After suffering great disappointment with Nicholas McGegan's Harmonia Mundi interpretation of Handel's Messiah on the one hand, and finding Claudio Scimone's approach on Europa Musica far more lively but somewhat casual in matters of phrasing, I approached this new issue hesitantly and with trepidation. Initial fears were instantly allayed by qualities which were sadly absent from the Harmonia Mundi set, those of nobility and uncluttered affect. Richard Hickox has assembled a first-rate team for his recording and, though I sometimes find myself at odds with him over details, he has succeeded in conveying to me the humanity of Handel's masterly score, its contrasts, its gestures, its radiance and its tenderness.
The soloists make an impressive showing here and I applaud not only the exceptional clarity of their diction but also their generally sure pitching of notes. Sometimes I felt an excess of vibrato which, in the mouths of lesser artists might have become an irritating factor; yet it is never an uncontrolled vibrato and many readers will probably find little to protest about. Philip Langridge is on splendid form; his opening accompagnato and aria are authoritative but also lyrical and warmly coloured; and he is affecting in his three accompagnato sections in Part 2. Della Jones, a gifted and seasoned Handelian, gives wonderfully affirmative and stylishly ornamented performances of her music; every note is in place and every word clearly declaimed. She projects a tender and deeply felt account of ''He was despised'' where strings and voice alike are effectively sustained, hitting just the right note of gravity. Joan Rodgers has a brightly-coloured soprano voice and an agile technique which serve the virtuoso aria ''Rejoice greatly'' very well—the common-time version rather than that in 12/8 is preferred here—and she, like Della Jones, is skilful in matters of ornamentation. At the other end of the affective scale, so to speak, Rodgers is able to convey tenderness with a degree of expressive intensity in the aria ''And He shall feed his flock'', though I enjoyed rather less her nervous-sounding, persistent vibrato in ''How beautiful are the feet''. This is my first encounter with the bass-baritone Bryn Terfel, though judging from recent reviews he is someone to watch. His voice has a resonance and a commanding presence which, together with an ear for nuance and a fluent technique, ensure interpretations of considerable impact. His aria ''Why do the nations so furiously rage together'' comes over forcefully, with admirable attention to detail. Indeed one of the features of this performance which I like above all is the care taken over complementing the spirit of the text with music. Handel took some considerable trouble over it so why should not interpreters do the same? Christopher Robson is the remaining member of the solo line-up. His clear voice, sure intonation and ability to achieve light and shade make for rewarding listening.
The soloists are matched by first-rate choral singing and it is this element of the performance which, perhaps, has given me the most consistent pleasure. The voices are disciplined, agile and responsive to every nuance of the text. Upper strands possess an innocent-sounding freshness while the lower ones neither over-project nor in any way cause the music to suffer from too weighty a tread. ''The Lord gave the Word'' is crisp, strongly motivated and radiant, ''Since by man came death'' restrained, ideally balanced and with effectively handled contrasts. Somehow Hickox has managed to blend the technical virtues of a professional choir with the spontaneity and exuberance which characterize the singing of our best amateur groups.
Last but by no means least is the sympathetic support given to the singers, soloists and choir alike by the orchestral players of Collegium Musicum 90, led by its co-founder Simon Standage. Special mention, perhaps should be made of the light-footed continuo support and of the sensitive natural trumpet playing of Crispian SteelePerkins. Only occasionally did I feel that the upper string sound was a shade less unanimous in sound than I or indeed, probably they, would have considered ideal. But all in all a splendid achievement; I can imagine few readers being disappointed. The recorded sound is effectively spacious with a resonance that enables the ear to enjoy details of texture and colour.'