'I feel', sings Terfel with assurance in his voice matching the solemnly, expectantly, ceremonious opening bars; and then, the second time, 'I feel', but now with the awed conviction of one who has experienced 'the Deity within'. The adjustment, the change of expression, is small, and no doubt when described sounds obvious enough; but it's typical of the imaginative intelligence Terfel brings. And what of his singing, his voice production, his care for legato? As to the latter, conflict always lurks as expressive emphasis, shading and verbal naturalism assert their rights in the face of pure beauty and the evenness of the singing line. Terfel is one in whom the rival claims work their way to a compromise, though if one side has to win it will generally be the expressive element. A good example of the compromise is the second track, the 'Vouchsafe, O Lord', quietly and simply sung, preserving the movement's unity and yet with a power of feeling that, at 'let thy mercy lighten upon us', is as overtly emotional as an operatic aria.
The adapted arias, 'Where'er you walk', 'Verdi prati' and 'Ombra mai fù', justify their inclusion readily enough, and it's good to hear Terfel in the solos from Messiah. The singing here incorporates a good deal of embellishment, some of it of Mackerras's devising. He's excellent, sharing with Terfel an appreciation of the zest in Handel.
The recording is vivid and clean