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2022 JUNO Nominee!

Read More about it here.

Against the Grain Theatre’s interpretation of Handel’s Messiah is a cross-Canada masterpiece: presented in seventy-eight minutes, performed in Arabic, Dene, English, French, Inuktitut, and Southern Tutchone, and accompanied by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. It features twelve soloists and four choirs representing every province and territory across the country. 

Messiah/Complex has captured audiences from more than forty countries worldwide: receiving thousands of messages from international fans expressing gratitude for such a diverse and inspiring work, and sharing personal connections to Handel’s Messiah. The film has been praised by major international media outlets including, the New York Times, BBC Radio, and the Globe and Mail.

Release Date: December 8th, 2021

Download the Album

Bandcamp
Each download supports Against the Grain Theatre and the artists of Messiah/Complex.

**Album artwork features a photo of Looee Arreak by Mark Aspland**

Tracks

① No. 1- Sinfonia 3:02
② No. 2 – Comfort ye my people 

③ No. 3 – Ev’ry valley shall be exalted 

2:42

3:23

④ No. 5 – Thus saith the Lord

⑤ No. 6 – But who May Abide the day of His coming 

1:26

4:43

⑥ No. 7 – And He Shall Purify (chorus) 2:39
⑦ No. 9 – Utʼawkwadįchʼe yesį chʼe yan nań käy (O thou that tellest good tidings –  Sung in Southern Tutchone) 5:55
⑧ No. 12 – For Unto Us A Child is Born (chorus) 4:11
⑨ No. 13 – Pifa (‘Pastoral Symphony’) 1:03
⑩ No. 18 – Rejoice Greatly, o daughter of Zion 5:50
⑪ No. 20 – He shall feed his flock (Sung in Inuktitut and English) (duet) 4:48
⑫ No. 23 – Elle fut méprisée  (She was Despised – Sung in French) 4:08
⑬No. 38 – Kuvianattuksovut itigangit (How Beautiful Are the Feet – Sung in Inuttitut) 2:27
⑭ No. 40 – Why do the nations so furiously rage together? 2:50
⑮No. 44 – Hallelujah (chorus) 3:47
⑯No. 45 – Senewetsıne, godı́ ǫt’e bek’eoreshǫ (I know that My Redeemer Liveth – Sung in Dene) 5:45
⑰No. 47 – Behold, I tell you a mystery 0:31
⑱No. 48 – The trumpet shall sound 4:03
⑲ No. 52 – إِنْ كَانَ اللهُ مَعَنَا فَمَنْ عَلَيْنَا (If God be for us – Sung in Arabic) 5:32
⑳ No. 53 – Worthy is the Lamb that was Slain (chorus) 7:11

Credits

Composer: George Frideric Handel 

Film Directors: Joel Ivany and Reneltta Arluk

Conductor: Johannes Debus

SOLOISTS

Andrea Lett

Catherine Daniel

Deantha Edmunds

Diyet

Elliot Madore

Jonathon Adams

Julie Lumsden

Leela Gilday

Looee Arreak

Miriam Khalil

Rihab Chaieb

Spencer Britten

CHOIRS

Halifax Camerata Singers

— Jeff Joudrey, conductor

Le Choeur Louisbourg

—Monique Richard, conductor

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir

—Simon Rivard, associate conductor

University of Prince Edward Island Chamber Singers

—Sung-Ha Shin-Bouey, conductor

RECORDING PERSONNEL

Produced by Against the Grain Records

Sound Engineering: Doug Doctor, Recording on the Go, Number 9 Audio Group, Isaac Williams, Matthew Lien, Whispering Willows Records, Xavier Richard, Grant Trippel, Exchange District Studios, Edmontone Studio, Nuvu Music & Sound, Stephen Lilly, Memorial University of Newfoundland Faculty of Music, Jeff Wolpert, Diva Sound Records, Jeremy VanSlyke

Sound Producing: Brigitte Lavoie (Le Choeur Louisbourg)

Sound mix and master: Doug Doctor

Original Photography: Mark Aspland

Cover Art Design: Daevyd Pepper

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

AtG Board of Directors, Alistair Hepburn, Amanda Hadi, Amil Ivany, Anna Katjar, Ashna Thaya, Charles Northcott, Claudine Domingue, Corey Arnold, David Dredla, Daevyd Pepper, Dawn Cattapan, Eamon Mac Mahon, Jesse Koehnen, Jonelle Sills, Jonathan Kirby, Joshua Knelman, Julie Nagam, Kathleen Stevenson, Katie Sejba, Kendra Miller, Koerner Hall, Kristen Kitcher, Linda Santiago, Loie Fallis, Madison Angus, Marcel d’Entremont, Matthew Loden, Michael Barker, Midori Marsh, Moona Syed, Rebecca Sharp, Renee Fajardo, Sally Szuster, Sammy Ivany, Taylor Long

Recorded at Recording on the Go (Berlin, DE), Number 9 Audio Group (Toronto, ON), Whispering Willows Records, Exchange District Studios, Edmontone Studio (Edmonton, AB), Nuvu Music & Sound, Memorial University of Newfoundland Faculty of Music, Diva Sound Records (Yellowknife, NWT)

© 2021 Against the Grain Records 

℗ 2021 Against the Grain Records

ORCHESTRA

Toronto Symphony Orchestra

First Violins:

Jonathan Crow (Concertmaster)

Etsuko Kimura (Assistant Concertmaster) 

Atis Bankas

Virginia Chen Wells

Second Violins:

Wendy Rose (Associate Principal) 

Sergei Nikonov

Clare Semes 

Angelique Toews

Violas:

Victor Fournelle-Blain (Principal) 

Rémi Pelletier (Associate Principal) 

Christopher Redfield

Mary Carol Nugent

Cellos:

Emmanuelle Beaulieu Bergeron (Associate Principal)

Marie Gélinas 

Roberta Janzen

Double Basses:

Jeffrey Beecher (Principal) 

Paul Rogers

 

Oboes

Sarah Jeffrey (Principal) 

Hugo Lee

Bassoon:

Michael Sweeney (Principal)

Trumpets

Andrew McCandless (Principal) 

James Gardiner

Timpani

Joseph Kelly

Portative Organ/Harpsichord

Talisa Blackman (Guest Artist)

Principal Librarian

Gary Corrin

Orchestra Personnel Manager

David Kent

Assistant to the Conductor

Derek Bate

Artist Biographies

Individual artist bios can be found on the Messiah/Complex page