Conductor(s): Higginbottom, Edward
Label: Naxos
Genre: Choral - Sacred
Period: Baroque
Catalogue No: 8.570131-32
Barcode: 747313013173
Release Date: 10/2006

HANDEL, G.F.: Messiah (1751 version) (New College Oxford Choir, Academy of Ancient Music, E. Higginbottom)

Handel’s most popular and joyous oratorio, a work of unfailing melodic invention and dramatic expressiveness, has become almost a British national institution, regularly performed by all manner of choirs and orchestras. This new recording provides the only modern re-construction of Handel’s unique London performances in 1751, when he used boy treble voices not only for the choruses but for the arias as well. It is both a celebration of the British chapel choir tradition and a window onto a particular time and place in the history of Handel’s own performances of his masterpiece.

Tracklist

Disc 1
Handel, George Frideric
Bible - New Testament - Lyricist
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Spence, Toby (tenor)
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Dougan, Eamonn (bass)
Davies, Iestyn (counter-tenor)
Brooks, Robert (treble)
Jenkinson, Henry (treble)
Jones, Otta (treble)
1Part I: Sinfonia03:04
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
2Part I: Accompanied recitative: Comfort ye, my people (Tenor)03:16
Spence, Toby (tenor)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
3Part I: Aria: Every valley shall be exalted (Tenor)03:19
Spence, Toby (tenor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
4Part I: Chorus: And the glory of the Lord02:32
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
5Part I: Accompanied recitative: Thus saith the Lord of Hosts (Bass)01:27
Dougan, Eamonn (bass)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
6Part I: Aria: But who may abide the day of His coming (Countertenor)04:31
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Davies, Iestyn (counter-tenor)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
7Part I: Chorus: And He shall purify02:32
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
8Part I: Recitative: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son (Countertenor)00:24
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Davies, Iestyn (counter-tenor)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
9Part I: Aria and Chorus: O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion (Countertenor)05:41
Davies, Iestyn (counter-tenor)
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
10Part I: Accompanied recitative: For behold, darkness shall cover the earth (Bass)02:11
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Dougan, Eamonn (bass)
11Part I: Aria: The people that walked in darkness (Bass)03:34
Dougan, Eamonn (bass)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
12Part I: Chorus: For unto us a Child is born03:52
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
13Part I: Pifa02:14
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
14Part I: Accompanied recitative: There were shepherds abiding in the field (Trebles)01:28
Brooks, Robert (treble)
Jenkinson, Henry (treble)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
15Part I: Chorus: Glory to God in the highest02:15
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
16Part I: Aria: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion (Tenor)04:06
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Spence, Toby (tenor)
17Part I: Recitative: Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened (Countertenor)00:24
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Jones, Otta (treble)
18Part I: Aria: He shall feed His flock like a shepherd (Countertenor, Treble)04:54
Davies, Iestyn (counter-tenor)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Jones, Otta (treble)
19Part I: Chorus: His yoke is easy, His burthen is light02:14
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
20Part II: Chorus: Behold, the Lamb of God02:55
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
21Part II: Aria: He was despised and rejected of men (Countertenor)12:21
Davies, Iestyn (counter-tenor)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Disc 2
1Part II: Chorus: Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows02:03
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
2Part II: Chorus: And with His stripes we are healed01:55
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
3Part II: Chorus: All we like sheep have gone astray03:34
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
4Part II: Accompanied recitative: All they that see Him, laugh Him to scorn (Tenor)00:42
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
5Part II: Chorus: He trusted in God that He would deliver Him02:20
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
6Part II: Accompanied recitative: Thy rebuke hath broken His heart (Tenor)01:47
Spence, Toby (tenor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
7Part II: Aria: Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow (Tenor)01:33
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Spence, Toby (tenor)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
8Part II: Accompanied recitative: He was cut off out of the land of the living (Treble)00:18
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Jenkinson, Henry (treble)
9Part II: Aria: But thou didst not leave His soul in hell (Treble)01:59
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Jenkinson, Henry (treble)
10Part II: Chorus: Lift up your heads, O ye gates03:09
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
11Part II: Recitative: Unto which of the angels said He at any time (Tenor)00:19
Spence, Toby (tenor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
12Part II: Chorus: Let all the angels of God worship Him01:40
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
13Part II: Aria: Thou art gone up on high (Countertenor)03:10
Davies, Iestyn (counter-tenor)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
14Part II: Chorus: The Lord gave the word01:12
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
15Part II: Aria: How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace (Treble)02:18
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Jenkinson, Henry (treble)
16Part II: Chorus: Their sound is gone out into all lands01:32
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
17Part II: Aria: Why do the nations so furiously rage together (Bass)02:49
Dougan, Eamonn (bass)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
18Part II: Chorus: Let us break their bonds asunder01:53
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
19Part II: Recitative: He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn (Tenor)00:10
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Spence, Toby (tenor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
20Part II: Aria: Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron (Tenor)02:17
Jones, Otta (treble)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
21Part II: Chorus: Hallelujah03:58
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
22Part III: Aria: I know that my redeemer liveth (Treble)05:49
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Brooks, Robert (treble)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
23Part III: Chorus: Since by man came death02:04
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
24Part III: Accompanied recitative: Behold, I tell you a mystery (Bass)00:38
Dougan, Eamonn (bass)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
25Part III: Aria: The trumpet shall sound (Bass)08:38
Dougan, Eamonn (bass)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
26Part III: Recitative: Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written (Countertenor)00:16
Davies, Iestyn (counter-tenor)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
27Part III: Duet: O death, where is thy sting (Countertenor and Tenor)01:06
Spence, Toby (tenor)
Davies, Iestyn (counter-tenor)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
28Part III: Chorus: But thanks be to God02:11
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
29Part III: Aria: If God is for us, who can be against us (Countertenor)04:52
Davies, Iestyn (counter-tenor)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
30Part III: Chorus: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain03:18
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
31Part III: Chorus: Amen03:35
Oxford New College Choir (Choir)
Higginbottom, Edward (Conductor)
Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra)

Total Playing Time: 02:22:19