Orozco-Estrada savours every moment of harmonic and textural drama. The pace is well-judged…with plenty of pace and dynamism carrying the action forward. The large forces are expertly marshalled, weighty but never leaden, with plenty of textural interest. The vast Houston Symphony chorus sounds surprisingly agile…The soloists are similarly operatic in scale…A hugely enjoyable account.

On its own straightforward, extrovert terms it’s enjoyable, up to a point…The vibrant -toned Nicole Heaston is impressive but too generalised – and word-shy – as Gabriel and Eve…Peter Rose’s resonant Wagnerian bass certainly catches the authority of Raphael…Toby Spence makes a forthright Uriel, effectively so when putting Hell’s Spirits to flight or describing the first created man…There are intermittent pleasures here.

It’s the antithesis of period instrument accounts, yet Orozco-Estrada is attentive to historical stylistic issues of tempi, dynamics and phrasing.