Handel: Messiah

Christopher Hogwoods wegweisende Einspielung von Händels Messiah mit der Academy of Ancient Music gilt als eine der herausragendsten Aufnahmen des Werks überhaupt. Dieses legendäre Aufnahmeprojekt, das zu den bedeutendsten Einspielungen des späten 20. Jahrhunderts zählt, erscheint nun in der Decca Pure Analogue Series in höchster audiophiler Klangqualität. Zugleich ist damit erstmals Deccas Alte-Musik-Label L’Oiseau-Lyre in dieser Reihe vertreten.

Für diese Edition wurde das Originalmaterial von den renommierten Emil Berliner Studios direkt von den Stereo-Masterbändern neu gemastert und vollständig analog (AAA) geschnitten. Die Veröffentlichung erscheint auf 180-g-Vinyl aus Neumaterial in einer handnummerierten, luxuriös ausgestatteten 3-LP-Box mit dem originalen Artwork sowie einem Booklet mit einer ausführlichen musikalischen Analyse von Christopher Hogwood und dem Händel-Forscher Anthony Hicks.

Ergänzt wird die Edition durch einen neuen Begleittext des renommierten Musikkritikers Richard Bratby, Autor von Refiner’s Fire: The Academy of Ancient Music & the Historical Performance Revolution, mit Interviews unter anderem mit Dame Emma Kirkby und dem Toningenieur John Dunkerley. Darüber hinaus enthält diese limitierte Ausgabe zusätzliche Fotografien aus den Aufnahmesitzungen sowie Faksimiles der Bandkartons.

TRACKLISTING

LP1

Side 1

1. No. 1, Symphony
2. No. 2, Recit. Comfort Ye, My People – No. 3, Aria. Every Valley Shall Be Exalted (Tenor)
3. No. 4, Chorus. And the Glory of the Lord Shall Be Revealed
4. No. 5, Recit. Thus Saith the Lord of Hosts (Bass) – No. 6, Aria. But Who May Abide the Day of His Coming? (Soprano)
5. No. 7, Chorus. And He Shall Purify the Sons of Levi

Side 2

1. No. 8, Recit. Behold, a Virgin Shall Conceive, and Bear a Son (Alto) – No. 9, Aria & Chorus. O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion (Alto, Chorus)
2. No. 10, Recit. For Behold, Darkness Shall Cover the Earth – No. 11, Aria. The People That Walked in Darkness Have Seen a Great Light (Bass)
3. No. 12, Chorus. For unto Us a Child Is Born
4. No. 13, Pifa “Pastoral Symphony”
5. No. 14, Recit. There Were Shepherds – And Lo, the Angel of the Lord – No. 15, And the Angel Said Unto Them – No. 16, And Suddenly (Soprano) – No. 17, Chorus. Glory to God in the Highest

LP2

Side 1

1. No. 18, Aria. Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion (Soprano)
2. No. 19, Recit. Then Shall the Eyes of the Blind Be Opened – No. 20, Aria. He Shall Feed His Flock Like a Shepherd (Soprano)
3. No. 21, Chorus. His Yoke Is Easy and His Burthen Is Light
4. No. 22, Chorus. Behold the Lamb of God
5. No. 23, Aria. He Was Despised and Rejected of Men (Alto)

Side 2

1. No. 24, Chorus. Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs – No. 25, Chorus. And with His Stripes We Are Healed
2. No. 26, Chorus. All We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray
3. No. 27, Recit. All They That See Him Laugh Him to Scorn (Tenor) – No. 28, Chorus. He Trusted in God That He Would Deliver Him
4. No. 29, Recit. Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart – No. 30, Aria. Behold and See – No. 31, Recit. He Was Cut Off Out of the Land of the Living (Soprano/Tenor)
5. No. 32, Aria. But Thou Didst Not Leave His Soul in Hell (Soprano)
6. No. 33, Chorus. Lift Up Your Heads, O Ye Gates
7. No. 34, Recit. Unto Which of the Angels Said He at Any Time? (Tenor) – No. 35, Chorus. Let All the Angels of God Worship Him
8. No. 36, Aria. Thou Art Gone Up on High (Soprano)

LP3

Side 1

1. No. 37, Chorus. The Lord Gave the Word
2. No. 38, Aria. How Beautiful Are the Feet of Them That Preach (Soprano)
3. No. 39, Chorus. Their Sound Is Gone Out into All Lands
4. No. 40, Aria. Why Do the Nations So Furiously Rage Together? (Bass) – No. 41, Chorus. Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder
5. No. 42, Recit. He That Dwelleth in Heaven Shall Laugh Them to Scorn – No. 43, Aria. Thou Shalt Break Them with a Rod of Iron (Tenor)
6. No. 44, Hallelujah Chorus
7. No. 45, Aria. I Know That My Redeemer Liveth (Soprano)
8. No. 46, Chorus. Since By Man Came Death

Side 2

1. No. 47, Recit. Behold, I Tell You a Mystery – No. 48, Aria. The Trumpet Shall Sound (Bass)
2. No. 49, Recit. Then Shall Be Brought to Pass (Alto) – No. 50, Duet. O Death, Where Is Thy Sting? (Alto, Tenor)
3. No. 51, Chorus. But Thanks Be to God Who Giveth Us the Victory
4. No. 52, Aria. If God Be For Us, Who Can Be Against Us? (Soprano)
5. No. 53a, Chorus. Worthy Is the Lamb That Was Slain
6. No. 53b, Chorus. Amen