The first thing that struck me when listening to this new recording was that Davis adopted slower tempos than before. But a comparison with the 1975 Philips version showed me wrong and several of the movements are identical in timings. Maybe I was fooled by the richer sound on this LSO SACD, or maybe I simply remembered wrongly.
Anyway, Davis is a master when it comes to Tippett and his only equal is David Atherton. This is a great performance and it is wonderfully recorded with a rich and full bass. The drama is there and Go Down Moses still sends shivers down my spine. The chorus is excellent as is the orchestra, full points so far.
But the solo singers, alas. They cannot compare with the older cast and the alto, Fujimura, has some serious problems with the language. All four of them are so weak and I don't believe a word they are singing. It is difficult to follow Jessye Norman, Janet Baker, Richard Cassily and John Shirley-Quirk (1975 Philips), but I get a feeling that these singers didn't even try hard enough.
It is a gorgeous piece and you should all buy this SACD, but it is a pity that LSO didn't employ better singers.
I planned a detailed review but it is not possible to write one, Zeus!
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