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Title: INEXCUSABLY LETHARGIC
Review: This tremendously beloved piece of music is on a healthy dose of sedative under director Walter Susskind. Really, I have no idea what happened here; the hallelujah chorus sounds like a leisurely lullaby... Tempo is way too slow throughout, and there is just no "gusto" that should be a part of a piece of music covering profound themes like this one does. I wanted to feel it (and tried for a very long time), but just didn't.If you are interested in picking up a copy of Messiah, skip this version and instead purchase a copy of the rendition by director John Alldis (also featuring London Philharmonic Orchestra/Choir). Alldis TOTALLY redeems the London Philharmonic and wakens this important piece of music from the dead. I highly recommend the Alldis version; highly discourage this one. The classic rendition featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir from the 1980s also puts this version to shame.The Messiah needs to be felt deeply, and this version just doesn't get the job done.
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