# Handel's Messiah: Best Recording? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 9, 2007, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handels-messiah-best-recording/425827 "2007-11-09T20:06:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handels-messiah-best-recording/425827/1 "2007-11-09T20:06:06Z")
Currently I’m considering McNair, von Otter, Chance, Hadley, Lloyd, Marriner There are a million recordings of this work. Some very traditional, some modern, some with alternate treatments of some of the solos. I’m not that versed on what makes one better than the other. I guess my simple tastes just prefer a very passionate recording with excellent chorus and solos (well, doesn’t everyone? 😉 ) Have I picked well? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handels-messiah-best-recording/425827/2 "2007-11-09T20:24:00Z")
I just love [this one](http://www.amazon.com/Handel-Messiah-Reynolds-Langridge-Marriner/dp/B00000427H/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-7699454-6732624?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1194639568&sr=8-1) : (Ameling · A. Reynolds · Langridge · Howell · Marriner). It’s the 1743 (early version) so some of the content & arrangements are a bit different, but I’ve grown to the prefer this version (especially the expanded “And there were shepherds…”). ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handels-messiah-best-recording/425827/3 "2007-11-09T20:29:06Z")
I heartily recommend [Neville Marriner’s](http://www.amazon.com/Handel-Messiah-Reynolds-Langridge-Marriner/dp/B00000427H/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-5197758-6337457?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1194639428&sr=8-1) 1976 recording of _The Messiah_, with the Academy and Chorus of St. Martin-in-the-Field. And some wonderful soloists. This version is less pompous & plodding than the “standard,” with chorus & instrumentation more like what Handel knew. And it’s very beautiful. (I learned to love this from an LP of “the best bits”–but the CD of the full piece is only $12.97.) And when Emily Ameling sings “I Know My Redeemer Liveth”–I know, too. (Until she stops singing.) ---
**Author:** ![Enterprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/76d3ee/32.png) [@Enterprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enterprise)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handels-messiah-best-recording/425827/4 "2007-11-09T20:29:58Z")
My favorite is the McCreesh, but I don’t really count as an expert around here. It’s a gorgeous recording, though, with great performers, and well chosen tempi (at least to my taste). ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handels-messiah-best-recording/425827/5 "2007-11-09T20:43:47Z")
[QUOTE=Bridget Burke] I heartily recommend [Neville Marriner’s](http://www.amazon.com/Handel-Messiah-Reynolds-Langridge-Marriner/dp/B00000427H/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-5197758-6337457?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1194639428&sr=8-1) 1976 recording of _The Messiah_, with the Academy and Chorus of St. Martin-in-the-Field. And some wonderful soloists. This version is less pompous & plodding than the “standard,” with chorus & instrumentation more like what Handel knew. And it’s very beautiful. (I learned to love this from an LP of “the best bits”–but the CD of the full piece is only $12.97.) And when Emily Ameling sings “I Know My Redeemer Liveth”–I know, too. (Until she stops singing.) [/QUOTE] Your link took me to the same recording that **jsc1953** recommended. I notice that Amazon says this was a 1995 release- but maybe that was the CD release date of the 1976 recording? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handels-messiah-best-recording/425827/6 "2007-11-09T21:29:06Z")
[QUOTE=xanthous] Your link took me to the same recording that **jsc1953** recommended. I notice that Amazon says this was a 1995 release- but maybe that was the CD release date of the 1976 recording? [/QUOTE] I think it is. I had a recording on LP in the 70s that I was trying to replace, and found this: and as far as I can tell, it’s identical.