Emmanuelle Haïm // Handel - Messiah
If you have spent much time with the cracked vibrato of church lady soprano divas or spotty musicianship of once-a-year French horn players, you will appreciate this album.
Emmanuelle Haïm
Handel - Messiah
Erato
Though technically not Christmas music, Handel's Messiah has been a staple of the Holiday season since shortly after it debuted in Dublin in 1742. In any given December, one can find a great number of choirs performing parts – or all – of this masterwork celebrating Jesus as redeemer. If you have spent much time with the cracked vibrato of church lady soprano divas or spotty musicianship of once-a-year French horn players, you will appreciate the clear and perfect voice of soloist Lucy Crowe in "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion" and the balanced tonal richness of the orchestra of Le Concert d'Astrée throughout. Director Emmanuelle Haïm uses the same 20-member chorus as Handel intended. In "His yoke is easy, His burthen is light" they bounce along at a happy clip. This is a perfect soundtrack for decorating your tree but at well over two hours, you might want to take it in small bites.
4/5
