Emma Kirkby, Handel - Messiah, But who may abide

[LadyD1sdain]

The bass clearly has a wonderful sense of humour...

[giovannibrunoro]

she sings like a child!

[zasesdea]

she is like and angel....she is so amazing!!!

[rostomic]

so effortless … Emma the Nightingale!

[ALICEEMERY]

Extraordinaire ! Plus j'écoute Emma Kirkby, plus j'aime sa voix et sa façon de chanter !

[tidzja]

I like the way how she turns the pages..

[hobot22]

emma we love you

[HappyLuckyGlad]

so beautiful.

[debs4mysweetbaby]

wow!!! :)

[mspinkpanter24]

I LOVE EMMA

[Howlingwell]

@Overbrough very apt analogies!

I love the synesthesia feeling of having metaphorical visual images coupled to sound....

kudos to whoever posted this, my favorite version of this oratorio

please do jeep this here to after next christmastime.... :)

[Howlingwell]

@Howlingwell oops i meant keep!

[llamala2010]

I definitely recommend her Dowland/Jones Lute Songs, which she recorded with Anthony Rooley on the lute. For Monteverdi, I like the Vespro della Beata Vergine with the Taverner Consort (Emma is not mentioned on the case, but she is one of the soloists). Both these CDs have the Veritas label. I have not heard her Hildegard von Bingen, so I have no opinion on it.

[ricardofrantz]

impressive performance!

[laurensdelange]

She doesn't seem to breath

[laurensdelange]

Seemingly effortless.

[Rhopoe]

Did Ms. Kirkby record any renaissance, or any other pre-baroque period, music?

[llamala2010]

@Rhopoe - Yes. She's recorded quite a lot of Dowland, as well as some Monteverdi and Hildegard von Bingen and others.

[Rhopoe]

@llamala2010 Oh yeah? That's really cool... Can you recommend a CD of hers with this music?

[Cibba1]

Emma, voice of the angels...

[auntieclassical]

This is the best version I've ever heard.

[bababamoto]

Heil Emma!

[ooooooooser]

does any one have any more footage of david thomas? i must have watched this clip 20 times to day. the expression in his eyes is both intense and entertaining, hes like an English klaus kinski.

[Jomary2011]

Just an Angel!!!!!!

[opinionesmusicales]

Gracias por subir este video!

[FridayNightLullaby]

Oh, Emma...

[Taenyr]

I adore David Thomas' expressions...and of course Emma Kirkby sounds like one might imagine an angel.

[Nomad6713]

Suit up!

[adammin1]

oh my god its neil patrick harris

[tastibasti]

i had never seen a singer with so less movement in his face. wow...great technique! it ought to be little boring and heartless but her interpretation is still perfect. this high range is not possible to make today for her, i guess and this part even won't be sing by michael chance, because he is too old, too, but lets enjoy this record again and again!

[Bigbearbeau]

David thomas has no talent but Emma is an angel....

[stad97]

@Bigbearbeau

it's great to see that you don't realise that David Thomas is every bit as good as Emma Kirkby. They're both brilliant.

[pila406]

@Bigbearbeau Where did you bring it from ?!?!?! No talent? You certainly know nothing of music...

[G0NZAL0666]

como no caer rendido ante esto

[icekat83]

Anyone know where to find this particular version of 'who may abide' (for a soprano not bass) online? I can find free sheet music but only the bass version. This is the version I LOVE!

[redbrian3655]

@icekat83 The Coopersmith Edition of "Messiah" has the entire appendix of all of the alternate versions that Handel composed for various performances.

[aquares]

It's amazing. Emma Kirkby is like a flawless diamond.

[walterovie]

Ik heb het voorrecht gehad met haar te kunnen werken voor een Messiah en Mozart's Requiem in Antwerpen. Respect. in '95 en '99. EEN ENGEL!!!

[GosfordAbercrombie]

absolutely lovely singing from emma! she's a gift to early music!

[pe816190]

This man that sings, "Shaaaaaaake" looks like Louis Edmonds who played Roger Collins on "Dark Shadows."

[Humaneering]

love it all the best from RobotRuss

[knightLynderic]

I wish I was there.

[menm11291]

Emma Kirkby makes it look so easy to sing this

[johnjtheoriginal]

everything is beautiful here

she sings like an angel, and also her dress is perfect

good orchestral sound, good location, good reverb, good camera... all great!

[2DIANEX6]

OMG!!!! este bajo es ley!!! además se bella tiene una voz muy ligera!!!

[bucior1]

What is Emma Kirkby doing these days?

[cattleya53]

Emma's soprano soloist comes directly after David Thomas' first piece. I do believe I have a better version of this by Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford and the Academy of Ancient Music - Christopher Hogwood conducting. Emma Kirkby hits a higher pitch in that recording. Still a great rendition though.

[berniewa2008]

Refering to Emma Kirkby's Aria: This is the really best version I've ever experienced

[BartBVanBockstaele]

Emma Kirkby is heavenly. She has such an angelical voice, it makes me want to cry.

[musicmajor692]

I love this version of this Aria! I'm singing it (soprano) for my recital tomorrow. Emma is my favorite!

[AlyssaFernanda90]

Emma Kirkby is amazing. Her voice is so sweet and beautiful. Her version of Mozart's Laudate Dominum is the best i've ever seen.

[imajeepster]

I saw this on PBS years ago. I always thought that she sounds like a boy soprano, it's really incredible.

[jTelefonmann]

I do believe that Kim Jong Il exists, or at least one of his doubles, but I have no idea how he sings.

[RickZwart]

Thomas sounds like a baritone singing bass, Kirkby like a soprano singing alto...

[lascarisvintimille]

La pauvre chevrette manque un peu de souffle comparée à Marietta Simpson ...

[tmhurley27]

That guy's facial expressions are pure win.

[aguilacec]

hermosa voz!

beautiful voice...

When I listen to Emma it seems like I'm listening to angels singing...

[serenaluce]

@aguilacec I agree, beautiful voice, but IMO misses that special magic that the best countertenors have. On my CD our Canadian countertenor Daniel Taylor sings it. It's sublime and heavenly! Absolutely otherworldly! Women have a different physiology, e.g. Adam's apple is missing and it produces a different resonance. After the best countertenors to hear such pieces in womens' renditions is just like to watch black and white TV after colour TV! Can I ask you how you know how angels sing? I don't.

[aguilacec]

@aguilacec I know how angels sing because I believe in God and in them. When I pray, when I go to church and my soul, heart and mind is there I know how every angel in heaven is praising to the Lord with me. When I listen to Emma I find that kind of celestial innocent voice but I don't know about your beliefs and I can't tell how you can get to understand me if you don't believe the same.

[TheAlannusseyday]

I'm in a minority but Kirkby's ethereal pure tones lack the dramatic weight I prefer in Messiah - likewise Thomas's voice lacks the deep resonance and weight of a seriously good bass

[FoggyRoad81]

@TheAlannusseyday I'll join you. The voice is beautiful, but snooze worthy.

[davehshs]

@TheAlannusseyday I'm with you in that minority. Her sound fits much better with Purcell and other earlier composers.

[mrbigarms]

David Thomas is as always fantastic, he had real stage presence!

I miss him, I've never quite found a bass singer quite as good as him in this repertory.

[jesuchriste]

The bass is like a balding ginger Neil Patrick Harris.

[tmhurley27]

@jesuchriste You are so right!

[JasonJason210]

Wonderful! Full of light and vibrant energy! Lifts you instantly to the heavenly and sublime.

[songczar]

Wow! Masterpiece performance of heavenly proportion!

[everythingtaken21]

She makes this look/sound so easy! Beautiful.

[bravesiremma]

Two of my very favourite singers! Absolutely beautiful.

[RamirRMA]

The way americans sing is very very different from english people, especially in ancient music.

Shame.

Hate crystal clear voices singing baroque.

[kagenotori]

What a demonstration of sprezzatura - Castiglione would truly be proud.

[gloriaphantasma]

absolutely fabulous :-)

[sgarboo1]

Fantastic. Thanks for the upload.

[dove2al]

at the risk of a certain vulgarianism, this is great!

emma kirkby seems perfectly suited to this music and to mozart

[dove2al]

at the risk of a certain vulgarianism, this is great!

[choirboyfromhell1]

Sweetest Soprano in the world. She's incredible!

[OneSmallVoice1]

This bass dude is very good

and Emma kirkby is amazing

[FAFYWARRIOR]

i loved bravo

[ds1868]

Recorded in Westminster Abbey in 1982. David Thomas is the Bass at the beginning. Academy of Ancient Music playing with period instruments. Excellent quality version of recording, (my old original VHS tape is getting a bit ropey), thanks for posting!

[gebbytoo]

you should definitely buy the DVD version then! I got mine for very cheap on Amazon

[ds1868]

@gebbytoo Yes I'm purchasing also from Amazon - my VHS tape is now 28 years old and getting a little fragile.......

[pigbar]

La mejor version del mesias!! excelente, perfecta , genial, soberbia. Bella.

[bachsor]

The best version for this messiah!

[RZIMAK]

Nadzwyczajne piękno głosu i bardzo stylowe wykonanie.