well as the Andrew Davis version with Battle.

King’s College here


----------

