Handel: Messiah, HWV 56

Sad news with the passing on November 5th of the great Welsh tenor Ryland Davies, at the age of 80. A refined Mozartian, he was closely associated with the Glyndebourne Festival in which he performed very often for forty years, triumphing as Ferrando, Monostatos or Belmonte. During the 1972 edition, between two stage performances, EMI recorded non-live highlights of The Abduction from the Seraglio conducted by John Pritchard, Davies teaming up with Price in the main roles. We also re-issue, for the first time as an individual album, an historical version of the Messiah by Raymond Leppard.