Handel
Messiah
Lucy Crowe (soprano) et al; The English Concert/John Nelson
Erato 5419774160 167:28 mins (2 discs)
At the age of 80 John Nelson finally feels ready to record Handel’s Messiah. It’s not just a labour of love, but an act of faith – literally so; and to underline the oratorio’s message the recording was made live in that symbol of hope and reconciliation: Coventry Cathedral. (Doubly sacred for Nelson since it was here in 1962 that Britten conducted the premiere of his War Requiem – and in addition to the double-disc set, the ‘pilgrimage’ is further enshrined in a bonus DVD).
What to expect when a conductor fêted for his sumptuous Berlioz joins forces with the historically informed forces of The English Concert? If the Sinfony hints at an old-fashioned approach – compounded by a somewhat lugubrious opening to Part 2 – in the event, with a few exceptions, Nelson’s tempos are actually quite brisk, and now and then keep the choir hanging on for dear life. (Sleek yet chiselled, the chorus is also distinctly mellifluous, perhaps, at times, to a fault).
The theatrical instincts that have served Nelson so well in Berlioz ensure some detailed characterisation such as the semiquaver flurry of beating wings as the angels prepare to impart their joyous message. And baritenor Michael Spyres is not afraid to unleash a little operatic heft where necessary. Nimbly-executed, ‘Every Valley’ is enthusiastically embellished, and the accompanied recitative ‘Thy rebuke hath Broken His heart’ distils a scena-like intensity. All four soloists are outstanding; and if Lucy Crowe’s ‘Rejoice Greatly’ is a tour de force of coloratura brio, its 1741 original version – included in a useful appendix of variant arias – proves a breezy charmer. Paul Riley