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Handel's Messiah--Dublin Version

6K views 17 replies 7 participants last post by  SixFootScowl 
#1 ·
I am a big fan of Handel's Messiah and have several different copies including an earlier recording by The Sixteen, the Oxford all male recording, the Westenburg recording, along with some highlights sets. But I recently came across this recording of the Dublin Messiah. Now I don't know if it is the Dunedin Consort and it's small size (I think 13 total singers) or if it is the Dublin version of 1742 itself, but I find this a very beautiful Messiah and different in a way that I can't quite find words to describe, but it seems simpler in some ways, yet more beautiful, not quite as elaborate perhaps.
 
#7 · (Edited)
What I read was that in London it was not well received because the people felt that a sacred subject should not be presented as entertainment, but in Dublin it was well received, presumably the people there being more open to the entertainment aspect of sacred music.

Interesting there is a Naxos Dublin Messiah. I'll have to look it up. One reason I was onto The Sixteen was their small size but the Dunedin Consort is even smaller. Still a full and rich sound.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Interesting there is a Naxos Dublin Messiah. I'll have to look it up. One reason I was onto The Sixteen was their small size but the Dunedin Consort is even smaller. Still a full and rich sound.
Only Naxos complete Messiah I am finding is the Oxford all male Messiah. I have it, it is Higginbottom and the Choir of New College Oxford. A beautiful Messiah but not the Dublin one. After Dublin it was performed in London and even Jenkens disapproved, then it was very sporadically performeed until about 10 years later when he started performing it at the Foundling Hospital. This Naxos Messiah is " the only modern re-construction of Handel's unique London performances in 1751, when he used boy treble voices not only for the choruses but for the arias as well." But he used a tenor for Rejoice Greatly! A nice variation at that!

I am not keen on male altos though, but then I am not all that keen on the alto voice at all. Very few female altos really work for me.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Here is the Dublin Messiah I linked in first post. Booklet is tucked in middle between the two disks:


And here are my complete Messiah sets. The Westenburg is special because it was my first Messiah in the late 1980s and we spent a lot of time finding the right one. I still have it on vinyl in excellent condition:
 
#18 · (Edited)
And here are my complete Messiah sets. The Westenburg is special because it was my first Messiah in the late 1980s and we spent a lot of time finding the right one. I still have it on vinyl in excellent condition:
Wow, this thread from back in the days I was Tall Paul. Just attended Messiah the other day so am going through my collection. Anyway, I sold the Sixteen Messiah set to a co worker as it was just not doing it for me. I retain the 1751 Version because it is unique (though I would be happy to sell it as I am not fond of counter tenors), I still love the Westenburg Messiah and the Dunedin Consort's Dublin Messiah. I added a live performance of Messiah by the Academic Choir and Orchestra or [Google Translated to English], conducted by Morten Topp:


I also added one sung in German (not Mozart's re-orchestration) particularly for the voice of Gundula Janowitz:


Yesterday I ordered a Messiah that is the rendition of the debut performance in London, quite different from your typical Messiah per this review. Here it is (excellent vocalists through and through):


Now to sit back and listen to them all!:)
 
#17 · (Edited)
:tiphat:
That's a great collection TallPaul
Thanks. I had the Pinnock performance, but sold it to my son when I got the Westenburg, thinking to keep it to one set, but Messiah is one of those works that you just can't have only one of. I also had another Sixteen Messiah that involved Koopman--think it was The Sixteen choir and Koopman conducting some other orchestra--, but I gave it to a pastor friend. Then there is a more recent Messiah by the Sixteen than the one I posted above.

I got a small version too, I think its the Dublin version, done by the Scholars Baroque Ensemble, on Naxos label.
I have a recent NAXOs catalog and don't see it but a general Google search on NAXOS and MESSIAH reveals three other besides the Oxford Messiah I have, and including the Scholars Baroque Ensemble.
 
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