CD-Charts Position 191
Average Rating:

Essential Handel

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
from: Hyperion UK

Release Date October 11, 2005
Robert King and his King's Consort have made dozens of recordings, establishing themselves in London as a pre-eminent Baroque group. They benefit greatly from King's unflagging energy and musical insight. Twenty years ago you couldn't say that the period movement had attracted the best musicians and conductors. That situation has changed radically, and this sampler CD from King's complete recordings exhibits first-class playing throughout. Baroque singing is at a high level, too, but you couldn't say that his singers are of Met or Royal Opera House quality--even so, they are very good.

As an indicator of the strides that period performance has made, this is an eye-opening CD, but it's also engaging for the general listener, like ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 192
Average Rating:

The Christmas Album

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
by: The Canadian Brass, Franz Xaver Gruber, George Frideric Handel, Jr. Hopkins John Henry, William James Kirkpatrick, Mykola Dmytrovich Leontovych, Felix Mendelssohn, James Pierpont, Michael Praetorius, Ward Swingle, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Christmas Traditional, John Francis Wade, Anonymous, Lydia Adams

Release Date August 10, 1990
I especially liked the 12 days of Christmas. Very unique!! I heard a CB xmas song on the radio, and ran right out to buy this. I am very glad I did.

CD-Charts Position 193
Average Rating:

Ten Tenors in Prayer

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
from: RCA

Release Date September 15, 1998
The sound quality is worse than an old, scratched vinyl record. Music is boring and old. Extremely disappointing.

CD-Charts Position 194
Average Rating:

Händel: Alexander's Feast

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
from: Philips

Release Date March 27, 2007
This is one of Handel's two odes for St. Cecilia's day. St. Cecilia is the patron saint of music, and it was once traditional in England to write a musical ode in honor of her day. Purcell wrote several. This is the grander of Handel's two odes, though the shorter piece is wonderful, too. Both are settings of texts by John Dryden, so Handel had a fine librettist, and he wrote some of his best vocal music in both scores. In the present work, Alexander the Great is influenced by music's great power, and you will be, too in this great performance. We have John Eliot Gardener to thank for this performance since there are (I believe) only two recordings of this work currently available. Snap up this set now before they run out of copies!

CD-Charts Position 195
Average Rating:

Carissimi: Jephte; Jonas

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
from: Naxos

Release Date March 22, 2005
Jephte is easily Carissimi's best-known and most-performed composition, an oratorio in the operatic, declamatory style developed by Monteverdi and others at the beginning of the 17th C. Somehow I remember hearing an LP of it way back in 1958; I can't imagine what that sounded like, but I wasn't impressed. It was pompous, growly, and slow. It amazes me now to think it was even performed, when its musical nature was so poorly understood.

Fortunately, practice does make perfect, or more precisely, informed performance practice makes nearly perfect. This CD from the Italian performers who call themselves Consortium Carissimi is indeed nearly perfect: light and animated, transparent in pitch, sung without modern bullhorn vibrato, beautifully ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 196
Average Rating:

Christmas Album: Original Masters

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
from: Deutsche Grammophon

Release Date October 28, 2003
This set is a truly amazing find! Vintage 1950's and 1960's German performances of Christmas and traditional holiday music. This contains an awesome range of artists, from Maria Stader, Fritz Wunderlich and Herman Prey, Gundula Janowitz, Irmgard Seefried, to Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, with music ranging from excerpts from Handel's Messiah to traditional christmas carols. Instrumental and choral performances balance out the collection. Documentation is well-written, and the sound is excellent high-fidelity mono and stereo. Very recommendable!

CD-Charts Position 197
Average Rating:

Choral Moods

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
from: RCA

Release Date October 13, 1998
This is the most uplifting music I have encountered. The angelic sounds of this choral group help me stay sane on California highways!

CD-Charts Position 198
Average Rating:

Handel: Messiah

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
from: Hendrickson Worship

Release Date September 04, 2007
This is the newest recording of Messiah and it is wonderful. John Rutter and his band of musicians have captured the essence of this oratorio. Tempi are appropriate and not exessively fast. The balance between choir and orchestra is excellant and the soloists fit the piece.
Technically, the recording is several levels above the ususal.
I have posessed a number of recordings of Messiah over the years and this is the best!

CD-Charts Position 199
Average Rating:

More Tears from Heaven

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
from: RCA

Release Date March 09, 1999
World class musicians performing masterpieces. So many sampler CDs offer mediocre performers, but the musicians here are the cream of the crop. The choice of composers is also inspired. This is a great way to test the waters on choral music and find favorites without having to break the bank. One of my all time favorite CDs.

CD-Charts Position 200
Average Rating:

The Joy of Christmas

CD-Charts > Music > Oratorios
by: John Francis Wade, Anonymous, James R. Murray, Mykola Dmytrovich Leontovych, Robert de Cormier, Christmas Traditional, Lewis Redner, Bernard de la Monnoye, George Frideric Handel, Gustav Holst, Henry John Gauntlett, Franz Xaver Gruber, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Engelbert Humperdinck, Leonard Bernstein, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, New York Philharmonic

Release Date September 16, 1997
Raise the roof and sing praises on high! Play this if you cannot make it to church, and you will feel like you are there. The incomparable sound of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with all the religious classics. A few oddities are tagged on at the end, the Nutcracker, Children's Prayer from Hansel & Gretel and the ubiquitous Handel's Messiah.