This channel is the re-establishment of previous channels that have been sadly terminated.
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Emma Kirkby--soprano II
Carolyn Watkinson--contralto
David Thomas--bass
Judith Nelson--soprano I
Paul Elliott--tenor
Simon Preston--chorus conductor
Academy of Ancient Music
Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford
Christopher Hogwood--conductor
1979
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"Recorded in 1980 at St. Jude-on-the-Hill in London, this version from the Academy of Ancient Music and the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford conducted by period instrument pioneer Christopher Hogwood is certainly one of the finest recordings of Messiah, and may very well be the most “authentic” (although again that is difficult to say because Handel changed it so many times). Hogwood was scrupulous in his research before this recording was made, and you will hear some unique touches. The use of boy sopranos is the biggest difference you will notice from the other versions listed here, and this would have most likely been the practice used by Handel himself. While I like the idea of the boy voices, I find myself missing female voices in those parts of the score. The orchestral forces here are also scaled down quite a bit, and in places you will notice the strings and woodwinds sound a bit thin. The choir from Christ Church Cathedral sings movingly and lend a sacred tone to the affair. The recorded sound is good, though perhaps lacking the last ounce of clarity and not quite as detailed as many of the other recordings on this list. The soloists are a mixed bag. The two sopranos, Emma Kirkby and Judith Nelson, are nothing short of amazing in my opinion and their contributions alone put this version in the top 10. Both sing with a period sensibility, adding light touches and some embellishments, but always at the service of the music and text. They both bring effortless sounding, angelic tones to their arias. Tenor Paul Elliott brings a plaintive style with very little vibrato to his parts, which also matches the styles of Kirkby and Nelson. I am not particularly fond of the other singers, contralto Carolyn Watkinson and bass David Thomas. They are fine, but not as distinguished as the other soloists. But if you enjoy Messiah, you really should hear this recording." john buxton
