An Authentic Messiah
It's a Sunday morning and I am doing one of my favorite things: sitting in the living room in front of the fire, drinking coffee, and listening to classical music on my 1940s Zenith radio.
I'm listening to a recording of Messiah by The Sixteen. I like this recording particularly because it uses a theorbo (or archlute) in the recitative accompaniments. It turns out that this instrument was an important part of the Baroque orchestra, but only a few "authentic practice" groups actually make use of it. Most groups seem satisfied to have a harpsichord as part of the continuo group. The theorbo adds a warmer and more intimate dimension to the music than a harpsichord ever could.
The theorbo is a large lute that has a lot of strings and a wonderful sound, especially when accompanying recitative. I get a particular thrill of satisfaction from hearing it strummed and plucked underneath the other instruments or a voice. If you haven't heard one, search for "theorbo" in YouTube and you will find many examples of people playing this wonderful instrument.
And happy Sunday to you all!
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