My Wish List
ALPHA362
Originally recorded in October 2017
Classical
This item is temporarily unavailable.
About
Why yet another Messiah? ‘I went through the different scores that exist and decided on the very interesting 1754 version, which features five soloists. You must remember that, when Handel arrived somewhere to perform his oratorio, he had soloists of varying standards available to him. So he quickly revised his score accordingly... All this is directly related to the reality of Handel’s situation as a concert promoter. In those days, to earn a living from his music, a composer absolutely had to get his works performed and make a profit on the evening. The idea of not retouching a work to avoid “spoiling” or “distorting” it is a much more modern one. There must be around a dozen versions of Messiah (I won’t list them all). The 1754 version is rarely played because it calls for five soloists: two sopranos, alto, tenor and bass... I’ve opted here for an operatic interpretation, taking its cue from the drama inherent in this account of the life of Christ.’ Hervé Niquet
Please login to post a review
Reviews
“… Niquet’s Messiah is a chameleon: sometimes beguilingly smooth, sometimes vividly raucous.”
“… Light-footed tempi and beautifully sprung rhythms are a given at this level of music-making; all five soloists are excellent, with stylish ornamentation, and the choral singing is often breathtaking in the clarity of its virtuosity. But what definitely sets this recording apart from what is surely an overcrowded market is Niquet’s dramatic flair, an approach that drives the piece along as if it were an opera … The whole is immensely satisfying and enjoyable, and offers a refreshing take on the most popular oratorio in the repertoire.” *****
Media Downloads
Whenever possible we provide a high resolution CD cover image and a PDF version of the CD booklet for you to download and keep.
These are found in your history if purchased and once you have logged in.
