The Messiah by Gli Angeli Genève Handel’s festive masterpiece for Christmas

The Swiss Gli Angeli Genève, known for their residency at the Early Music Festival and their successful recordings, gives this masterpiece an extra golden edge. The Messiah at Christmas is what St. Matthew is at Easter - but festive and exuberant. For a religious work, Handel dared a lot with the Messiah: at tense moments it sounds really exciting and joyful, almost over the top, with the Hallelujah as the highlight. That and the understandable English text makes the Messiah as catchy and compelling as an opera.