John Nelson, The English Concert – Handel: Messiah, HWV 56 (2023) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

“A lifetime of performing Messiah has brought me enough courage to record this singularly famous piece of music. With the finest musicians and soloists on the planet surrounding me, I’m finally ready to lay down my personal interpretation for posterity.”

The American conductor John Nelson, especially famed for his interpretations of Berlioz, conducted Handel’s most celebrated oratorio at Coventry Cathedral in the heart of England in November 2022.

“In today’s turbulent world, I hope that this concert of Messiah in this symbolic location can be a powerful message of hope.”

The performance is now released as a three-disc set – comprising the audio version (2 CDs) and the video (1 DVD). Nelson’s chosen version of the score reflects Messiah’s evolution over the period from 1741 (the original autograph) to the early 1750s, when a ‘standard’ version of the oratorio took shape. In addition, the CDs offer eight bonus tracks – alternative versions of now-familiar arias.

Joining John Nelson are the historically informed orchestra and choir of The English Concert, soprano Lucy Crowe, countertenor Alex Potter, tenor Michael Spyres and bass Matthew Brook.

As The Times wrote of the performance: “From shadowy strings in ‘For behold, darkness shall cover the earth’ to gilded trumpets and exuberant timpani in the final chorus, this was Handel straight from the opera house: dramatic and eloquent.”

Tracklist:
1-01. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Sinfonia. Grave – Allegro moderato (03:33)
1-02. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Accompagnato. “Comfort Ye, My People” (02:48)
1-03. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Aria. “Ev’ry Valley Shall Be Exalted” (03:20)
1-04. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Chorus. “And the Glory of the Lord” (02:29)
1-05. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Accompagnato. “Thus Saith the Lord of Hosts” (01:25)
1-06. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Aria. “But Who May Abide the Day of His Coming?” (04:18)
1-07. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Chorus. “And He Shall Purify” (02:24)
1-08. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Recitative. “Behold, a Virgin Shall Conceive” (00:25)
1-09. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Aria and Chorus. “O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion” (05:06)
1-10. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Accompagnato. “For Behold” (01:49)
1-11. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Aria. “The People That Walked in Darkness” (03:23)
1-12. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Chorus. “For Unto Us a Child Is Born” (04:05)
1-13. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Pifa. Larghetto e mezzo piano (02:31)
1-14. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Recitative. “There Were Shepherds” (00:16)
1-15. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Recitative. “And Lo, the Angel of the Lord Came Upon Them” (00:18)
1-16. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Recitative. “And the Angel Said Unto Them” (00:29)
1-17. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Recitative and Accompagnato. “And Suddenly” (00:15)
1-18. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Chorus. “Glory to God in the Highest” (01:49)
1-19. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Aria. “Rejoice Greatly” (04:25)
1-20. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Recitative. “Then Shall the Eyes of the Blind Be Open’d” (00:28)
1-21. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Duet. “He Shall Feed His Flock” (04:50)
1-22. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: Chorus. “His Yoke Is Easy” (02:14)
1-23. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Chorus. “Behold the Lamb of God” (03:36)
1-24. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Aria. “He Was Despised” (10:35)
1-25. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Chorus. “Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs” (02:12)
1-26. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Chorus. “And with His Stripes” (02:11)
1-27. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Chorus. “All We, Like Sheep, Have Gone Astray” (03:48)
1-28. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Accompagnato. “All They That See Him Laugh Him to Scorn” (00:40)
1-29. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Chorus. “He Trusted in God” (02:05)
1-30. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Accompagnato. “Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart” (01:53)
1-31. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Aria. “Behold, and See” (01:31)
1-32. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Recitative. “He Was Cut off out of the Land of the Living” (00:16)
1-33. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Aria. “But Thou Didst Not Leave His Soul in Hell” (02:13)
1-34. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Chorus. “Lift Up Your Heads” (02:57)
1-35. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Recitative. “Unto Which of the Angels He at Any Time” (00:13)
1-36. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Chorus. “Let All the Angels of God Worship Him” (01:29)
1-37. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Aria. “Thou Art Gone up on High” (03:10)
1-38. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Chorus. “The Lord Gave the Word” (01:04)
1-39. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Aria. “How Beautiful Are the Feet” (01:01)
1-40. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Chorus. “Break Forth into Joy” (02:09)
1-41. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Chorus. “Their Sound Is Gone out into All Lands” (01:26)
1-42. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Aria. “Why Do the Nations” (02:50)
1-43. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Chorus. “Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder” (01:34)
1-44. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Recitative. “He That Dwelleth in Heaven” (00:10)
1-45. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Aria. “Thou Shalt Break Them” (01:59)
1-46. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Chorus. “Hallelujah” (03:43)
1-47. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 3: Aria. “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth” (05:40)
1-48. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 3: Chorus. “Since by Man Came Death” (02:07)
1-49. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 3: Accompagnato. “Behold, I Tell You a Mystery” (00:40)
1-50. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 3: Aria. “The Trumpet Shall Sound” (08:46)
1-51. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 3: Recitative. “Then Shall Be Brought to Pass the Saying” (00:17)
1-52. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 3: Duet. “O Death” (01:36)
1-53. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 3: Chorus. “But Thanks Be to God” (02:03)
1-54. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 3: Aria. “If God Be for Us” (04:40)
1-55. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 3: Chorus. “Worthy Is the Lamb” (07:24)
1-56. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Appendix: Aria. “But Who May Abide the Day of His Coming?” (03:13)
1-57. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Appendix: Arioso. “But Lo, the Angel of the Lord Came Upon Them” (01:37)
1-58. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Appendix: Aria. “Rejoice Greatly” (06:05)
1-59. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Appendix: Aria. “Thou Art Gone up on High” (03:11)
1-60. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Appendix: Aria. “Thou Art Gone up on High” (Alternate Version) (02:58)
1-61. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Appendix: Aria. “How Beautiful Are the Feet” (04:50)
1-62. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Appendix: Aria. “How Beautiful Are the Feet” (Alternate Version) (03:12)
1-63. John Nelson – Messiah, HWV 56, Appendix: “Their Sound Is Gone out into All Lands” (01:08)