I’m with @pete84, the Pinnock/English Concert is a long- term favourite. Arleen Auger stands out for me,but all the soloists are good. BUT it is an Easter piece chez nous.
Bach’s Christmas Oratorio is my music of choice for the day itself. The first section of the Gardiner/Monteverdi Choir version will probably go on some time tomorrow morning.
Roger
Stunning. Thanks for the recommendation!
Merry Christmas
Agreed. My version of choice too. It was remastered in stunning 24/96. Emma Kirkby sounds absolutely gorgeous.
Merry Christmas, everyone! First spin of a work I am not familiar with but decided to finally add to my shelves: Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. Selecting a version took an age of sampling and reviews, but ultimately went with Stephen Layton’s 2013 recording. It sounds excellent!
Cheers
EJ
Two of my favorite Messiahs are Paul McCreesh & Gabrieli Consort (2004, Archiv) and Emmanuelle Haïm & Le Concert d’Astrée (2013, Erato). An honourable mention to René Jacobs & Freiburger Barockorchester (2006, Harmonia Mundi), which for all its polish doesn’t quite hang together for me.
Cheers
EJ
That’s the one I have. The very start has just the right life and energy to celebrate Christmas morning.
Roger
And no Christmas playlist is complete without this glorious piece from the master of early German baroque music, Heinrich Schütz.
Today I played the Gardiner Messiah in full, followed by Herreweghe’s recording of Bach’s Leipziger Weihnachtskantaten. Happy and music filled holidays to all!
Excellent choice!
Note to those searching: it’s Leipziger
Started the day with the Richter Christmas Oratorio that I thoroughly enjoyed. Great sound too considering the 1965 recording.
Then I listened to the Heinrich Schütz as mentioned above - delightful.
Qobuz then went onto Autoplay and came up with-
and I’m really enjoying that too - very different to the John Eliot Gardiner I’ve had for decades.
Well worth a listen.
Thanks, apologies for the typo, now corrected.
I am with @jejese1 and @JosquinDesPrez and I must say the signed copy by Christopher Hogwood himself is very inspiring. Thank you Josquin for sharing.
It is wonderful to see all of these recommendations and favorites. One thing seems clear: Christopher Hogwood’s early music revolution prevailed - at least when it comes to the Messiah and the folks posting on this thread! None of the big, blown-up symphonic performances here! I have occasionally listened to parts of the Hogwood recording, but don’t have a strong recollection of it, probably given all of the other recordings of Messiah to which I have listened. It seems, however, that I need to make that a priority! Thank you, all! And Merry 3rd Day of Christmas! This day is auspicious, I suppose for @FrenchRooster!
Qobuz is not very savvy when it comes to the Christian calendar, it seems 
Just came across this fascinating video from Emil Berliner Studios on Karajan’s Bruckner recordings and their Original Source reissue. First time I could appreciate the complexity of the recording, mixing and cutting process. How they handled reverb effects is amazing.
This was Gramophone’s record or the year:
Roger
