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Discussion: Handel: Messiah - Dunedin Consort

Posts: 5

Post by TT November 15, 2006 (1 of 5)
WOW!!! what a messiah. i bought this one to hear the dublin version and i dont want any other versions anymore. it is the one.
first the LINN recording quality is really first class. clear sound, dynamic soundstage and in MC well balanced rear speakers. well it is my first linn SACD and i am impressed.
the recording blows away my mind: the dunedin consorts and players are singing heavenly and the playing is so reflected, sad, glowing, full of energy. just great. just listen to the violins, they are shining all your room.
all the soloists convince me absolutely and their sinning is so lustful and rhythmical. although i dont know one of the soloists, their singing is of highest order. i didnt believe that, when i bought the recording, but its true. they sing superbly.
i very enjoyed the bass m.brook. he sings so full of passion and has a wonderful rhythm in his singing. goose bumps came over me when i heard his arias "but who may abide his coming" or "the trumpet shall sound" and so on.
the contraleto c. wilkonson let me forget my breath: just listen to the arias "he shall feed his flock" or "he was despised and rejected" and you will hear what i mean. THIS is singing as it should be!!! undescribable.
the other contralto gill, the second soprano hamilton and the tenor mulroy sing equally great.
i am surprised this set is such good, i didnt know the dunedin consort and players nor did i know the soloists and now this is my reference recording of the messiah.
of course one could argue which performance is better: the one of harnoncourt, the other of jacobs or this one. for me harnoncourts recording is without passion and his soloists dont match händels score. jacobs recording is very well done, but i struggle wiith the soloists: i dont like to hear the counter-tenor zazzo, just does not sound nice to me, also the "jacobs-tenor" rensburg is not after my fancy, his voice sounds a little very special, sometimes even odd to me.
so to sum it, in my opinion this recording is very special and i can recommend it without any doubt.

Post by Jonty November 17, 2006 (2 of 5)
I don't really want to dampen TT's enthusiasm for this recording but I disagree over the soloists. I much prefer those in the Jacobs set. It is, I guess, just a personal preference but I don't think those in the Dunedin set are quite up to international standards. I do however find myself playing this set more often the the Jacobs and both are infinitely preferable to the Harnoncourt set.

Post by brenda November 17, 2006 (3 of 5)
Jonty said:
I do however find myself playing this set more often the the Jacobs and both are infinitely preferable to the Harnoncourt set.

dear Jonty and TT, have heard only the McCreesh, which I kept happily, and the Harnoncourt, which I sold immediately. How do the two new ones i.e. the Jacobs and the Dunedin consort compare to the McCreesh? Thanks, Brenda

Post by Jonty November 18, 2006 (4 of 5)
I generally don't warm to McCreesh's performances so haven't heard his recording of the Messiah. Sorry

Post by TT November 18, 2006 (5 of 5)
i also dont know the mccreesh performance, sorry.

of course the soloists are not up to international standard, i did not hear their name before that recording came to me. but they make their job more than good, and especially the bass is just great. in my opinion the jacobs soloists are also not up to international standard, i dont know any succesful recordings of rensburg or zazzo without jacobs, so they seem to profit from the excellent interpretations of jacobs.

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