Search - George Frideric Handel, Helmut Koch, Theo Adam :: Handel: Der Messias (Messiah)

SPLENDED, MAGNIFICENT, GLORIOUS!!!

Artur Zebrowski | Brooklyn, NY USA | 10/10/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It is a great production. Artistically convincing if not enthralling. Technically a little bit, I would say, too panoramic when it comes to the way the sound is recorded. The singing in the German version is outstanding, you just understand every single word, for instance in "Why do the nations so furiously rage together" one has no problem in following Theo Adam. The singing techniques used by all the singers in this recording match so well the spiritual genre of oratorio. Although I highly praise a couple of other recordings of Messiah in the original language, I find this one greatly balanced, especially when it comes to the tempos. I think this particular Messiah deserves a better remastering; it sounds a little bit too digital. Berlin Classics has so far issued a great many wonderful recordings which are quite successfully remastered, but not this one. Despite this little flaw don't tarry to purchase it, you will be deeply moved!"

Slow tempos

Bryan Park | Philadelphia, PA USA | 06/19/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The thing that struck me most about this recording was that the tempos were slower than I'm used to on some of the numbers. (A lot of the tempos are fine, but certain numbers are quite slow.) To let you know where I'm coming from, my all-time favorite recording of Messiah is John Eliot Gardiner conducting the English Baroque Soloists and the Monteverdi Choir on Philips, and he's known for his brisk tempos. I got this recording because it's one of the only German language recordings of Messiah available, plus I'm a Peter Schreier fan. The recording was made in 1973, so you wouldn't expect much in the way of period performance practice. The orchestra and chorus are big, although there is a slight nod to performance practice in the use of harpsichord. They manage to fit the entire Messiah onto two discs with timings of 75:10 and 74:43. The recording is mid-priced, and I like the novelty of having the Messiah in German."