“If you want a Choral piece done right have Shaw do it” An excellent recording of the Messiah. The choruses are flawless with perfect rhythm, probably the best renderings of the Messiah choruses I’ve ever heard including live performances by Boston’s Handel and Hayden Society. Soloists are also very good though balance between them and orchestra could be better at points. In particular, the orchestra tends to cover the pianissamo passages of soprano airs (e.g. opening of I Know that My Redeemer Liveth although this may be a limitation of my relatively old equipment). One performance oddity is thae some aria that are often sung by Tenor are sung by Soprano here which I found slightly odd when I first listened to this CD. Over time I have warmed to aspect of this recording.
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The Shaw Version on BMG Red Seal is Better  Robert Shaw’s RCA recording of Messiah from the mid-1960s remains a preferred recording of this warhorse. I don’t think this remake from 1983 captures the magic of the earlier version. For one thing, I prefer Shaw’s earlier solo quartet (Judith Raskin, Florence Kopleff, Richard Lewis, and Thomas Paul). Raskin and Kopleff are particularly good, among the best to have left us accounts of this music. Richard Stilwell (bass) is possibly better than his counterpart Thomas Paul. His baritone timbre is better suited to the bass part, which tends to lie a little high for most basses. The Atlanta strings sound smoother than the occasionally wiry sound of Shaw’s orchestra of twenty years earlier. The chorus, however, cannot match the precision of Shaw’s Chorale. I can’t agree with earlier postings about “cavernous” sound. This Soundstream effort of 25 years ago sounds as forward and airy as many recordings of more recent vintage. I’d still opt for the earlier Shaw/RCA, but this is no slouch…. Possibly the best rendition A good performance hidden behind cavernous recorded sound |
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2 Comments until now
One of the greatest recordings of Messiah ever made.
I’ve heard many recordings of the Messiah, and I can say without hesitation that I find Shaw’s to be the singular best. Some of the movements on these two CDs are particularly magnificent, particularly “and He shall purify,” “surely he hath borne our griefs,” and “the trumpet shall sound.” Also, I credit Shaw for including a portion of the Messiah that is too often strangely omitted – “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” The orchestration is really perfect, and for those of you with the score, you’ll notice this piece is very loyal to it, but is simultaneously delivered with a fresh and thrilling spin at several movements. The late Robert Shaw has delivered a recording of the Messiah that Christians and classical music lovers everywhere will love forever.
A GREAT VERSION TO LISTEN TO
SHAW’S ASO & CHORUS DO A WONDERFUL JOB WITH THIS MESSIAH. IT IS ALSO LIGHT & AIRY WITH GOOD SOLID SOLOISTS. IT IS NOT FLAT, IT IS MOVING. NOTE THAT CONDUCTOR SHAW SETS HIS MUSIC TO A FASTER PACE AS COMPARED TO OTHER CONDUCTORS. SO HIS HALLELUJAH CHORUSES ARE RAPID. HOWEVER, IF YOU COMPARE IT TO MESSIAHS OF THE 1960S/70S ALL YOU WILL HEAR ARE SLOW ORCHESTRAS & VERY FLAT VOICES. YOU CANNOT HAVE A HALLELUJAH CHORUS THAT IS SLOW. YOU CANNOT HAVE FLAT SOLOISTS. SO YOU ARE OKAY WITH THIS EDITION.
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