Handel - Messiah / Cleobury, Dawson, Summers, Brandenburg Consort

Starring:Lynne Dawson, Hilary Summers, John Mark Ainsley, Alastair Miles, Stephen Cleobury
Studio: Image Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Handel's perennially beloved oratorio is marvelously well served by everyone involved--musicians and filmmakers alike--in this 1993 production. Though Messiah is still best known as a showcase for enormous forces, choral and orchestral, many historically informed performances in recent decades have shown that the piece works splendidly with the less overwhelming but more precise and transparent smaller groups of period performance ensembles, and this fleet, stirring account by the Brandenburg Consort is no exception. Under conductor Stephen Cleobury's sensitive baton, they play with a driving, quicksilver intensity that belies their small numbers and brings every requisite dollop of excitement to such numbers as "And He shall purify" or "Why do the nations," the instrumentalists matched each step of the way by the ringing tones of the Choir of King's College, Cambridge. Handel tinkered with his masterpiece for a decade after its premiere; Cleobury here presents the 1852 version (with recitatives and airs for four vocal soloists, SATB) and is blessed with a superb quartet of vocalists. Tenor John Mark Ainsley is particularly outstanding, displaying a lovely and noble voice, and tossing off some dazzling ornamentation in "Every valley." Hillary Summers's ardent rendition of "He was despised" is another highlight, the consort providing delicately beautiful accompaniment, while Lynne Dawson and Alastair Miles are fully the equal of their vocal partners. The passionate intelligence that marks the musical presentation finds a perfectly sympathetic visualization in Dirk Jan Bijker's tasteful direction, which captures the proceedings with a clarity and unobtrusive inventiveness regrettably rare in concert videos. The original broadcast was an early HDTV presentation, and the images gleam almost as crisply and warmly as the music itself. --Bruce Reid
Description
George Frideric Handel's most famous oratorio, Messiah, is a grand and inspiring anthology of passages from the Old and New Testaments relating to Christ before, during, and after his life on Earth. Messiah's power, lyricism, sincerity and profundity make it one of the supreme musical creations as well as an outstanding example of devotional art. This live recording from the handsome twelfth century Pieterskerk in Leiden, Holland provides a superbly atmospheric setting, cutting away to

eighteenth century Bible prints and religious paintings by Rembrandt. Featuring the internationally acclaimed Choir of King's College, soloists Lynne Dawson (soprano), Hillary Summers (alto), John Mark Ainsley (tenor) and Alastair Miles (bass), and the Brandenburg Consort conducted

Customer Reviews:

Superb, visually as well as audially.......2007-05-27

Classical music concert DVDs keep getting better, and I keep getting more insistant on absolutely optimal visual as well as audial quality. This DVD is to date the absolute best visually. Its audial impact is superb both in terms of performance and sound quality. The lighting of the choristers is stunning, or, perhaps I should say, heavenly. You cannot know how important lighting is until you have seen the very best, which this is.
Visually, there was only one distraction. The soprano soloist, and, even more so, the bass, looked at their scores far too often. Come on, this is the Messiah, boys and girls -- hasn't just about everyone sung it?
Musically, the conductor made all the right choices except for one, the use of valveless "natural" trumpets. No sane person can doubt that Handel would have used valved trumpets if they were available. The trumpeters' skill made up somewhat for this mistake, but they really blew the muscially critical quick five scalar note trumpet descent form high G after the first "Lord of Lords" in "Hallelujah". Yes, I have become spolied enough to demand uninterrupted excellence, and the excellence of this performance was virtually uninterrupted except for this boo-boo and a strange ommission from "Why Do the Nations" (an electronic deletion of an error by the soloist?).
Audience coughing, always annoying, was well suppressed, I guess elecgtronically. The dramatic pause at the close of the "Amen" was coughless. But audience coughing ought to be totally suppressed.
I used not to think that a boys' choir could handle the high parts of big-sounding numbers like the Messiah choruses. The key here was the use of counter-tenors for the alto parts, allowing all 20 or so boys to sing soprano. Nothing was lacking. I also loved how enthusiastic the boys seemed to be. Adults cannot show such enthusiasm without its seeming fake.

Handel - Messiah / Cleobury, Dawson, Summers, Brandenburg Consort

Average customer rating:

Superb "Messiah" live recording
Completely surprised
Awesome
CORRECTION SUGGESTED / SPLENDID RECORDING
Marvelous performance, pity about the video quality

Handel - Messiah / Cleobury, Dawson, Summers, Brandenburg Consort
Starring: Lynne Dawson , Hilary Summers , John Mark Ainsley , Alastair Miles , and Stephen Cleobury
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00004Y7IC
Release Date: 2000-10-31

Amazon.com

Handel's perennially beloved oratorio is marvelously well served by everyone involved--musicians and filmmakers alike--in this 1993 production. Though Messiah is still best known as a showcase for enormous forces, choral and orchestral, many historically informed performances in recent decades have shown that the piece works splendidly with the less overwhelming but more precise and transparent smaller groups of period performance ensembles, and this fleet, stirring account by the Brandenburg Consort is no exception. Under conductor Stephen Cleobury's sensitive baton, they play with a driving, quicksilver intensity that belies their small numbers and brings every requisite dollop of excitement to such numbers as "And He shall purify" or "Why do the nations," the instrumentalists matched each step of the way by the ringing tones of the Choir of King's College, Cambridge. Handel tinkered with his masterpiece for a decade after its premiere; Cleobury here presents the 1852 version (with recitatives and airs for four vocal soloists, SATB) and is blessed with a superb quartet of vocalists. Tenor John Mark Ainsley is particularly outstanding, displaying a lovely and noble voice, and tossing off some dazzling ornamentation in "Every valley." Hillary Summers's ardent rendition of "He was despised" is another highlight, the consort providing delicately beautiful accompaniment, while Lynne Dawson and Alastair Miles are fully the equal of their vocal partners. The passionate intelligence that marks the musical presentation finds a perfectly sympathetic visualization in Dirk Jan Bijker's tasteful direction, which captures the proceedings with a clarity and unobtrusive inventiveness regrettably rare in concert videos. The original broadcast was an early HDTV presentation, and the images gleam almost as crisply and warmly as the music itself. --Bruce Reid

Description

George Frideric Handel's most famous oratorio, Messiah, is a grand and inspiring anthology of passages from the Old and New Testaments relating to Christ before, during, and after his life on Earth. Messiah's power, lyricism, sincerity and profundity make it one of the supreme musical creations as well as an outstanding example of devotional art. This live recording from the handsome twelfth century Pieterskerk in Leiden, Holland provides a superbly atmospheric setting, cutting away to

by Stephen Cleobury. 140 minutes.

Customer Reviews:

Superb "Messiah" live recording.......2007-01-23

This version of Handel's "Messiah" recorded live by Kings College Choir, is divine. The performances are lively paced, pitch perfect, and a real pleasure to watch as well as hear. The tenor's brilliance on "Every Mountain Shall Be Exalted" is thrilling and sends shivers - it's a foretaste of perfection to come. The candle lit interior adds a wonderful atmospheric dimension. Instruments are period, and do not overpower. Boy's choir is just right, and it's lovely to watch all the faces. Very high recommendation. Show it on Christmas Eve, as we did - beautiful!

Completely surprised.......2007-01-12

I was really surprise about this dvd. I bought it because of the reviews in amazon. I was part of a boys choir when I was young and it did bring back those memories when we performed. I think the video quality is good enough espacially under the lighting conditions. Live recordings, what can you expect, that is why you record live so that you don't missed out on anything. This DVD is something that I know we ( my family) will enjoy for the many Christmas' in the future.
God Bless everyone

Awesome.......2004-02-02

There is little fault to be found in this DVD. The vocal soloists are superb, and the orchestra with their period instruments are near perfect. This is an inspiring performance that is delivered with crispness, is worth listening to again and again -- and not just at Christmas. There are some minor flaws that go with performing in front of a live audience, but because everything else is so well done it is easy to overlook them.

CORRECTION SUGGESTED / SPLENDID RECORDING.......2003-12-11

I just wanted to note that the version presented on this DVD is from 1752 and not 1852 as noted in the Amazon Review. Certainly just an overlooked typo... And a funny one, especially given that Handel died in 1759.

The performance in question is nothing short of sublime. Simply exquisite in all respects and a must-have for all lovers of this stirring work as well as those just curious.

Marvelous performance, pity about the video quality.......2003-11-17

An almost flawless performance is spoiled to a significant degree by the poor execution of the video. Granted filming in low-light conditions in a medieval church will be challenging but in this case the excessive graininess and lack of anamorphic enhancement create a serious detraction. Other video productions have used e.g. Kings' College and Westminster Abbey with far superior results. So a caveat to videophiles - the PQ is quite poor.

On the hand, the performances are without exception first-rate. Particular standouts are Lynne Dawson, bass Alastair Miles and noted Handelian John Mark Ainsley. The trumpet virtuoso Crispian Steele-Perkins is in particularly fine form.

I have been so disappointed with the video quality that I was tempted to purchase the DVD version by Marriner and the ASMF. But on realising that this is the same as the CD issued by Philips in 1992 of the Dublin performances, I have decided to save my money. Although Marriner and the Academy are sound as usual, this version is flawed by the second string multinational soloists.

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