Negative Positive
Title: Frustrating
Review: I don't share the other reviewers' enthusiasm for this performance. To my ear, the chorus is too large and diffuse and the soloists are, conversely, too distant to be emotionally involving.On the good side: the final Hallelujah is the best of my 30 Messiahs, magnificent.Kathleen Battle's "Rejoice" is terrific but she uses the same concept with better execution in her recital with Marriner, and better still on her disc "Grace."The bass Samuel Ramey has a great voice but his mind seems to be on something else. I prefer Terfel and Herincx on Messiah.Tenor John Aler and alto Florence Quivar have some good moments, but better can be found elsewhere -- including Aler on the Westenberg recording.
Is the review positive or negative? 