George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
Messiah (arr. Goossens/Beecham)Jennifer Vyvyan (soprano)
Monica Sinclair (alto)
Jon Vickers (tenor)
Giorgio Tozzi (bass)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus/Sir Thomas Beecham
rec. 1959, Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London
Pristine Audio PACO 230 [2 CDs:144] stereo XR Remastering
(NB: Download 161 minutes; includes additional appendix tracks)

The 1992 RCA Victor CD box set of this famous recording offers a third, “special bonus disc” containing seventeen minutes appendix tracks (see beneath review) available only on the Pristine download, whereas the physical two CD set from Pristine does not. This is not a deal-breaker; as the notes explain “For the original 1959 issue, [Beecham] shaped the oratorio with a firm dramatic arc, omitting several arias and movements that, while fully orchestrated, he felt lay outside the narrative focus and musical balance he intended”; it is, however, something of which prospective purchasers of the CDs need to be aware.

There is no doubt that despite the quality of the original RCA recording, Pristine’s remastering renders the stereo sound somewhat warmer and more “present”. What a thrill it is to hear the young Jon Vickers open the singing with “Comfort ye”; generations of small, white, polite English tenors are kicked into touch by the smooth, virile tones of his magnificent voice. Nonetheless, he sings passages such as the recitativo accompagnato “Thy rebuke hath broken his heart” with great tenderness and when he does assume the grand manner, it is the perfect complement to this Goossens/Beecham confection, which enhances Handel’s conception with a much larger orchestra and an eighty-strong professional choir, doubled woodwind, harp and plentiful percussion. It is completely redundant that it is insufficiently “period” when, a) that was never the intent b) the very concept of authenticity was still in its infancy. I find it utterly compelling, stately tempi, overblown orchestration and all; in particular, after Vickers, it is hard to hear any other singer, however good, sing the tenor numbers. Yes; “He shall purify” and “For unto us” – complete with incongruous cymbal clashes – do plod a bit to modern ears habituated to more spring but the pace of such movements is all of a piece with Beecham’s aim to elevate the work to anthem status; “an offering in righteousness” sounds like a true tribute to the Almighty. However, despite the prevailingly sturdy tempi, “All we like sheep” is taken at quite a lick, those repeated coloratura melismas presenting something of a challenge to the choir. In fact, the pace of many of the sections picks up markedly as we work through Part II, working towards the triumphant conclusion. True; the exuberance of the crashing, bashing “Hallelujah Chorus” is almost comical – but it’s also fun. Turn it up and terrorise all the neighbours and their pets. The final “Amen” is equally massive.

Vickers is not the only possessor of a glorious voice. We next hear Giorgio Tozzi’s grand, black, incisive bass, fresh from New York, singing such monumental roles at the Metropolitan Opera as the Commendatore, King Philip and Boris Godunov – again, to adapt Vicker’s admonition to Beecham, “not your typical English bass”. My absolute favourite moment in the whole piece is the recitative “For behold, darkness shall cover the earth” and Tozzi intones its creeping menace perfectly before expanding into the shining message of hope, “But the Lord shall arise”. Monica Sinclair’s buttery delivery is another aural treat; she has real contralto depth with a neat, fast vibrato, no wobble. It comes a surprise to realise that it is getting on for fifty minutes into the piece before we hear the clear, bright, agile soprano Jennifer Vyvyan. Here is certainly nothing overtly “operatic” in her manner; she is simple, direct and touching, the very slight tremulousness actually adding to its pathos.

The appendix contains some lovely things and makes me wonder why, if Beecham thought they were worth recording, he didn’t include them. No matter; you can programme them in if you want.

If you need an antidote to all this pomp but don’t want to go all-out “period” with much reduced forces, I can recommend the recent re-issue on the budget Alto label from Stephen Cleobury with the King’s College Choir in 1994 (review) or even Colin Davis’ classic old performance on Philips from 1966.

Ralph Moore

ADDITIONAL TRACKS (download only)
1. Unto which of the angels (0:26)
2. Let all the angels of God worship Him (1:37)
3. Thou art gone up on high (3:59)
4. The Lord gave the word (1:12)
5. Then shall be brought to pass (0:21)
6. O death, where is thy sting (1:23)
7. But thanks be to God (2:23)
8. If God be for us (5:35)