Despite
its popularity, ‘Messiah’ is atypical of Handel’s oratorios. ‘Messiah’
was written at a time when he was producing a masterly sequence
of dramatic oratorios which are nearly stage works. But, strictly,
it has no dramatic structure (though it does have drama). Instead,
Jennens’ fine assemble of scriptural texts explores a series of
themes relating to the Messiah. But the circumstances surrounding
its creation were unusual as well. Written for Handel’s trip to
Dublin, the initial version was sketched out for four unknown
soloists, hence the soprano, alto, tenor, bass line-up. Handel’s
usual method was to write for the soloists that he knew he would
be likely to have available for the forthcoming season. But the
Dublin trip was different, Handel was taking a welcome respite
from problems in London, there were even rumours in the press
that he was going to quit London. So he took with him a work suitable
for a group of, as yet, unspecified soloists and in a dramatic
form that was unusual. Though a success in Dublin, when the work
finally reached London it was not a great success. The scriptural
nature of the text disturbed some people. And Jennens was never
completely reconciled to it. Amazingly, in the light of the work’s
subsequent popularity, he considered some of the music did not
rise to the sublimity of the text.
The
popularity of ‘Messiah’ (and the development of Handel’s real
popularity late on in his career in London), seems to have developed
from the annual performances that he instituted in aid of the
foundling Hospital. Popular from their very outset, these annual
commemorations would lead to the mammoth Handel centenary commemoration
and to the domination of ‘Messiah’ over the rest of Handel’s output
during the 19th and 20th centuries.
There
are, needless to say, many versions of ‘Messiah’ but the one recorded
here is the traditional one, effectively based on the later performances
from Handel’s career, but ignoring the fascinating variants that
Handel created when he had both a castrato and a contralto available.
(Interestingly, Handel never replaced the contralto with an alto
castrato. If he had both available, then the castrato got other
material. Such items as ‘He was despised’ were always sung by
a female contralto).
The
performance recorded here is in many ways traditional, large forces
play at slowish speeds. But Somary’s speeds, though on the moderate
side, are generally acceptable and sometimes they are ideal. The
Amor Artis Chorale give us a very big sound, but manage to sing
with shape and style and most importantly, with a springy rhythmic
bounce. They make a good choral society sound, with a firm alto
line. The tenors are quite strong, but they can sound a little
strained in the higher lying passages. The choir’s sound has rather
more vibrato than would be used in Handel nowadays. Their passage-work
is generally adequate, sometimes more so, but Somary’s rather
moderate speeds do help. I would prefer much more continuo in
the concerted passages, but this is a matter of taste. The English
Chamber Orchestra play in a very stylish manner, indeed until
the development of period instrument performers the ECO’s Handel
was the very epitome of style, and indeed remains so. To enhance
this, Somary has an attractive quartet of soloists who come from
a generation where young singers still cut their teeth on innumerable
performances of ‘Messiah’ and all four of them ornament beautifully.
Something, that I must confess, rather surprised me.
In
the right hands the soprano’s opening recitatives can be one of
the high points of ‘Messiah’ and Margaret Price gives a ravishing
account of them. Somary’s speeds here are ideal and this continues
into the ‘Glory to God’ chorus. Price and Somary also give a fine
account of ‘Rejoice Greatly’, sung in the familiar common time
version. Her phrasing is a times rather romantic rather than baroque,
but all of her solos are a joy to listen to. I was particularly
taken with her lovely rendition of ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth’,
notable for beauty of tone and profoundly moving.
Yvonne
Minton is similarly impressive, her opening recitative ‘Behold
a virgin shall conceive’ is sung with a creamy tone and a shapely
line. And this high standard continues into the following aria.
‘He was despised’ is sung at a surprisingly modern speed it is
finely done but does not quite raise the hairs on the back of
your neck.
Tenor,
Alexander Young, opens the work with a recitative characterised
by great beauty of tone and a lovely shape, but Somary’s accompaniment
is rather too slow for my taste. I felt that the recording might
have caught him slightly too late (he was over 50 when it was
made) as a suspicion of a beat creeps into his voice when it is
under pressure or when the part goes low. Notwithstanding this,
his attention to the words is matchless, so that the sequence
of recitatives and arias in part two make fine listening.
The
Bass, Justino Diaz, is the most variable of the soloists. His
English is good, but he does sing with a distinct accent. His
opening recitative, rather surprisingly, sounded a little low
for him. And in other places his tone can lack focus. Similarly
his passage-work is a little variable, often lacking a sense of
shape and purpose. This is especially a shame as he gets the whole
of the ‘Thus saith the Lord of Hosts’ –‘ But who may abide’ –
‘For he is like the refiners fire’ sequence and I have heard many
basses make far more of this opportunity. But his recitative,
‘For Behold, darkness shall cover the earth’ is wonderfully atmospheric.
By the time we reach, ‘The Trumpet shall sound’ he is on form
and gives a strong account of the aria, only marred by a tendency
to shout the top notes.
Rather
too many of the choruses are slower than I would like, particularly
in part 1. But worse than the slowness, is the sense of plodding
solidity. The choir can sing in a lively, shapely manner (as in
‘Glory to God’), but their opening chorus, ‘And the glory of the
lord’ is marred by this lack of life and sense of purpose. In
other places, such as ‘And he shall purify’, the passage work
contains too many intrusive aitches for comfort. But in complete
contrast, ‘For unto us a child is born’ is sung at a good speed,
with fine passage-work which has a wonderful sense of purpose
and direction. In parts 2 and 3 I found less to worry about, but
never felt that the choral singing was more than adequate. In
a number of places, particularly in part 2, there was a lack of
sustained singing, the sense of 4 individual sustained lines is
lost. And this is very important in Handel’s more serious choruses.
On
repeated listening to this recording, I rather warmed to it and
began to relax a little when the chorus started singing. It does
have some lovely solo work, but really if you are looking for
a modern instrument version of ‘Messiah’, do consider Colin Davis
or Charles Mackerras. Davis, recorded in the 1960s, has the benefit
of the LSO and the London Symphony Chorus though the style can
seem a little old fashioned. Mackerras, conducting the Ambrosian
Singers and the English Chamber Orchestra, produced a recording
which some commentators feel has worn very well.
Robert
Hugill
Margaret Price (soprano)