BaL 16.04.22 - Handel: Messiah

[CallMePaul]

David Vickers reviewed selected recordings in The Gramophone collection this month. He chose Pinnock as his preferred version, with Butt (Dublin version), Hogwood (Foundling Hospital 1754) and Higginbottom (Foundling Hospital 1751) also recommended. I am not sure how Jeremy Summerley will deal with the question of editions; Pinnock apparently uses a combination, as do most conductors.

[jonfan]

Mackerras’s allegedly Mozart version, with the Huddersfield CS, sung in English, is essentially a Mozart/Prout/Sargent rehash, making the traditional cuts and using Handel’s version of The Trumpet Shall Sound.

Having the great privilege of singing in these sessions under the great Sir Charles, I can tell you there was nothing Prout about it. [Just Handel's original in the aria you mention]. All was pure Mozart as there was a bumper alto trombone as the ATB in all the choruses were doubled by the trombones. Taxing stuff!
Why we didn't do the whole piece I don't know; a pity.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Having the great privilege of singing in these sessions under the great Sir Charles, I can tell you there was nothing Prout about it. [Just Handel's original in the aria you mention]. All was pure Mozart as there was a bumper alto trombone as the ATB in all the choruses were doubled by the trombones. Taxing stuff!
Why we didn't do the whole piece I don't know; a pity.

Prout’s orchestral parts are essentially Mozart’s arrangements, but slightly less elaborate.

[MickyD]

I've just seen on the Record Review site that the most famous movements of 'Messiah' are described as 'show stoppers'. Who writes this drivel?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I've just seen on the Record Review site that the most famous movements of 'Messiah' are described as 'show stoppers'. Who writes this drivel?

It beggars belief, which is why I put that bit in small print in the opening post. The BBC probably employs a former Sun headline journalist for its webpage. The Radio 3 Facebook page is even worse.

[hmvman]

It beggars belief, which is why I put that bit in small print in the opening post. The BBC probably employs a former Sun headline journalist for its webpage. The Radio 3 Facebook page is even worse.

A good chance they're written by people who have little interest in the music, or likely never even heard it.

The trailer that's been going out for this BaL has mentioned 'definitive' recording. I don't think any such thing can exist.

[cloughie]

I've just seen on the Record Review site that the most famous movements of 'Messiah' are described as 'show stoppers'. Who writes this drivel?

Are they comparing ‘Messiah’ to ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’?

The only ‘showstopper’ is surely the ‘Amen’ chorus though well behaved congregations/audiences will give ‘Hallelujah’ a standing ovation before it has even started!

[Bryn]

I bet this show-stopper fails to get a mention:

[Lawrence]

I'm still very fond of the Sargent/Huddersfield version, wonderfully old fashioned, a real period piece.

"...wonderfully old fashioned, a real period piece" - I thought at first you must be writing about me! As to Sargent/Huddersfield, I was brought up on it and have always loved it although over the years I have collected many other recordings.

[Bryn]

My first Messiah on disc:

https://www.discogs.com/release/14930235-Handel-London-Philharmonic-Orchestra-London-Philharmonic-Choir-Walter-Susskin-Handels-Messiah

[Darloboy]

Typically it doesn’t look like Summerly’s going to bother dealing with the issue of the different performing versions. Apart from Butt, and Beecham’s re-orchestrated version, no mention’s been made of which version is being performed.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

My first Messiah on disc:

I bought this on CD only a few weeks ago.

I seem to recall the orchestra being labelled as “the London Orchestra” in that original LP set.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

It beggars belief, which is why I put that bit in small print in the opening post. The BBC probably employs a former Sun headline journalist for its webpage. The Radio 3 Facebook page is even worse.

I wish they wouldn't, but this sort of thing is now rife among orchestra trailers on websites and in their season programmes, even without their pandering to the yoof audience.

[Darloboy]

So 1st choice is a recording of the Dublin version (never mentioned) with added oboes and bassoons and with ‘He was despised’ sung by a man - and which is generally considered to be inferior to Butt’s version. And I’m not sure why it was supposed to be a plus point that the performers are German. Handel may have been German but the text of Messiah was compiled in English to be performed by British choirs.

[LHC]

So 1st choice is a recording of the Dublin version (never mentioned) with added oboes and bassoons and with ‘He was despised’ sung by a man - and which is generally considered to be inferior to Butt’s version. And I’m not sure why it was supposed to be a plus point that the performers are German. Handel may have been German but the text of Messiah was compiled in English to be performed by British choirs.

Indeed, the main reasons given for choosing this version seemed particularly arbitrary. It being ‘fresh’ and ‘German’ don’t appear on the face of it to be particularly strong criteria on which to base a library recommendation.

Interesting too that he had earlier rejected the French recordings of Messiah because they hadn’t ‘grown up with the music in their blood’, but then chooses his final version because it’s not English.