Sealed 3LP Stereo Box Set Original. Mr. Gardiner Conducts With Commendable Dash, And Although Working With A Pared-Down Orchestra And Chorus, He Manages To Extract A Truly Handelian Grandeur. The Set Features Some Intriguing Quirks - Mr. Gardiner Utilizes Six Soloists Instead Of The Usual Four - But These Are Well-Defended In An Intelligent Introductory Essay By Nicholas Kenyon. The Soloists Include The Soprano Margaret Marshall, The Mezzo-Soprano Cynthia Robbin, The Tenor Anthony Rolfe Johnson And Others. The New Philips Messiah Can Be Recommended To Those In The Market For A Good Authentic Performance That Retains A Seemingly Spontaneous Musicality.