1. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: Symphony 2. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 1 Accompagnato: Comfort ye, comfort ye, My people 3. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 2 Air: Ev'ry valley shall be exalted 4. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 3 Chorus: And the glory of the Lord 5. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 4 Accompagnato: Thus Saith the Lord 6. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 5 Air: But who may abide the day of His coming 7. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: NO. 6 Chorus: And He Shall purify the sons of Levi 8. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 7 Recitative: Behold, a virgin shall concieve/No. 8-9 Air and Chorus: O thou tellest good tidin 9. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 10 Accompagnato: For behold, darkness shall cover the earth/No. 11 Air: The people that walked 10. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 12 Chorus: For unto us a Child is born 11. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 13 Pifa: Pastoral Symphony 12. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 14 Recitative: There were shepherds/Accompagnato: And lo, the angel of the lord/Recitative: And 13. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 15 Chorus: Glory to God in the highest 14. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 16 Air: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion 15. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 17 Recitative: Then shall the eyes of the blind 16. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 18 Duet: He shall feed His flock 17. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 19 Chorus: His yoke is easy 18. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 20 Chorus: Behold the Lamb of God 19. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 21 Air: He was despised
Disc 2
1. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 22 Chorus: Surely he hath borne out griefs/No. 23 Chorus: And with His strpies we are healed/No 2. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 25 Accompagnato: All they that see Him 3. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 26 Chorus: He trusted in God 4. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 27: They rebuke hath broken His heart 5. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 28 Arioso: Behold, and see 6. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 29 Accompagnato: He was cut off/No. 30 Aria: But Thou didst not leave 7. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 31 Chorus: Lift up your heads 8. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 32 Recitative: Unto which of the angels/No. 33 Chorus: Let all the angels of God 9. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 34 Air: Thou art gone up on high 10. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 36 Air: How Beautiful are the feet 11. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 37 Chorus: Their sound is gone out 12. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 38 Air: Why do the nations 13. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 39 Chorus: Let us break their bonds asunder 14. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 40 Recitative: He that dwelleth in heaven/No. 41 Air: Thou shalt break them 15. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 42 Chorus: Hallelujah 16. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 43 Air: I Know that my redeemer liveth 17. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 44 Chorus: Since by man came death 18. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 45 Accompagnato: Behold, I tell you a mystery 19. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 47 Recitative: Then shall be brought to pass/No. 48 Duet: O death, where is thy sting?/No. 49 C 20. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 50 Air: If God be for us 21. Messiah, oratorio, HWV 56: No. 51 Chorus: Worthy is the Lamb/No. 52 Chorus: Amen
Good recording - very complete Submitted on: 2009-01-09
I really like this recording even though I grew up with a couple of different recordings of The Messiah. I especially like that it's got pieces I've never heard before. The accompanying notes on the history of The Messiah are interesting as well.
subdued and disappointing Submitted on: 2007-12-15
From the opening Sinfonia, this Messiah is far too subdued. While it may be nuanced and even, it lacks passion, grandeur and any sense of the sacred, and has little narrative drive. The Choruses, except for the Hallelujah Chorus, have little majesty. There is also something wrong with the sound mix. I can't quite put my finger on it but somehow the bass-treble balance is just off. I tried the special anniversary 24 bit rerelease and found that the sound of it was, oddly enough, even worse. I would instead very highly recommend Sir Colin Davis' other recording of The Messiah, with the Bavarian Radio Orchestra. It is a bit difficult to find but just spectacular.
A Safe Harbor Submitted on: 2007-12-03
Maestro Davis employs modern instruments, a relatively small chorus and orchestra and first rate soloists in a performance that's not wacky, weird or wayward. Sincere expression and tasteful ornamentation are emphasized-there aren't any life and death struggles going on here. Yet the spiritual elements are not slighted-consider for example, Heather Harper's wonderful "I know my Redeemer liveth.." She sings with great purity and no artifice. The chorus has good diction and is vigorous when it needs to be. Sir Colin's conducting flows and allows the listener to get "caught up" in the performance. He doesn't impose any particular interpretative viewpoint but allows this masterpiece to speak for itself. For forty years this has been a top choice.
The best Messiah Submitted on: 2007-07-09
This classic recording still stands the test of time. Sir Colin Davis leads his small ensemble of singers and players in a polished and clearly articulated rendition of this often heard oratorio. Every voice and every instrument is heard in a perfect blend. No massive chorus and orchestra with a muddy sound on this recording. I have owned this version since it came out on a LP recording when I was in college. It is still the best.
A Fabulous Pre-Digital "Desert Island" Messiah Submitted on: 2007-05-30
I must say that the "Messiah" was very off-putting to me for a very long time when I first started collecting and listening to classical music, as I had only ever heard a couple excerpts from it, and those with deadly frequency, like the Hallelujah Chorus, which I "hated", so I stayed away from it like the plague.
This recording,(other than the Hallelujah Chorus, and one or two other bits), was my first exposure to this great work. I researched for a long time to find the "best" recording available, and at the time (late 60's) this was IT!
It still is, although through the years my favorite "Messiah" has "graduated", become more "brilliant", become more "soft", more "strident", more "original instrument", more "chamber-like", etc. I have loved and revered many recordings since discovering this one. Currently, the John Butt on Linn records truly is the best recording I've ever heard, followed closely by the Renee Jacobs. (See my "Messiah" Listmania list, by all means.)
BUT, this review is of the Colin Davis recording, and I will get back to it.
This recording is like an old "school friend", and I come back to be with it very often. I still treasure this effort on the part of Colin Davis and his soloists, truly a "benchmark" recording. I see here that this has been remastered on the "Philips 50" series, and I am sure that I will seek out this new pressing for my shelves, as I will ALWAYS want a copy of this old friend nearby.
Whether you are coming to the Messiah for the first time, or have many recordings of it, by all means pick this great treasure up for your collection...you will discover a truly great Desert Island disc. Happy Listening! ~operabruin
Good recording - very complete
subdued and disappointing