Sir Colin Davis, London Symphony Orchestra And Chorus – Handel: Messiah (2007) {SACD ISO + FLAC 24bit/88,2kHz}

With an outstanding solo quartet and a great chorus and orchestra, Davis leads a sterling performance that challenges the supremacy of his 1966 Philips recording of Messiah. Davis leads a dramatic performance; the famous “Hallelujah” chorus appropriately grand, the final “Amen” bristling with brazen energy, both sung with extraordinary tonal coloring and precise articulation by the chorus, which also shines in a lithe “He shall purify” and a vividly virtuoso “For unto us a child is born.” Soprano Susan Gritton’s solos are a delight, whether in the measured “Behold, a virgin shall conceive” or her exuberant “Rejoice greatly.” The vocal purity of her “I know my redeemer liveth” makes this track a highlight. Alto Sara Mingardo’s darker tones are especially moving in her arias and dramatic in “He was despised.” The men are almost as good; Alistair Miles sonorous in the bass arias and Mark Padmore recovering nicely after a somewhat mannered “Evr’y valley.” The LSO is in excellent form too, the strings expressive in the orchestral interludes and the brass shining brightly in the big choruses of Part III, where the tympani thwacks are startling in their power.

Tracklist:

Disc 1
Part I
1. No. 1. Sinfonia 3:44
2. No. 2. Comfort ye My people 2:59
3. No. 3. Ev’ry valley shall be exalted 3:34
4. No. 4. And the glory of the Lord 2:45
5. No. 5. Thus saith the Lord 1:30
6. No. 6. But who may abide the day of His coming? 4:17
7. No. 7. And He shall purify 2:21
8. No. 8. Behold, a virgin shall conceive 0:23
9. No. 9. O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion 3:56
10. No. 9. O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion 1:43
11. No. 10. For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth 2:26
12. No. 11. The people that walked in darkness 3:10
13. No. 12. For unto us a child is born 4:06
14. No. 13. Pifa (Pastoral Symphony) 3:08
15. No. 14a. There were shepherds abiding in the field 1:54
No. 14b. And, lo, the angel of the Lor
16. No. 17. Glory to God 1:39
17. No. 18. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion 4:38
18. No. 19. Then shall the eyes of the blind 0:26
19. No. 20. He shall feed His flock like a shepherd 4:59
20. No. 21. His yoke is easy 2:16

Part II
21. No. 22. Behold the Lamb of God 3:28
22. No. 23. He was despised 9:56
23. No. 24. Surely He hath borne our griefs 2:20
24. No. 25. And with His stripes we are healed 2:36

Disc 2
1. No. 26. All we like sheep have gone astray 4:08
2. No. 27. All they that see Him laugh Him to scorn 0:49
3. No. 28. He trusted in God 2:28
4. No. 29. Thy rebuke hath broken His heart 2:26
5. No. 30. Behold, and see if there be any sorrow 1:26
6. No. 31. He was cut off out of the land of the living 0:21
7. No. 32. But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell 2:29
8. No. 33. Lift up your heads, O ye gates 3:12
9. No. 34. Unto which of the angels said He at any time 0:14
10. No. 35. Let all the angels of God worship Him 1:26
11. No. 36. Thou art gone up on high 3:22
12. No. 37. The Lord gave the word 1:11
13. No. 38. How beautiful are the feet 2:25
14. No. 39. Their sound is gone out 1:36
15. No. 40. Why do the nations so furiously rage together? 2:40
16. No. 41. Let us break their bonds asunder 1:44
17. No. 42. He that dwelleth in Heaven 0:16
18. No. 43. Thou shalt break them 2:05
19. No. 44. Hallelujah 3:44

Part III
20. No. 45. I know that my Redeemer liveth 5:59
21. No. 46. Since by man came death 2:18
22. No. 47. Behold, I tell you a mystery 0:36
23. No. 48. The trumpet shall sound 8:38
24. No. 49. Then shall be brought to pass 0:18
25. No. 50. O death, where is thy sting? 1:09
26. No. 51. But thanks be to God 2:05
27. No. 52. If God be for us 4:50
28. No. 53a. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain 3:27
29. No. 53b. Amen 4:08

Musicians
Susan Gritton – soprano
Sara Mingardo – alto
Mark Padmore – tenor
Alastair Miles – bass
Tenebrae Choir
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis – conductor

Recorded live December 2006

Produced by James Mallinson

SACD ISO