Document

  1993
    July 1993
        Choral and song
                Handel Judas Maccabaeus.

Handel Judas Maccabaeus. Heather Harper (sop); Helen Watts (contr); Alexander Young (ten); John Shirley-Quirk (bar); Amor Artis Chorale; Wandsworth School Boys' Choir; English Chamber Orchestra / Johannes Somary.

Vanguard Classics (Mid price) (CD) 08.4072.72 (two discs: 133 minutes: ADD). Text included. From VCS10105-7 (8/72).

Comparative version:

King (12/92) CDA66641/2

This recording of Judas Maccabaeus dates back more than 20 years. Ideas about Handelian style have moved on a good deal since then, although it wasn't old-fashioned in approach; but listening now to the heavy choral singing, the sustained string playing, the treatment of rhythm and the often banal handling of ornamentation is to take a trip down a bit of memory lane that might be better forgotten. I have no desire, however, to forget these soloists, who are a distinguished team. Alexander Young's musical singing and lovely, easy production always gives pleasure, even if he hasn't quite the touch of steel to his voice that the title-role here ideally needs. Heather Harper does some good things, but not very consistently—it sounds as though she was having a bad patch at the time, for the usual warm and bright tone and spacious phrasing often desert her. But Helen Watts and John Shirley-Quirk remain outstanding singers of this repertory and they help provide some of the best things on this set.

There is a certain sturdiness to Johannes Somary's direction at times, but the beat is essentially rather pedestrian and tempos are on the slow side. Add to this the fact the work is quite severely cut: the 'liberty' sequence in Act 1 is spoilt, and there is music missing in each of the other acts too. The recording is of its day, adequate but lacking vividness or clarity and sometimes bass-heavy. If any earlier recording were to have been reissued to compete with the King Hyperion version, it would better have been the Mackerras on Archiv (9/77—nla), altogether a more intelligent, spirited and stylish reading of the work; as it is, the King reigns without serious challenge.

SS



		This recording of Judas Maccabaeus dates back more than 20 years. Ideas about Handelian style have moved on a good deal since then, although it wasn't old-fashioned in approach; but listening now to the heavy choral singing, the sustained string playing, the treatment of rhythm and the often banal handling of ornamentation is to take a trip down a bit of memory lane that might be better forgotten. I have no desire, however, to forget these soloists, who are a distinguished team. Alexander Young's musical singing and lovely, easy production always gives pleasure, even if he hasn't quite the touch of steel to his voice that the title-role here ideally needs. Heather Harper does some good things, but not very consistently—it sounds as though she was having a bad patch at the time, for the usual warm and bright tone and spacious phrasing often desert her. But Helen Watts and John Shirley-Quirk remain outstanding singers of this repertory and they help provide some of the best things on this set.



		There is a certain sturdiness to Johannes Somary's direction at times, but the beat is essentially rather pedestrian and tempos are on the slow side. Add to this the fact the work is quite severely cut: the 'liberty' sequence in Act 1 is spoilt, and there is music missing in each of the other acts too. The recording is of its day, adequate but lacking vividness or clarity and sometimes bass-heavy. If any earlier recording were to have been reissued to compete with the King Hyperion version, it would better have been the Mackerras on Archiv (9/77—nla), altogether a more intelligent, spirited and stylish reading of the work; as it is, the King reigns without serious challenge.