John Butt - Handel: The Messiah

This superb new disc features the composer's original version of the Messiah as it was premiered at Fishamble Music Hall, Dublin in 1742. In the years that followed the original Dublin production, at least 10 different versions of the Messiah were produced by Handel, and although no one edition can be regarded as "definitive," the aim of this recording is to recreate some of the freshness of the premiere, so that the listener may hear it as if for the first time, when many moments must have been quite unexpected. The changes made by Handel over the years frequently reflected the musical and vocal resources available to the composer at the time of production. The Dublin version was originally performed by the choirs of Christ Church and St. Patrick's Cathedrals, whose numerical resources were approximately equivalent to those of the Dunedin Consort today.

"Rarely has a vocal group made such an impact on the Scottish classical scene as quickly and impressively as the Dunedin Consort. Crisp singing and clear diction is matched by outstanding technical ability." – Sunday Herald

"It is riveting. Balance is never a problem with Dunedin's radiant and intimate recording: it's Hallelujah chorus sturdy, effortless and exultant; it's small band of singers, from which the soloists emerge, perfectly matched. In the final reckoning, if I had to make a choice between recordings, my money would go on Dunedin's Messiah." – The Scotsman, November 2006