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Handel: Messiah / Cleobury, Dawson, Summers, Ainsley, Miles

Handel / Choir Of Kings College Cambridge
Release Date: 01/25/2011 
Label:  House Of Classics   Catalog #: 220304   Spars Code: DDD 
Composer:  George Frideric Handel
Performer:  Alastair Miles,  Lynne Dawson,  Hilary Summers,  John Mark Ainsley
Conductor:  Stephen Cleobury
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Brandenburg Consort,  Cambridge King's College Choir
Number of Discs: 2 
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Notes and Editorial Reviews

This Messiah, recorded live at Pieterskerk, Leiden in 1993, is one of three versions in the Cleobury/King’s College catalog, and it’s undoubtedly the best, in spite of the very occasional audience noise. The sound is actually very good, better than most studio-controlled efforts, and the choral singing is terrific—the legatos gorgeously flowing, the articulation in all those quick-running melismas clean and crisp without affected accenting, the overall tone quality vibrant and perfectly tuned. Likewise for the orchestra, one of the better baroque bands around back then. Cleobury's tempos are expertly judged, balances between chorus and orchestra allow everything to be heard. The soloists also make a well-matched quartet, excellent Handel Read more singers all. John Mark Ainsley delivers one of the most solid, compelling “Ev’ry valleys” ever. Even if, as I do, you have a number of “favorite” Messiahs in your collection, once you hear this, you’ll be making a space for it next to those.

-- David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com [4/2011]
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Works on This Recording

1. Messiah, HWV 56 by George Frideric Handel
Performer:  Alastair Miles (Bass), Lynne Dawson (Soprano), Hilary Summers (Alto),
John Mark Ainsley (Tenor)
Conductor:  Stephen Cleobury
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Brandenburg Consort,  Cambridge King's College Choir
Period: Baroque 
Written: 1741; London, England 
 Date of Recording: 1994 
Venue:  Live  St. Peter's Church, Leiden, Netherlands 
Length: 134 Minutes 17 Secs. 
Language: English 

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