'Iotal BIS,.CD.89I/892STIiREO tseE playingtime: 140'00 HANDEL, GeorgFriedrich (toss-rzsq) MeSSiah (rext:compil.rr by CharlesJennens from the Bible andPrayer Book Psalter) BIS.CD-891 Total playing time: 69'14 Part the First ' 53'52 t! MajoraCanamus (narralor) ... Andwithoutcontroversy. ...........0'36 tr Symphony 3'07 tr Accompagnato (tenor) . Comfort ye my people. 2'55 tr Air (tenor) . Ev'ry valley shall be exalted. ..t'15 Lll Chorus . And the glory ofthe Lord shall be revealed .2',48 L!i AccompaBnalo(ba:s). Thus saiththe Lord . t'27 tr Air (a1to) But uho ma1abrde the duy ol Hiscori;g. .4',20 EI Chorus. And He shall purify the sons of Levi .2'27 LYI Recitrtivelaltor... Behold, a virgin shall conceive. .0'29 @ Air andChoru: O Thou thartellest good tidings to Zion. 5'36 E Accompagnatofbas:). For behold,darkness shall cover the earth . .2'02 @ Air (bass) . The peoplethat walked in darkness. .3'47 tr Clhorus. .......Foruntousachildisborn. .3'46 tr Pifa .2',48 tr Recitative(soprano). .....Therewereshepherdsabiding.. ......0'15 tr Accompagnato(soprano). .Andlo,theangeloftheLord ........0'17 tr Recitative(soprano). .....Andtheangelsaiduntothern... .....0'32 @ Accompagnato(soprano) . And suddenlythere was with the angel . 0' i 6 Chorus. .......GlorytoGodinthehighest. .........1'47 @ Air (soprano) . Rejoicegreatly, O daughterof Zion . 4'12 n Recitative(alto)... ...... Thenshall theeyes ofthe blindbe open'd......0'31 @ Duet (alto, soprano) . He shall feed His flock 4'49 tr Chorus. .......Hisyokeiseasy.Hisburlhenislight..........2'15 Part the Second (opening) 52'39 @ Chorus. .......BeholdtheLambofGod.. ..........3'11 tr Air(alto) ......Hewasdespisedandrejectedofmen.........ll'04 BIS.CD-892 Totalplaying time: 72'00 Part the Second (conclusion) E Chorus Surely,He hath bome our griefs . .1'19 tr Chorus. .......Andu'ithHisstripeswearehealed............1'31 tr Chorus. .......Allwelikesheephavegoneastray............3'51 tr Accompagnato(tenor).. ..AlltheythatseeHimlaugh... .......0',+6 tlt Chorus. .......HetrustedinGodthatHewoulddeliverHim...2'18 tr Accompagnato(tenor).. .. Thyrebukehath brokenHisheart. ... - l'47 tr Arioso(tenor). ..Behold,andseeiftherebeanysonow.........1'41 tr Accompagnato(soprano). .Hewascutoffoutoftheland. .......0'17 tr Air (soprano) . But thou didst not leaveHis soul in Hell . 2'I0 @ Chorus. ....... Liltupyourheads,Oyegates .......2'59 E Recitative(tenor).. ......UntowhichoftheangelssaidHe.............0'22 @ Chorus. .......LetalltheangelsofGodworshiphim.........I'26 @ ,q.ir(alto) ....Thouartgoneuponhigh ...........2'53 @ Chorus . TheLordgavetheword... .........1'll tr Air (soprano) . How beautifulare the feet of Him . 2'18 @ Chorus. .......Theirsoundisgoneout. ....1'44 tr Air(bass) ......Whydothenationssofuriouslyragetogether...1'22 @ Chorus. ....... Letusbreaktheirbondsasunder. .... '1'46 @ Recitative(tenor).. ......Hethatdwellethinheaven ....... ..0'12 @ Air (tenor) . Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron . ' . ' . 2'07 E Chorus Hallelujah! 3'29 l Part the Third 32'48 @ Air(soprano) ...IknowthatmyRedeemerliveth. .....5'31 Chorus. ....... Sincebymancamedeath... ........2'04 @ Accompagnato(bass)... .. Behold,Itell you amystery .........0'39 Ell Air (bass) . The trumpet shall sound 8'48 @ Recitative(alto)... ......Thenshallbebroughttopass. 0'17 @ Duet(alto,tenor).. ......ODeath,whereisthysting. 1'45 @ Chorus. .......ButthanksbetoGod.. 2'09 @ Air (alto) . If God be for ever 4'21 @ Chorus. Worhy is the Lamb that was slain . 7'01 Bach Collegium Japan directedby Masaaki Suzuki Soloists: Midori Suzuki, soprano;Yoshikazu Mera, alto; John Elwes,tenor/narrator; David Thomas, bass |ffift Specialthanks to KobeShoin Women's University. (*\ j j - (: r)ffi n A ; ocD t* + > I > ! ) = t )v J u ffi ,r. d i. /c ffi &DJil ttqffi _L, E * T fi ts fi ,F * " For copyright reasonsthis rccording is nol available in Japan unless imported and sold by King Intemational, Inc. Licensed fiom King Record Co. Ltd., Japan. 4 Foreword by Masaaki Suzuki the merits of the singers and the characteristicsof In the history of music. how many other works the choir and orchestrathal were available to him have become so widely loved and known both in on each occasion. This recording is based on the the composer's day right through to modem times perfomance at Covent Garden in 1753 with four as the Messiahl C.PE. Bach. W.A. Mozart and soloists. a choir of the same size and an orchestra Ludwig van Beethoven were all familiar with this with probably slightly tewer oboes and bassoons work, either as listener, performer or arranger. than at the time. 'Messiah' 'the and they all held its composer in high esteem.Al- in the Old Testament means ready in the l8th century, enthusiasticHandelians anointed'. In those days, kings, priests and created a major event of performances of the prophets were anointed before they took up their Messiah, and the festive atmosphere increased special posts. This word later came to mean'the 'Christos' each year. In 1859, the centenary of Handel's Saviour'. and was its Greek translation. death. the work was pefformed by a choir com- Therefore, this oratorio actually deals with the prising 2.765 singers and an orchestra of 460 quintessential issue of Christianity. The text by players, and in 1883, by 4,000 singers and 500 Jennens deserues high praise. It is constructed in a players. Interestingly, however, George Bernard wondertul manner incorporating all the Christran Shaw commented ironically that'If I were a doctrines including the prophecy, birth, passion, member of the House of Commons, I would pro- resunection and immortality of Christ with direct pose a law making it a capital offence to perfbm quotations from the Bible. What is more, Han- an oratorio by Handel with more than eighty del's music is filled with such innocence and nat- perfonners in the chorus and orchestra, allowing uralness.without aspiring to deal with the whole lbrty-eight singers and thirty-two instrumental- Bible. This transparency is one of the reasons ists.' Handel. although he did not actually con- why the Messiah has been loved by so many duct any perfomances after 1754 because of an people to this day. eye disease, was involved in 36 performances Sometimes the words of the Bible are set to during his lifetime. music with deep religious insight in a way that The difficulty of perfoming Messiah. in sin- purifies the soul, as in Bach's cantatas,but in the cerity, lies in the fact that Handel himself changed Messiah, the words reach the heart with direct the instrumentalion and the vocal pans each time appeal through its highly attractive music. I sin- he performed it, and consequently he never per- cerely hope that the listener filled with the music fomed it the same way as in the 1741 premidre. of the Messiah will appreciale the messages that In short, one has to face the problem of which are sung. version one should revive today, when even the Blessing and honour. glory and pow'r, be mlto composer's performances let fte work evolve like him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the a living creature. In his day, Handel probably Lamb,Jbr ever attd et'er.Anten chose the most appropriate way, bearing in mind Masaaki Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan Handel's Messiar, Nevenheless, Messiah has several individual Handel's Messiah rs one of the most widely and traits. Firstly, whereas in the other oratorios the long loved works in the history of westem music. main character is a hero from the Old Testament, Its populiLrity is due not only to the grand scale of in Messiah it is Christ himself. Secondly, in the the work, taking on the theme of the Messiah, but other oratorios the main character takes charge of also to the diversity of the music, with choruses the dramatic action, but in this work Christ him- and arias full of passionate appeal, so that one can self does not appeal Thirdly, as opposed to the enjoy it regardless of ideology or religion. Ever other oratorios in which opera-style texts are since its premidre, there has been a debate on used, the texl of Messiah puts together extracts whether Messlal is a sacred work in the real from the Bible. The fourth point is that Messiah sense or more of a dramatic work. However. since was not premidred in London, but at a theatre in it is now widely considered that religion is the uni- Dublin. The fact rhat it became a tradition to per- versal legacy of values, one need no longer hesi- form this oratorio in churches and chapels is also tate in placing this work among the most essential unique. sacred works. This performance by Masaaki The text was assembled by Charles Jennens Suzuki and Bach Collegium Japan also stands on (1700-\'773) from extracts refening to Christ in the belief that this work is deeply religious. the Authorised Version of the Bible. It is master- Handel, bom in Halle, Gemmy in 1685, be- fully constructed and the content is explicit, but came an opera composer and then trained in ltaly. inevitably the relationship between the pieces is After he settled in London in 1710. his activities not especially strong, and one does not feel that it centred on composition and Italian opera. How- intends to convey a particular theological argu- ever- because of the decline in the fortunes of the ment. The important things are to express the feel- aristocracy who were his main patrons, it became ing of praise, and to appeal to the listener with its impossible to maintain his opera ventures and, dramatic effects. The world of Messialr is lucid from the late 1730s onwards. Handel shifted his and humane, in contrast with works such as Bach's energy to the composition of English oratorios. Passions. Thus, works such as .Saa1(1739), Israel in Thus Handel, with an invitation from the Go- Egypt (1739) and L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Mo- vemor-General of lreland, went to Dublin, and on derato (174O) were bom. Although these oralorios 13th April 1742, premidred this work at a benefit were perfomed on the theatrical stage, their sub- concert held in the theatre. The result was a great jects were mainly taken from the OId Testament, success.