Handel - "Messiah" - Sir Andrew Davis - Toronto Symphony Orchestra - (ANGEL - EMI)

I'll say it straight away: this is an outstanding version of Georg Friedrich Handel’s masterpiece, one of the best ever. Of all the oratorios I have heard, “Messiah” has always been my favorite (even toppling Bach’s “Matthew Passion”), but I never found a complete recording that pleased me in all levels. With this double-disc set, I finally fulfilled my wishes.

The soloists are incredible, especially the tenor, John Aler, who gives me probably the best “The Trumpet Shall Sound” I’ve ever heard. All the big numbers of the oratorio are played perfectly, from the incomparable beauty of “I Know my Redeemer liveth” to the joyous festivities of “For unto us a child is born”. The orchestra is flawless, and the tempos are exactly where they should be: not too fast lest they become too playful, nor too slow lest they become tiresome. The music’s solemn, grandiose character is perfectly portrayed by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra which has no problem with the instrumental pieces like the opening “Sinfony” or the larghetto that splits the first part in half. The chorus deserves a special recognition: all its numbers are excellent, acting like a choir of angelical voices when the opportunity requires, as well as bringing joy and pomp to the proceedings when the music asks for it. The most famous (and deservedly so) number of the entire oratorio gets here probably its best version ever: the “Hallelujah!” on this disc is so overpowering, so out-of-this-earth, that we really feel this music is created for a divinity, a superior being, and we feel the need to stand up, just like King George II did at the London premiere of the work.

This music needs modern instruments. Period instruments fail to convey the majesty of the subject; their dry sound lacks the depth to portray music dedicated to the highest of divinities. Sir Andrew Davis and the Toronto Symphony knew that, and it shows in their approach to this music, which they make feel solemn, superb.

The sound of the recording is clean, clear, but not perfect. The clarity is not in the same level as newer recordings with more modern technologies. But the sound is good enough, we can hear every detail, every little note, every little color. If we add this to the fact that this double-disc comes at an extremely affordable price, we can’t but give it the highest possible recommendation. This is some of the best music ever written, and with this cost, no fan of music can be excused of obtaining a copy of this particular version, one of the best in the entire catalogue.

5/5

Handel - "Water Music", "Royal Fireworks Music" - Neville Marriner - Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (DECCA)

Now we’re talking! This is probably the best version of Handel's “Royal Fireworks Music” I’ve heard so far, modern instruments and all. I absolutely love the grace, the emotion that modern strings and winds can convey when conducted by the right hands, and the right hands Neville Marriner’s certainly are. Though I have other preferred directors for music composed after the classical era, for baroque and classical-era works none does it for me like this conductor and his venerable Academy of St.-Martin-in-the-Fields. Just listen to the first powerful notes of the magnificent overture, carrying all the pomp and elegance and honor that it’s supposed to carry. The sound of the recording helps matters, as all instruments strike the right balance. Right from the start, in the overture (which has some of the best music in all of Handel), we can see how Marriner’s expert hand combines the ceremonious, solemn side of the event, with the energy and vitality of the thousands of people present, in the absolutely marvelous second section of the piece, played perfectly. Unlike the last recording I reviewed, here the horns and winds in general are in the perfect level of volume and presence. Just listen to the fantastic "La Rejouissance" for evidence of this.

My only minor gripe with this recording is the snare used in the solemn and triumphant minuet that ends the suite. I have heard a few versions that include it but I really don’t like it that much. There was no need for that militaristic element that I’ve noticed absent in many other versions.

The “Water Music” suites are played perfectly. This is the best version I’ve found yet (though I loved an old Russian -soviet to be exact- vinyl I had in the MELODIYA label also. I can’t remember the orchestra). All the melodic wizardry of Handel is brought to the forefront by the orchestra. This version doesn’t include the variants on the themes that the Gardiner-PHILIPS version included, but I think it’s better this way, as those were unnecessary repetitions of themes already present, with slightly different orchestration, in the three suites.

This disc proves again that I favor modern instruments over period-instruments recordings of baroque music. I think the drama, emotion and energy that modern instruments can provide can’t be matched by period instruments and the style they demand to be played with.

4.5/5

Handel - "Water Music", "Royal Fireworks Music" - John Elliot Gardiner - English Baroque Soloists (PHILIPS)

Georg Friedrich Handel’s “Water Music” and “Royal Fireworks Music” are two of my all-time favorite works of the baroque era, especially the second one. The grace, the energy, the vitality and the beauty of the music is unparalleled. I’ve heard multiple versions, but this is my first time with a period-instrument recording.

Period-instrument recordings are not for everyone. Many people love to listen to baroque pieces in a style that probably resembles how they originally sounded centuries ago much more closely, but it’s not everybody’s cup of tea. The lack of modern techniques like vibrato, the slightly colder sound of less-developed instruments sometimes prove too much for some music lovers used to the deep and powerful sounds of 20^th century orchestras.

In my view, Handel’s masterpieces receive a great treatment in this Philips recording but ultimately the sound of period-instruments leaves me a little cold. I miss the sweeping vibrato of modern versions like Marriner’s with the St. Martin-in-the-Fields Academy. Notes sound too blunt, too final when performed in period-instruments, compared to the depth that modern strings and winds provide. Also, I have some gripe with the horns, so important especially in the suites in D and F of “Water Music”. They’re too over-the-top on this recording, pretty much robbing the rest of the ensemble of its importance whenever they appear. It might be a problem with the sound quality of older horns and trumpets or with the recording, I’m not sure.

The tempos are OK but I feel they’re a little on the fast side. While Gardiner certainly known how to bring about the vitality of the music, its pomp, its majesty, seem a little bit overshadowed on his version of both pieces, which were both composed for solemn occasions and for royal ears, but which seem too gentile, too light here.

I recommend this recording for fans of period instruments. But I’ll rather stay with the venerable version by Marriner and the Academy of St Martin-in-the-fields in DECCA.

3/5