Messiah-1959-Ormandy's Abridged Version-Up Or Down Vote?

[stenka razin]

I was thinking that this would be a good time of the year to discuss the pros and cons of one of the best selling recordings of all time. The 1959 Columbia(Sony) abdridged (106 minutes!) version of 'Messiah', with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on 2 CDs.

I have many complete editions in period performances and non period versions, but, except for the famous Beecham lollapalooza from the 1950's in the Sir Malcolm Sargent 'over the top' edition, no Messiah has been more controversial then the Ormandy, even with such luminaries as Eileen Farrell, William Warfied and Martha Lipton as soloists.

My fellow CMGers, do you have this version? Do you like or dislike it? Your opinions please?

[maestrob]

Funny you should mention this. I liked Ormandy's version when it came out and I was growing up in Philadelphia's Main Line, but then I started singing with David Randolph when I moved to NY in 1972, and was totally spoiled by Randolph's approach. I must have sung the piece with him over 50 times in Carnegie Hall & Lincoln Center, & never tired of it. We got standing ovations every time!

An up or down vote? Well, for its time, it was a fine effort, but in today's world I'd have to give Ormandy great kudos but I probably won't listen to it again.

[HoustonDavid]

I'm not a collector of multiple performances, by and large, and this just happens to be
my only "Messiah" recording. I was attracted by the soloists and the MTC, and Eugene
Ormandy to be sure. The sound quality might not be up to today's standards, but it is
indeed a marvelous version. I too, like Mel, have sung it many times, though certainly
not professionally as he has. Mine have usually been the communal gatherings where
everyone brings their personal copy of the music and follows under the direction of the
"hired" conductor and listens to the best local soloists. It's fun, but I probably wouldn't
purchase a recording of our attempts; it would be a disappointment, musicality speaking.

[Wallingford]

Well, back in the days of the vinyl LP record and before Columbia was known as CBS or Sony--myself and many others opted for Bernstein's early-stereo set with three of the same soloists (put out a year before Ormandy's RIAA-certified Gold Record). Ormandy's didn't quite supplant Bernstein's, which itself was a hardy runner right into the CD era.

Make no mistake about it: Ormandy had exceptional gifts as a chorus-with-orchestra maestro. He did fine, distinctive albums of:
Bruckner's Mass
Honegger's Jeanne d'arc au bucher
Bach's St. Matthew Passion
Walton's Belshazzar's Feast
Orff's Carmina Burana
Brahms' German Requiem (in English, w/Mormon Tabernacle Choir)
Beethoven's Ninth

But in Messiah, he's strictly on cruise control.

[johnQpublic]

I can't speak to this recording but when I was a teen I went to several Philadelphia Orchestra Handel "Messiah" concerts; but it was always the assistant, William Smith, that directed them.

[Lance]

Yes, I have the Ormandy (and the early Bernstein/NYP) recordings. I enjoy them both. I, too, was attracted to the Ormandy album because of, especially, the voice of Eileen Farrell. For its time, I think the Ormandy was a very fine recording and still hold it in high esteem. I've got a lot of Messiahs, including the Beecham/RPO (1961); Sargent/Liverpool PO, Solti/Chicago; Boult/Sutherland; Bonynge/Sutherland; Stokowski/LSO (excpts); Karl Richter/LPO (excpts); Westenberg/Blegen; Shaw Chorale & Orchestra (RCA); Beecham/RPO (1947); Shaw/Atlanta (excpts).

[stefanher]

I hope there are no "authentic instrument" or "period performance" fanatics reading this thread.... I have the Bernstein which has the incomparable Russell Oberlin singing the alto roles. Despite the fact that male altos are much commoner now I still haven't heard anyone with a better voice.

[Donaldopato]

Despite its age, lack of authenticity and all that it is a stirring performance. Many of us (me included) who learned about classical music in the 60's and 70's first heard Messiah from this recording and thus it has a special thumbs up vote in my book.

[John F]

I never got this recording, or even listened to it, because then and now I have no use for an abridged "Messiah." Why Columbia didn't go the extra yard and record the music complete, I've never learned. To me it's a barefaced and cheap exploitation of the popularity of the work, orchestra, choir, and some of the soloists (though hardly Davis Cunningham - who he?), without doing any of them full justice. But fans of the performers, including apparently some of us, may perhaps have gotten what they wanted, and saved a few bucks as well.

By the way, I've found out that in the performances at the time this recording was made, the soprano wasn't Eileen Farrell but Mrs. Warfield, aka Leontyne Price. But Farrell was under contract to Columbia and by far the more popular singer at the time, so it's understandable that she was brought in for the recording.

[Jack Kelso]

Handel's great oratorios do very well with Mozart's modernized instrumention. The Columbia Ormandy release of "Messiah" is a marvelous tribute to this.

Also interesting is Mendelssohn's orchestration of Handel's pastoral opera, "Acis and Galatea".

I'm not a purist....and enjoy Stokowski's Bach arrangements as well. The main thing is that the music in question is tastefully orchestrated. Malcolm Sargeant's versions really are "over the top" in my estimation. Beecham's "Solomon", "Love in Bath" and other Handel arrangements are not.

Tschüß,
Jack

[Ted Quanrud]

Sorry, but thumbs down from me.

I simply prefer period instruments and a greater awareness of period performance practice. The Ormandy, Bernstein, Beecham, Sargent and Klemperer recordings seem to me stodgy and bloated by comparison.

Right now, the new Coro recording with The Sixteen tops my list, but I also have strong affection for Trevor Pinnock (Archiv) and John Eliot Gardiner (Philips). I do not really like the McGegan (Harmonia Mundi) but keep it because it includes almost all the variants. I really want to hear the new Dunedin Consort recording on Linn.

The one modern instrument recording in my collection and one I often refer to is Colin Davis's 1966 effort, a truly magnificent performance.

[Chalkperson]

I never play the Messiah, I think I only have two versions of it, and I have not played them in at least a decade...

[HoustonDavid]

Of course, that means someone must ask (I choose to) "Why Not?" Is it Handel the
composer and baroque music, or is it that "Messiah" is overplayed this time of year
and never on other religious holidays, which it also encompasses, but the public tends
to forget?

[Chalkperson]

Of course, that means someone must ask (I choose to) "Why Not?" Is it Handel the
composer and baroque music, or is it that "Messiah" is overplayed this time of year
and never on other religious holidays, which it also encompasses, but the public tends
to forget?

I love Baroque Music and play it every morning, and, I have dozens of recordings of Handel Operas and Oratarios, I just don't enjoy the Messiah that much...but, i'm also a bit weird, as you all know by now...

[dirkronk]

Never heard the Ormandy...to my knowledge anyway. I grew up with excerpts only (mainly the big choruses, natch) played at school or on the radio, until I started collecting classical LPs in the mid to late 1970s. At that point, I got to know the Beecham, the Stokowski excerpts and a couple of others (a good friend had the Colin Davis), but soon found the Marriner on Argo and rather bonded to that one for a while. Only when Hogwood came out on L'Oiseaux Lyre did I get excited enough to add another to the collection. Hogwood's complete performance AND his excerpt LP both occupy precious shelf space still in my collection. The superb sonics of the original analog recording and the excitement of the performance make it an ongoing favorite for me.

Haven't gone hunting for a more recent rendition since I finally started adding CDs to the collection. Hmmm...maybe it's time. (I'm willing to take suggestions.)

The Messiah holds the distinction of being the only classical music I've ever walked out on. It was back in the '80s sometime. I was with my wife and another couple, and long before the midpoint we were all exchanging glances of dismay. The choir was having an embarrassing meltdown, the instrumentalists were missing cues, and the results were painful to hear. We waited for a lull, slipped out as silently as possible, went to a restaurant and commiserated our artistic and monetary losses (the tickets were rather pricy) in assorted desserts and alcoholic beverages. Haven't had the guts to hear another live performance of the work since.

Dirk

[Wallingford]

Of course, a faulty performance these past couple decades has had a nifty out--mainly in the form of those grand "Messiah singalong" concerts with the audience joining (yes, and even with the soloists, I believe). In '89, I did my only Messiah walkout mainly because I was suffering head and chest congestion real bad.....had to leave finally when I didn't have the endurance to get to the Easter portion.

Wasn't till right after Christmas vacation that I finally learned what I had was an ear infection.

[HoustonDavid]

During several "Messiah" singalongs I have participated in, the only singers and players
were in the volunteer ensemble choir and orchestra, most of whom even brought their
personal copy of the music, which is to say they were obviously choral and orchestral
aficionados and members. We rehearsed in preparation and to make sure we were all on
the same page. After all, we didn't want to embarrass ourselves in front of friends and
family.

The soloists had to audition from the best local talent; only the conductor was paid and
professional. The audience was there to listen and hopefully enjoy. It was rare to hear a
full production of "Messiah" avec orchestra in most smaller cities unless it was the annual
"singalong" as Neil puts it. It would never have occurred to anyone to "hum" along or sing
"with" the soloists. If you wanted to participate you were welcome. but very few attempted
Handel's four-part baroque choral masterpiece unless they were experienced singers and
many were professional musicians, teachers mostly. Maybe they've deteriorated over the
years since I last indulged myself.