Product Description Combine the premier choral conductor of our time; his select chamber choir, the Cambridge Singers; the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; and Handel's timeless Baroque masterpiece and you have the ultimate musical celebration for Christmas or Easter! Remarkably, this breathtaking performance is Rutter's first recording of Messiah. Two CDs.Hendrickson Worship introduces a new recording of Handel's Messiah, from world-renowned conductor and composer John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers. Remarkably, this is the first time John Rutter has recorded the Messiah. Named on The Today Show as "the greatest living composer and conductor of choral music," Rutter is probably the most successful choral composer of his generation. Rutter's compositions are chiefly choral, and include Christmas carols, anthems, and extended works such as a Gloria and a Requiem.Messiah is being performed by the Cambridge Singers, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by John Rutter. The soloists are Joanne Lunn, Melanie Marshall, James Gilchrist, and Christopher Purves.The 2-CD set includes a 24-page booklet with the text of Messiah and interspersed photos from the recording session at All Hallows Gospel Oak, London.
Item Specifications...
Record Label Hendrickson Worship/Martingale Music
Dimensions: Length: 5.6" Width: 4.9" Height: 1" Weight: 0.4 lbs.
Binding CD
Release Date Sep 1, 2007
Publisher HENDRICKSON PUBLISHERS,INC.
ISBN 5557773568 EAN 9785557773560 UPC 853840001085
Having never heard the entire Messiah, I guess I was just lucky be introduced to it through this recording. The solos are so clear and resonant, the choral numbers breathtaking and the orchestral support first rate. We're all familiar with the famous Hallelujah chorus and I'd heard various other excerpts, but didn't realize there was so much more to the work or that it portrayed the story of Christ's entire life.
My son had heard a piece on NPR about how Handel wrote this entire thing in 22 days and that it wasn't all that well received until the King of England heard it and was so overtaken, he stood and wept during the Hallelujah chorus. My son hunted down a recording and was himself so moved, he put it on his iPod and gave me the CDs. There are plenty of other versions out there, but after checking around, I realize we really lucked out with this one. It is outstanding and highly recommended.
A Fitting Addition Jan 31, 2009
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this rendition of Handel's Messiah. It is a fitting addition to my collection. Whereas this version is not my most favorite, for that distinction still remains with the Sir David Willcocks' release conducting the NightPro Symphoy Orchestra with the Mormon Tabernacle Chior, I cherrish it dearly because it is one of the few complete works of this great oratorio.
Great new recording of classic work Dec 18, 2008
I was pleased to find this new recording of Handel's Messiah by John Rutter recently, as I try to collect one or two recordings of this work each year. I was surprised to find, however, that this was Rutter's first commercial effort. In any event, this recording is exceptionally well done. For those more particular listeners unsure of whether they prefer the shorter, crisp articulation of the Boston Baroque, or those who prefer the larger, more lush sounds of the Toronto Symphony/Davis recording, this is a happy medium. The tempi are very comfortable - not too slow, not too fast. The orchestra and chorus share a unified, impeccable articulation (which does tend to the shorter side, for those looking for more clarity), and the soloists are all more than capable. The ornamentation in the solo sections also seems to be just right - enough to admire their great technical skills, but not so much as to get in the way of the music, or to be too "showy." The recording quality is very nice, and the price is excellent.
This is a great recording for those who want to know more about this work, and for the seasoned collector, it provides a wonderful addition to current collections.
Wonderful Music! Dec 13, 2008
This is a beautiful 2-cd set. The orchestration is outstanding, and the voices are strong and melodic. Highly recommended!
The best recorded performance of Messiah I've heard Apr 5, 2008
This is the newest recording of Messiah and it is wonderful. John Rutter and his band of musicians have captured the essence of this oratorio. Tempi are appropriate and not exessively fast. The balance between choir and orchestra is excellant and the soloists fit the piece. Technically, the recording is several levels above the ususal. I have posessed a number of recordings of Messiah over the years and this is the best!
