Butt's Messiah

[verismissimo]

I bought the Dunedin Consort/John Butt HIP Messiah some years ago on the strength of good reviews ("... the freshest, most natural, revelatory and transparently joyful Messiah...", Gramophone). It always seemed disappointing. So I put it aside, picking it up again recently to give it a proper second listening.

Worse than I recall! So uninvolved. Passionless. They might as well be singing about the price of fish.

Back to Mackerras with Harwood, Baker etc.

Happy birthday, Dame Janet!

[VodkaDilc]

Back to Mackerras with Harwood, Baker etc.

Happy birthday, Dame Janet!

I had that version on LP and almost wore the record out with repeated playings. The CDs I particularly like from an earlier era are the Christ Church, Oxford/Hogwood set or, when I'm in the mood for such indulgence, Sargent and his Huddersfield forces, with Isobel Baillie.

My favourite recent performance is Bernius and his Stuttgart choir and orchestra on Carus - Daniel Taylor still strikes me as one of the most expressive counter-tenors I have heard.

[Petrushka]

No need to feel apologetic about listening to the Sargent recording; it remains one of my favourites too.

However, do please try and listen to the Solti recording, it is simply magnificent and a deeply moving experience too. The Chicago Symphony Chorus provide the most thrilling singing on record and the big moments are overwhelming - as they should be. Soloists, too, are fine especially Keith Lewis. Forget anything you've heard about Solti performances being hard driven etc, because this isn't. In all of his large discography this Messiah holds a special place and should be far better appreciated than it is.

[Serial_Apologist]

The joke of everyone's Butt then - everyone agreed?

[doversoul1]

The Dunedin Consort seems to get a four-star review whenever they release a new album. I admire their scholarly approach but I just cannot get too enthusiastic about their performance. I think it’s the chorus that is the main problem for me. Their chorus sounds, to me, an ensemble of the voices I have been hearing as solo parts, and as such, it has little impact on the narrative of the music and I feel let down. Also, whilst I like fresh-voiced soprano in general (e.g. Elin Manahan Thomas or Nuria Rial), I often find their soprano rather too young sounding for the music.

Ah well, it’s all my loss. I know.

VodkaDilc

Daniel Taylor still strikes me as one of the most expressive counter-tenors I have heard.

…and we hardly hear him on R3. What a pity.

[salymap]

I thought it was about a very early recording by Dame Clara.

[verismissimo]

... when I'm in the mood for such indulgence, Sargent and his Huddersfield forces, with Isobel Baillie.

I'm partial to Huddersfield/Sargent with Elsie Morison and (especially) Richard Lewis.

[salymap]

I'm partial to Huddersfield/Sargent with Elsie Morison and (especially) Richard Lewis.

Yes, all of those, lovely memories.