London Symphony Orchestra - Messiah (LSO Live)

This is a Messiah with much to commend it though, unfortunately, also one with its fair share of problematic elements. Perhaps surprisingly, it is the orchestra's performance that sticks firmest in the memory on this disc, as it did when I attended the live performance back in December of 2006. Davis is not an obvious choice to conduct Baroque music, but here he reduces the LSO's numbers to the bare essentials - strings, a smattering of wind, timpani - and moulds the compact ensemble expertly.

Here is a reading of beauty, pathos and dignity, not one of high drama, as we are made immediately aware by the Sinfonia's Grave section, here resigned, almost world-weary. Later, the languorous drones of the Pastoral Symphony magically imprint themselves on the cranium. Davis accompanies the voice magnificently, striving for a homogenous balance throughout. His tempi can be slow, but he brings out individual instrumental lines and counterpoint so clearly that momentum is never lost. The orchestra's sound is fresh, even rejuvenated, with some especially fine work from Catherine Edwards on the harpsichord.

Equally commendable is the performance of the Tenebrae Choir, who attack Handel's spirited choral movements firmly and precisely, never overstating their case, providing miraculously clean, crisp, fresh tone. The sopranos handle their high writing with particular ease. The Hallelujah chorus is a predictable highlight, with the stirring choral timbre backed by Adrian Bending's thunderous timpani playing.

Tenor Mark Padmore takes a while to warm his voice, which can seem effortful in Part One, but he delivers the text excellently. Since Davis underplays the work's operatic elements, Alastair Miles' performance is problematic, for his dramatic delivery, occasionally verging on vulgarity, works against the translucent orchestral accompaniment. Miles does, however, attack the bass coloratura with pleasing snap. Soprano Susan Gritton's entrance in Part One immediately ups the tension, and she sings prettily throughout, though her enunciation can be muddled when the vocal line becomes elaborate. Alto Sara Mingardo, for all the ease and tenorial richness of her singing, seems (as she did live) unsure of the part, rarely daring to project above the orchestra or colour her vocal timbre. The only non-English soloist, who can blame her for seeming occasionally tentative with the language?

The LSO Live engineers have captured the performance in delicate, clean sound, though Colin Davis' famed grunting is often to be heard, sometimes distractingly. The release comes with a bonus DVD, containing 40 minutes of performance footage and an interview with Davis himself. It's a worthwhile purchase, but not an essential one.

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