l    韓德爾僅只花了二十四天完成這部在音樂史上具有舉足輕重地位的傳世之作。

l   2004年12月維也納古樂合奏團慶祝創團50周年實況錄音。

l   不可忽略的哈農庫特權威之作。

一七三五年，韓德爾接到好友Charles Jennens寄給他的三個腳本（劇本）—「掃羅王」(Saul)、「伯莎撒王」(Belshazzar)以及「救世主—彌賽亞」(Messiah)。當時韓德爾在倫敦製作的幾部歌劇都不成功，使他的生活陷入潦倒，因此「彌賽亞」很自然地成為他在困厄中靈修的聖品。

感動之餘，韓德爾在一七四一年8月28日下午開始創作神劇《彌賽亞》，當天完成第一部份，9月6日完成第二部份，9月12日完成全曲。總計韓德爾僅僅只花了二十四天便譜寫完成這部在音樂史上具有舉足輕重地位的傳世之作。一七四二年4月於都柏林首演反應熱烈，被《都柏林新聞報》譽為︰「海內外此類作品中的冠軍名曲，其他同類作品均難以望其項背」。

本集為二○○四年12月維也納古樂合奏團（Concentus Musicus Wein）慶祝創團50周年，於維也納音樂協會演出的實況錄音。樂團由哈農庫特與妻子愛麗絲（Alice Harnoncourt）於一九五三年創辦，為古樂器演奏風潮的引領者之一。配合荀白克合唱團的專業演出，以及獨唱的四位聲樂家，一同為樂迷揭露隱藏在音符之後的美好體驗。其中，男中音葛哈勒（Christian Gerhaher）的表現令人印象深刻，他曾多次與指揮與樂團合作，頗受哈農庫特之器重。而被譽為德國「當代最具有才華、最優秀的抒情女高音之一」夏佛（Christine Schäfer）表現也令人滿意。

哈農庫特的指揮不但兼具歷史與學術考據，是近年來少見的古樂版本。當時75歲高齡的哈農庫特指揮風格圓融，音樂性豐富，整體表現成熟，絕對是不可忽略的大師權威之作。

【收錄曲目】

CD1

Messiah, HWV 56

Part 1

1. Sinfonia: Grave - Allegro moderato

2. Comfort ye my people (Accompagnato)

3. Ev'ry valley shall be exalted (Air)

4. And the glory of the Lord (Chorus)

5. Thus sayth the Lord (Accompagnato)

6. But who may abide ( Air)

7. And He shall purify (Chorus)

8. O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion (Air)

9. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth (Accompagnato)

10. The people that walked in darkness (Air)

11. For unto us a child is born (Chorus)

12. Pifa

13. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them (Accompagnato)

14. And suddenly there was with the angel (Accompagnato)

15. Glory to God (Chorus)

CD2

Messiah, HWV 56

Part 2

Surely He hath borne our griefs (Chorus)

2. And with His stripes we are healed (Chorus)

3. All we like sheep have gone astray (Chorus)

4. All they that see Him laugh Him to scorn (Accompagnato)

5. He trusted in God (Chorus)

6. Thy rebuke hath broken His heart (Accompagnato)

7. Behold, and see if there be any sorrow (Arioso)

8. He was cut off out of the land of the living (Accompagnato)

9. But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell (Air)

10. Lift up your heads, O ye gates (Chorus)

11. Let all the angels of God worship Him (Chorus)

12. Thou art gone up high (Air)

13. The Lord gave the word (Chorus)

14. How beautiful are the feet (Air)

15. Their sound is gone out (Chorus)

16. Why do the nations so furiously rage together? (Bass)

17. Let us break their bonds (Chorus)

18. Thou shalt break them (Air)

19. Hallelujah (Chorus)

Part 3

20. I know that my Redeemer liveth (Air)

21. Since by man came death (Chorus)

22. Behold, I tell you a mystery (Accompagnato)

23. The trumpet shall sound (Air)

24. Then shall be brought to pass. O death where is thy sting (Recitative & Duet)

25. But thanks be to God (Chorus)

26. If God be for us (Air)

27. Worthy is the Lamb (Chorus)