Search - Various Artists :: Messiah Remix

Terrible Idea, Poorly Executed

James Warner | New York City | 05/23/2006

(1 out of 5 stars)

"It is not necessarily "wrong" to do something like this. There are many examples of a bunch of composers working with someone else's material, perhaps most famously when Anton Diabelli sent his little waltz to many famous composers and asked each of them to write a variation. Obviously seeing this as a weak idea, Beethoven instead wrote his own series of the thirty-three which were to become one of his masterpieces. These Messiah "remixes" are grim. Perhaps the main problem, apart from the obviously facile, throw-away quality they have, is that none of these composers seems to have considered why Handel composed his work, what it meant to him, or what his impulse was. They are only working with the musical elements (the notes, rhythms, harmonies, etc.) and completely ignoring the soul of this masterpiece. These are merely doodlings by a group of technically expert but musically bankrupt contemporary composers. I defy you to listen to any of these pieces more than once and honestly maintain that you get more out of them on subsequent listenings. The only time they grab you is when a snippet of Handel's great music is allowed to emerge on its own for a few seconds. You then realize what a huge waste of time (well, probably not all that huge, actually) this project was."

Blessed Remix

Roxanne Lambie | Canberra, Australia | 12/23/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Messiah Remix is a contemporary celebration of a Christmas story and continues the characteristic qualities of inspired arrangements of Handel's most recognised work.



The 11 works are dramatised by a variety of electronic and contemporary dimensions. In the title track, Tod Machover creates a vortex of intensive glorification of god with angels trumpeting a rocking and thunderous final amen. In contrast, Scanner produces a spacious comfort zone through blanketing pure tones in his "Insulation Mix". Most true to the joyful oratorio, Amirkhanian processes serviceable soloists and baroque instrumentation spawning a mirrored sound dimension in his "Mqsical Lou". Dubois circumambulates his "Convolution" with intricate layers of sonic textures. The popularity of Handel's large scale choral work is gently referenced in the "Assembler Mix" by Takemura which sets off the awesome Hallejuah by Kline. Plentiful melody is made viscous, sweet, gassy, hollow and light in Lansky's "Post Pastoral". Electronic subterfuge manifests magnetic and channelled effects in "Overture on Ice" and "Be/Hold" by Sonami and Beglarian respectively. Dalek utilises streetwise mannerisms in his "Messiah Deadverse" interpretation to elevate and intensify this overplayed good piece of music. John Oswald's, "Partial" ends the listing with a reverant space resorting to the sounds of an organ leaving the Messiah Remix ajar for a future spin.



Another demiurgic Cantaloupe CD to furnish your residence, The Messiah Remix will not fail to dissapoint the gifted listener this Christmas."