Dunedin Consort

Winner Baroque Vocal Album of the Year 2007
Classic FM Gramophone Awards

Recorded at Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh, UK: 1-4 May 2006
Produced and engineered by Philip Hobbs
Post-Production by Julia Thomas at Finesplice Ltd
Project Management: Caroline Dooley
Cover image: The Tribute Money, 1629 (oil on panel)

Performers
John Butt (conductor), Co-artistic Director
Susan Hamilton (soprano), Co-artistic Director
Nicholas Mulroy (tenor)
Matthew Brook (bass)
Annie Gill (mezzo soprano)     
Clare Wilkinson (alto)
Heather Cairncross (alto)
Edward Caswell (bass)

Why the Dublin version?
Choosing to perform Handel's Messiah in the version presented at its very first performances, in Dublin (13 April and 3 June, 1742), does not mean that we are presenting the work in its ‘best' or indeed in its entirely ‘original' form. Handel seems to have composed the oratorio with no specific performers in mind, so he was prepared to adapt it for each production in turn; indeed, around ten versions are discernible in all. He certainly made some revisions in Dublin for those singers who were not of the same calibre as he enjoyed in London, so there has sometimes been a tendency to view this first performing version as critically compromised by supposedly inadequate forces. Nevertheless, there is much to be gained from reconstructing the Dublin version (albeit something which cannot be done with total certainty) and, particularly, attempting to use roughly the same size of vocal forces and a similar apportionment of soloists. Some of Handel's cuts made during the preparations for the Dublin performances were clearly designed to enhance the flow of the piece; these were retained in subsequent performances and thus do not reflect the inadequacy of the first performers.

Other changes were positive reactions to the qualities of specific singers available in Dublin. Most significant here was Handel's decision to present one lyrical alto aria in each of the three parts to Mrs Susannah Cibber, sister of Thomas Arne. Cibber was best known as an outstanding actor, but had recently undergone the scandal of an extra-marital affair, the details of which had been described in court in astonishingly unambiguous detail. Her appearance in Dublin marked the beginning of her return to public life at a safe distance from London; although by no means expert as a singer, her performances brought a quality of expression that was clearly outstanding. The aria ‘He shall feed his flock' in Part 1, originally cast for soprano in Bb major, was therefore transposed down to F major to suit Mrs Cibber. The aria from Part 2 (‘He was despised and rejected' - and, as it happened, a particularly prescient text for the singer concerned) was already in the correct range and, in Part 3, Handel transposed the aria ‘If God be for us, who can be against us?' from G minor (soprano) to C minor, thus giving Mrs Cibber the final aria, conventionally reserved for the leading soloist.

The other major change is the replacement of the original version of the aria ‘How beautiful are the feet' (from Romans, as chosen by Charles Jennens, the compiler of the libretto) with a duet for two altos and chorus, setting the text beginning with the same line from Isaiah 52:7-9. Thus the opening musical material is very similar to the original but it thereafter departs entirely, with the chorus section ‘Break forth into joy'. This suggests that Handel was keen to adapt the work for the vocal forces available in Dublin, particularly the men of the two cathedral choirs, who were adept at singing in this ‘verse anthem' style.

While Handel had the services of a professional Italian soprano, Christina Maria Avoglio, the remainder