Messiah

Album by George Frideric Handel & Lucy Crowe & Alex Potter & Michael Spyres & Matthew Brook & The English Concert & The English Concert Choir & John Nelson

Messiah is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel, completed in 1741 and first performed in Dublin in 1742. Combining Baroque choral and orchestral forces with solo arias and recitatives, it features contrapuntal choruses and ornate vocal writing, and it stands as a major late work in Handel's output that synthesises his church and secular compositional techniques and influenced subsequent choral practice.
First released: 24th November 2023

Tracklist

  1. 1.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Sinfony. Grave – Allegro moderato
    3:33
  2. 2.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Accompanied recitative. “Comfort ye my people”
    2:48
  3. 3.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Air. “Ev’ry valley shall be exalted”
    3:20
  4. 4.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Chorus. “And the Glory of the Lord shall be revealed”
    2:29
  5. 5.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Accompanied recitative. “Thus Saith the Lord of Hosts”
    1:25
  6. 6.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Air. “But who may abide the day of His coming?”
    4:18
  7. 7.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Chorus. “And he shall purify”
    2:24
  8. 8.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Recitative. “Behold, a virgin shall conceive”
    0:25
  9. 9.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Air & Chorus. “O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion”
    5:06
  10. 10.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Accompanied recitative. “For behold, darkness shall cover the earth”
    1:49
  11. 11.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Air. “The people that walked in darkness”
    3:23
  12. 12.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Chorus. “For unto us a child is born”
    4:05
  13. 13.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Pifa. Larghetto e mezzo piano
    2:31
  14. 14.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Recitative. “There were shepherds abiding in the field”
    0:16
  15. 15.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Accompanied recitative. “And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them”
    0:18
  16. 16.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Recitative. “And the angel said unto them”
    0:29
  17. 17.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Accompanied recitative. “And suddenly there was with the angel”
    0:15
  18. 18.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Chorus. “Glory to God in the highest”
    1:49
  19. 19.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Air. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion”
    4:25
  20. 20.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Recitative. “Then shall the eyes of the blind be open’d”
    0:28
  21. 21.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Duet. “He shall feed His flock like a shepherd”
    4:50
  22. 22.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the First: Chorus. “His yoke is easy, His burthen is light”
    2:14
  23. 23.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Chorus. “Behold the Lamb of God”
    3:36
  24. 24.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Air. “He was despised”
    10:35
  25. 25.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Chorus. “Surely He hath borne our griefs”
    2:12
  26. 26.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Chorus. “And with His stripes we are healed”
    2:11
  27. 27.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Chorus. “All we, like sheep, have gone astray”
    3:48
  28. 28.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Accompanied recitative. “All they that see Him laugh Him to scorn”
    0:40
  29. 29.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Chorus. “He trusted in God”
    2:05
  30. 30.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Accompanied recitative. “Thy rebuke hath broken His heart”
    1:53
  31. 31.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Arioso. “Behold, and see, if there be any sorrow”
    1:31
  32. 32.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Accompanied recitative. “He was cut off out of the land of the living”
    0:16
  33. 33.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Air. “But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell”
    2:13
  34. 34.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Chorus. “Lift up your heads, O ye gates”
    2:57
  35. 35.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Recitative. “Unto which of the angels said He at any time”
    0:13
  36. 36.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Chorus. “Let all the angels of God worship Him”
    1:29
  37. 37.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Air. “Thou art gone up on high”
    3:10
  38. 38.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Chorus. “The Lord gave the word”
    1:04
  39. 39.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Duet. “How beautiful are the feet”
    1:01
  40. 40.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Chorus. “Break forth into joy”
    2:09
  41. 41.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Chorus. “Their sound is gone out into all lands”
    1:26
  42. 42.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Air. “Why do the nations so furiously rage together?”
    2:50
  43. 43.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Chorus. “Let us break their bonds asunder”
    1:34
  44. 44.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Recitative. “He that dwelleth in heaven”
    0:10
  45. 45.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Air. “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron”
    1:59
  46. 46.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Second: Chorus. “Hallelujah!” (3:44)
    3:43
  47. 47.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Third: Air. “I know that my Redeemer liveth”
    5:40
  48. 48.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Third: Chorus. “Since by man came death”
    2:07
  49. 49.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Third: Accompanied recitative. “Behold, I tell you a mystery”
    0:40
  50. 50.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Third: Air. “The trumpet shall sound”
    8:46
  51. 51.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Third: Recitative. “Then shall be brought to pass the saying”
    0:17
  52. 52.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Third: Duet. “O death, where is thy sting?”
    1:36
  53. 53.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Third: Chorus. “But thanks be to God”
    2:03
  54. 54.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Third: Air. “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
    4:40
  55. 55.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Part the Third: Chorus. “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain – Amen”
    7:24
  56. 56.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Alternative Arias: Air. “But who may abide the day of His coming?” (1741)
    3:13
  57. 57.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Alternative Arias: Arioso. “But lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them” (1743)
    1:37
  58. 58.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Alternative Arias: Air. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion” (1741)
    6:05
  59. 59.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Alternative Arias: Air. “Thou art gone up on high” (1741)
    3:11
  60. 60.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Alternative Arias: Air. “Thou art gone up on high” (1743)
    2:58
  61. 61.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Alternative Arias: Air. “How beautiful are the feet” (1741)
    4:50
  62. 62.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Alternative Arias: Air. “How beautiful are the feet” (1750)
    3:12
  63. 63.
    Messiah, HWV 56: Alternative Arias: Air. “Their sound is gone out into all lands” (1743)
    1:08

Credits