Messiah
Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford, Emma Kirkby, Judith Nelson, Paul Elliott, Carolyn Watkinson, Christopher Hogwood, David Thomas, Academy of Ancient Music
At the time this recording was released, there weren’t many period-instrument performances of Handel’s magisterial Christmas oratorio Messiah on the market yet. Now there’s a bumper crop of them, and many are outstanding, but this is the one I keep coming back to. Hogwood leads the choir of Oxford’s Christ Church Cathedral and his own Academy of Ancient Music orchestra through a joyful and powerful performance, and the singing by featured sopranos Judith Nelson and Emma Kirkby is especially impressive. A balance of lightness and power is particularly essential for this music, and Hogwood and his players and singers manage that balance perfectly. The recorded sound is excellent as well.
