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Handel, "Messiah" – Nikolaus Harnoncourt/Concentus Musicus Wien, Christine Schafer, Anna Larsson, Michael Schade, Gerald Finley (album cover)

Handel, "Messiah" – Nikolaus Harnoncourt/Concentus Musicus Wien, Christine Schafer, Anna Larsson, Michael Schade, Gerald Finley (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 82876 72039).

St. Paul, Minn. — When I come across a recording of Handel's "Messiah" I go directly to my favorite arias and choruses. And yes, I often sing along. Many of us have heard this work hundreds of times. Some of us even attend holiday community "sing-along" performances.

Whether you know this work from beginning to end, or you know only the "Hallelujah!" chorus, I guarantee you'll hear something you haven't heard before in this new live recording with Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Concentus Musicus Wien.

Even though this is an Easter Oratorio, it begins with the birth of Jesus, which is why we hear it at Christmastime. The Christmas story is my favorite part of Handel's "Messiah" and the musicians on this new recording tell it so beautifully.

One of the first things I noticed is the tempo. Period instrument performances have a tendency to take this at a much quicker speed, but Nikolaus Harnoncourt slows things down with Concentus Musicus Vienna. The tenor aria, "Ev'ry Valley Shall be Exalted," is the first place this really jumped out at me.

To confirm my suspicions, I listened to another period instrument performance from 1997 with the Gabrieli Consort and Players. On that recording the smooth, effortless style of tenor Charles Daniels has no trouble keeping pace with the orchestra. In fact, I'm more accustomed to hearing this piece at that faster tempo.

On this new recording, Harnoncourt gives the orchestra, chorus and the soloists room to breathe and shape the phrases. Michael Schade's sweet tenor does just that in his first two arias, "Comfort ye my people" and "Ev'ry Valley." Slowing the tempo allows Schade to be more expressive. Another place the tempo variation is very noticeable is in the most famous part of this oratorio. The "Hallelujah!" chorus begins more like a minuet than the bold overture most of us recall. It sounds like it's gradually revving up for the moment when the king rose at the words "for the lord God omnipotent reigneth." Harnoncourt also makes this chorus more percussive. The lines, "King of Kings, and Lord of Lords" are almost staccato, with every phrase punctuated to really make the point.

It's been more than 20 years since Harnoncourt first recorded "Messiah". He's had a lot of time to think about what he might do differently, given another chance. Interestingly enough, the tempo on this new release is very similar to that earlier release.

Overall, the sound of this recording is richer and fuller. It maintains a sense of intimacy during the solos and a sense of glory during the choruses. "And the Glory of the Lord" is one of my favorite choruses. On this release, recorded live in Vienna's Musikverein, the music almost glows, ring ing through the air with joy and celebration.

This oratorio was also a personal favorite of Handel's. He even suggested that composing the piece was a spiritual experience, exclaiming, "I did think I did see all Heaven before me and the great God himself." It's easy to imagine the heavens opening up and displaying their rewards during that chorus.

"Bursting with audacious vitality," is how Nikolaus Harnoncourt describes Handel's "Messiah." He brings those words to life on his latest recording of this oratorio. I think his choice of soloists adds even more positive energy to this performance.

German soprano Christine Schafer's voice is pure (no vibrato?), yet warm and inviting. Her reading of "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion" confirms that for me.

Swedish alto Anna Larsson has made a name for herself as an oratorio singer and she complements Schafer beautifully on "He shall feed his flock."

Canadian baritone Gerald Finley's voice is incredibly flexible. He demonstrates that as he flows gently through the lyrical lines of "For behold, darkness shall cover the earth."

With this new release, for the first time, you can hear Handel's "Messiah" in surround sound quality on hybrid Super Audio Cd. Yes, it sounds fabulous, but more important, on this recording you'll hear a performance that will make you listen more intently to one of the most famous oratorios of all time. In fact, you may feel as if you're hearing it for the first time.