{"id":8123,"date":"2012-12-02T08:31:39","date_gmt":"2012-12-02T13:31:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/?p=8123"},"modified":"2012-12-02T08:31:39","modified_gmt":"2012-12-02T13:31:39","slug":"daily-album-review-17-tafelmusiks-burnished-golden-messiah-moment-captured-on-disc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2012\/12\/02\/daily-album-review-17-tafelmusiks-burnished-golden-messiah-moment-captured-on-disc\/","title":{"rendered":"Daily album review 17: Tafelmusik’s burnished, golden Messiah moment captured on disc"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Conductor Ivars Taurins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It’s that time of year in Toronto, and what better way to invoke Messiah<\/em> season than with last year’s exceptionally fine performances by Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra at Koerner Hall.<\/p>\n

Tafemusik Chamber Choir music director Ivars Taurins has been leading Tafelmusik’s annual performances of Handel’s evergreen 270-year-old oratorio for a generation, steadily honing the group’s historically informed performances into paragons of taste and individuality.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The ultimate success of a Messiah<\/em> depends on the soloists as much as the orchestra and chorus. Tafelmusik struck vocal gold a year ago with brilliant Montreal soprano Karina Gauvin, British countertenor Robin Blaze, New York City-based tenor Rufus M\u00fcller and Toronto’s own magnificent bass-baritone Brett Polegato.<\/p>\n

The people who walked in darkness truly did see — as well as hear — a great light when Polegato sang. We rejoiced greatly in Gauvin’s company. Blaze opened the eyes of the blind. And our hearts broke at M\u00fcller’s scornful rebukes.<\/p>\n

The Tafelmusik Chamber Choir was beautifully balanced, the orchestra a burnished wonder of gentle texture and sharp rhythm.<\/p>\n

All are captured cleanly on this album, which is remarkably free of coughs and other noises from the live cold-season audience, probably a sign of many hours of careful electronic editing.<\/p>\n

I haven’t missed a Tafelmusik Messiah<\/em> since 2001, so I have to admit I miss the extra bite of sound from the intimate confines of the orchestra’s home at Trinity-St Paul’s Church. The rounded edges and slightly distant quality of the recorded result is beautiful, but lacks the magnetic immediacy of a live experience.<\/p>\n

That said, this is as fine a period-instrument performance of Messiah<\/em> as you are likely to experience anywhere in the world right now. Captured on two CDs and available through Tafelmusik’s new in-house label, this living, breathing piece of 1742 can make every Torontonian proud.<\/p>\n

You’ll find all the information on the album here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here is one of Tafelmusik’s promotional videos featuring Polegato’s magnificent contribution:<\/p>\n