Sir Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus - Handel: Messiah - Great Choruses

Classical album titles are always a mess, but this is a particular mess. This is an abridged version of Handels’ Messiah (the full recording of this same mass by the same conductor and orchestra is two hours and twenty minutes on S***ify). It’s a full-bore 20th century production, far more ornate and with more pomp than Handel originally wrote it.

Handel may have considered himself an album artist in his day, but I guarantee that you’ve heard his hit single - track 16, the “Hallelujah Chorus”. In the original mass it’s the end of the 2nd movement, detailing the Passion of Jesus. Besides Pachelbel’s Canon and J.S. Bach’s Tocatta and Fugue, it might be the single most famous Baroque banger. Even still, the end of the 3rd movement “Worthy is the Lamb… Amen” is more powerful and grand to my ears. I also really enjoy “For unto us a child is born” and its back and forth mens-and-women’s melody lines, leading up into a joyous and slightly silly chorus (Wonderful! Counselor!). This whole album seems to just exude the joy of God that seems to be missing from a lot of the “joyous praise” of contemporary Christian music to me.

The cover is in good condition with a handsome light blue spine. The CD on the inside was dusty when I got to it. The interior booklet is coated on the outside but plain paper on the inside, with lyrics and historical context in German, French, and English. I probably would not have been able to sit through the whole thing unless it was a live performance. Given that the NJ Symphony is doing it this December, I might just do that.

Handel: Messiah - Great Choruses by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus is a good album, and I like it.