A Messiah to send Hippites rushing for the smelling salts ?

[Barbirollians]

I agree that it is a shame that Janet Baker was not recruited for this performance . I have listened to it three times now and as a whole it is a very moving performance . One's ears become accustomed to the sound and perhaps I was too harsh on Marjorie Thomas though she is much better in He was despised than O Thou that Tellest - but for me nobody comes close to Ferrier in that air .

[Barbirollians]

Sadly, Barbirolli and Ferrier had exclusive recording contracts with different companies in 1952. In 1964, Barbirolli made his EMI recording of Dream of Gerontius and Sea Pictures. Now, if the Mezzo on those recordings had been around Belle Vue in that year ...

Though EMI and Decca did apparently do a deal over Bruno Walter and Ferrier did they not ?

[Alison]

Anyone heard the new Andrew Davis??

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Though EMI and Decca did apparently do a deal over Bruno Walter and Ferrier did they not ?

I think they must have - although Walter had worked with EMI before the War, and on the Kindertotenliederby the time of Das Lied IIRC, he was virtually a CBS contractee.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Anyone heard the new Andrew Davis??

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Chandos/CHSA5176

I'm very tempted by this. An alternative to Beecham.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Anyone heard the new Andrew Davis??

And who is "the new Andrew Davis"?

[Alison]

And who is "the new Andrew Davis"?

By some distance Barbirollians least fav conductor!!

[Warlock]

[QUOTE=Barbirollians;588214]I agree that it is a shame that Janet Baker was not recruited for this performance .

Not every singer could commit to three performances - consecutive Saturdays at Sheffield and Belle Vue on the Sunday after the second Saturday.
I once heard or read an interview with Janet Baker where she said that she didn't wish to sing Messiah any more.

On the subject of a possible deal between EMI and Decca for Barbirolli and Kathleen Ferrier to record together JB would most certainly have wanted it to be for Gerontius.

I say again we should be thankful that this recording has been preserved and issued.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I say again we should be thankful that this recording has been preserved and issued.

I say again - (and I don't think anyone who has contributed has "say-ed" to the contrary).

In 1964, Janet Baker was still singing Messiah readily - and was to contribute so memorably to the first Mackerras recording only a few years later.

[Barbirollians]

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Chandos/CHSA5176

I'm very tempted by this. An alternative to Beecham.

Sounds ghastly - a vanity project .

[ostuni]

Judging by the extracts on the Presto site, that new A Davis version is ghastly indeed, with some curious decisions (a clarinet solo for 'I know that my redeemer'), and some risible ones (that tam-tam stroke at the beginning of 'Worthy').

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Judging by the extracts on the Presto site, that new A Davis version is ghastly indeed, with some curious decisions (a clarinet solo for 'I know that my redeemer'), and some risible ones (that tam-tam stroke at the beginning of 'Worthy').

I found it interesting, but I think I prefer hearing the work in the original Beecham.

[Richard Barrett]

I prefer hearing the work in the original Beecham.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

[Barbirollians]

If Mozart couldn't improve on Handel then how can anyone expect Andrew Davis to.