Jordi Savall brings his musical insights to a work with a formidable recorded legacy. First performed in Dublin in April 1742, Handel made numerous revisions, additions and cuts, resulting in no definitive Messiah version. Savall’s authentic baroque sound feels more akin to a live church performance than a dramatic oratorio, cultivating reverence and dignity; nothing is ever overdone, it is well-paced and always restrained, capturing the poetic nature of the King James Bible. Savall doesn’t incorporate the heightened drama of Masaaki Suzuki’s rendition, for instance, which has John Elwes recite the prologue and reminds us that Handel envisioned Messiah as a work for the theatre.
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“Le Concert des Nations“’s orchestral sound is very impressive right from the overture. Vibrant and precise, the dramatic, French-styled dotted rhythms are phrased curiously but refreshingly, though the harpsichord is dominant and can be overly flamboyant. As the performance unfolds this can become more distracting, diverting attention away from finer musical lines. Whilst there are some different colorations in the continuo with the use of an added lute, there is insufficient contrast until part III, when the organ becomes more prominent. The strings show commendable precision (again, in the impressive overture), but on occasions the intonation is blemished, most noticeably in “The People That Walk in Darkness” (CD 1, track 11, 2’09”).
Tenor Nicholas Mulroy has a beautiful rounded and velvety tone, his gentle vibrato contrasts against the astringent string sound, and his stylish embellishments bring a creative approach to phrasing. Matthias Winckhler (bass) has a richness to his voice, though the slower bass arias have a rather broad tempi, which Winckhler doesn’t appear entirely comfortable with. Rachel Redmond (soprano) has an impressive diction, bringing innocence to “I Know My Redeemer Liveth” (CD 2, track 19) and adds some interesting embellishments to the vocal line. Damien Guillon (countertenor) has a mellow and even tone that works well throughout. His diction, like Redmond, is clear, but his consonants at the end of words are not always consistently executed.
The sound Savall brings to Capella Reial de Catalunya and Concert des Nations is highly consistent throughout his discography, revealing the depth of their long-held relationships. Capella Reial de Catalunya are good overall, but their consonants are also not always executed stylistically. They navigate some of the clumsy settings of the English text commendably, as in “He Shall Purify” and “All We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray” (CD 1, 7 and 26). In one of the most memorable choruses of part I — “For Unto Us A Child Is Born” (CD 1, 12), Savall proceeds with a leisurely approach.
The phrasing is convincing, but the slow tempo in the overly reverberating acoustic results in a disappointing loss of rhythmic clarity. The famous “Hallelujah” (CD 2, 18) is sprightly, the diction is initially clear but becomes sadly indistinguishable in the more contrapuntal passages. “Since By Man Came Death” has exquisite unaccompanied passages, with beautifully secure intonation that showcase the choir, but in “Worthy is the Lamb That Was Slain” and “Amen” that closes the Oratorio, the choir is sadly over-dominated by the orchestra. The thinner textures do reveal the choir’s strengths in terms of blend and balance, but rather too momentarily.
As comparisons go, a first choice overall is Harry Christophers with The Sixteen (in their version on the Coro label). Christophers understands the drama and grandeur in Handel’s music, pacing it to peak perfection. His soloists complement each other with uniformity of tone, natural phrasing and clarity of diction, supported with impeccable orchestral playing. Sir John Elliot Gardiner and the Monteverdi Choir perform with absolute unity, crisp pronunciation and pure sound. Christopher Hogwood’s Academy of Ancient Music recording has a charm all of its own. As an alternative performance, Savall can be considered for the insightful interpretation if nothing else.
Handel – Messiah
Rachel Redmond – Soprano
Damien Guillon – Counter-tenor
Nicholas Mulroy – Tenor
Matthias Winckhler – Bass
Capella Reial de Catalunya
Concert des Nations
Jordi Savall – Conductor
Alia Vox, Hybrid SACD AVSA9936
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