Recorded live in the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford, on Friday 3 December 2021

Rowan Pierce, soprano
Esther Brazil, mezzosoprano
Ted Black, tenor
Ashley Riches, bassbaritone

Academy of Ancient Music
Choir of The Queen's College, Oxford
Owen Rees, director

~~~

PART THE FIRST:

Scene 1: Isaiah’s prophecy of salvation
00:40 1. Symphony
03:48 2. Comfort ye my people (Accompagnato Tenor)
06:48 3. Every valley shall be exalted (Aria Tenor)
10:30 4. And the glory of the Lord (Chorus)
Scene 2: The coming judgement
13:25 5. Thus saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts (Accompagnato Bass)
15:18 6. But who may abide the day of His coming (Aria Alto)
19:48 7. And He shall purify (Chorus)
Scene 3: The prophecy of Christ’s birth
22:36 8. Behold, a virgin shall conceive (Recitative Alto)
23:00 9. O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion (Aria Alto and Chorus)
28:46 10. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth (Accompagnato Bass)
31:00 11. The people that walked in darkness (Aria Bass)
34:51 12. For unto us a child is born (Chorus)
Scene 4: The annunciation to the shepherds
39:15 13. Pifa
40:12 14a. There were shepherds abiding in the field (Recitative Soprano)
40:25 14b. And Lo, the angel of the lord came up on them (Accompagnato Soprano)
40:44 15. And the angel said unto them (Recitative Soprano)
41:15 16. And suddenly there was with the angel (Recitative Soprano)
41:33 17. Glory to God (Chorus)
Scene 5: Christ’s healing and redemption
43:44 18. Rejoice greatly (Aria Soprano)
48:24 19. Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened (Recitative Alto)
48:58 20. He shall feed His Flock like a shepherd (Duet Alto, Soprano)
54:15 21. His yoke is easy (Chorus)


PART THE SECOND:

Scene 1: Christ’s Passion
57:20 22. Behold the lamb of God (Chorus)
59:48 23. He was despised (Aria Alto)
1:09:21 24. Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows (Chorus)
1:11:07 25. And with his stripes we are healed (Chorus)
1:13:10 26. All we like sheep have gone astray (Chorus)
1:17:24 27. All they that see him laugh him to scorn (Recitative Tenor)
1:18:08 28. He trusted in god that he would deliver him (Chorus)
1:20:50 29. Thy rebuke hath broken his heart (Accompagnato Tenor)
1:22:26 30. Behold and see if there be any sorrow (Aria Tenor)
Scene 2: Christ’s Death and Resurrection
1:23:50 31. He was cut off (Accompagnato Soprano)
1:24:10 32. But thou didst not leave his soul hell (Aria Soprano)
Scene 3: Christ’s Ascension
1:26:35 33. Lift up your heads, O ye gates (Chorus)
…
Scene 5: The beginnings of Gospel preaching
1:30:04 38. How beautiful are the feet (Aria Soprano)
1:32:27 39. Their sound is gone out (Chorus)
Scene 6: The world’s rejection of the Gospel
1:34:13 40. Why do the nations so furiously rage together (Aria Bass)
1:37:12 41. Let us break their bonds asunder (Chorus)
Scene 7: God’s ultimate victory
1:39:11 42. He that dwelleth in heaven (Recitative Tenor)
1:39:23 43. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron (Aria Tenor)
1:41:46 44. Hallelujah (Chorus)


PART THE THIRD:

Scene 1: The promise of eternal life
1:46:20 45. I know that my Redeemer liveth (Aria Soprano)
1:52:02 46. Since by man came death (Chorus)
Scene 2: The Day of Judgment
1:54:12 47. Behold, I tell you a mystery (Accompagnato Bass)
1:54:50 48. The trumpet shall sound (Aria Bass)
Scene 3: The final conquest of sin
…
2:04:07 52. If God be for us, who can be against us? (Aria Soprano)
Scene 4: The acclamation of the Messiah
2:09:05 53. Worthy is the Lamb (Chorus)
2:12:39 54. Amen (Chorus)