大象传媒

Handel's iconic choral favourite 'Messiah' in the version by Mozart performed by the 大象传媒 Philharmonic and Huddersfield Choral Society, conducted by Harry Christophers.

Handel arr. Mozart: Messiah (sung in English)

Lynda Russell (soprano)
Catherine Wyn-Rogers (contralto)
Thomas Randle (tenor)
David Wilson-Johnson (bass)
Huddersfield Choral Society
大象传媒 Philharmonic
Harry Christophers (conductor)

Gottfried, Baron van Swieten was court librarian to Emperor Franz Joseph the Second in Vienna and a famous musical antiquarian who amongst other things introduced Haydn and Mozart to the music of Bach and Handel. The effect on Mozart's musical style was immediate and profound and one practical consequence was that Mozart set about making arrangements of some of the Handel pieces which fascinated him most. One of these was that perennial choral classic 'Messiah'.

Mozart changed the orchestration of Messiah, adding instruments popular in his own day such as clarinets, and expanded Handel's original instrumental lines. The result is a fascinating musical hybrid - Handel viewed through the prism of Mozart's own musical personality - and in this version the piece can be considered a distinctive masterpiece from the hands of both composers.

In this performance the 大象传媒 Philharmonic and Huddersfield Choral Society are joined by a distinguished line-up of soloists and conducted by one of the great latter-day Handelians, Harry Christophers.