There are MANY recordings of Messiah available. My favorite has always been the one by Malcom Sargent, from around 1946. IMO, he has the tempo just about right on every piece.
I am sure you can listen to excerpts on-line of many different recordings before you decide.

Mendelssohn's Elijah is another oratorio, but a little less "sweet"---just a little bite. Same art form; just a different take.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags