London, February 1719: the birth of the Royal Academy of Music. George Frideric Handel was appointed musical director. German-born Handel, having spent four years in Italy, wanted to make London the new capital of opera. The only language to be sung on the stage of the King’s Theatre was to be Italian, and two other composers, Attilio Ariosti and Giovanni Battista Bononcini, were imported from the Italian peninsula. Both men were string players and contributed a new instrumental sweep to the company. Public enthusiasm reached considerable heights: thirty-four operas- more than 460 performances in all- were given at the Royal Academy over a period of nine years. Handel premiered his masterpieces Giulio Cesare in Egitto, Ottone and Radamisto. Ariosti and Bononcini also enjoyed great success between 1720 and 1723, notably with Coriolano (Ariosti) from which the sublime aria ‘Sagri numi’ is taken. ‘Royal Handel’ is a musical portrait of the first Royal Academy of Music. Eva Zaicik and her partners in Le Consort celebrate the prodigious variety of the Handelian genius and introduce us to previously unrecorded arias by Ariosti and Bononcini: ‘We are captivated by the ghostly sonorities of ‘Stille amare,’ the engulfing fury of “Agitato da fiere tempeste,” the virtuosity of ‘Gelosia, spietata Aletto,’ the swirling excitement of ‘L’aure che spira,’ the ascetic counterpoint of ‘Ombra cara’ and the poignancy of ‘Deggio morire’.’

Handel's 1725 hit opera Rodelinda was written for the greatest voices of it's day and is performed here by some of today's finest, as The English Concert and artistic director Harry Bicket's acclaimed concert cycle of Handel operas appears for the first time on Linn. Lucy Crowe and Iestyn Davies are the devoted partners Rodelinda and Bertarido, heading a cast packed with exactly the sort of vocal star-power Handel would have expected, including Joshua Ellicott, Tim Mead, Brandon Cedel and Jess Dandy. Both Davies and Crowe have won acclaim for their performances in these roles: BBC Music Magazine wrote, 'Iestyn Davies stole the show with aria after aria of heavenly purity and ardour', whilst BachTrack commented, 'Lucy Crowe gave a brilliant performance... Her singing, firmly centred, agile and sparking with temperament, was a triumph.' The English Concert's reputation for combining urgency, passion and fire with precision, delicacy and beauty will ensure their forthcoming series of Handel operas will become an essential part of Linn's catalogue. The English Concert will be recording Handel's Tamerlano in 2021.

The jubilant spirit of Water Music is splendidly captured in this version, which I have enjoyed as much as any I have heard for a long time. This young Canadian group have a good grasp of Handelian style, and lots of energy; there is plenty of vigour to their playing but no roughness. There are many nicely and unobtrusively managed details of timing and accent, yet always perfectly natural and justified from within. Their tempos in the main are on the quick side but not hurried. I specially liked their flowing Andante for the famous Air, which so readily becomes sticky if done slowly; here it sounds just right and no less expressive than usual. Only the D major Lentement seems to me heavy and ponderous, and perhaps the Bourree that follows is also a little clumsily done. The horn playing, recorded well forward, is particularly impressive – clean and clear, with a fine ring; it would have sounded well across the Thames. The movements are done here with the F major music first, then the D major and G major mixed, an unusual arrangement these days but one that probably has Handel’s authority: and it works well.

Tafelmusik get through the Water Music in some 52 minutes, and there is room for a substantial suite of dances from the second version of Il pastor fido, when Handel added ballet music for the French dancer Marie Salle and her troupe. These are charming and lively pieces and the final Chaconne, with its inventive textures, is particularly appealing. I find the sound here a shade middle- and bottom-heavy, rather more so than in The Water Music, but again the playing is splendidly fresh and spirited.

-- Stanley Sadie, Gramophone [from a review of the original release, Sony 68257, 7/1996]

In her recording of Suites for Keyboard, two-time Debut Audience Award winner Daria van den Bercken approaches Handel’s music with an adventurous spirit that invokes the music’s joy and lightness. As BBC 3 put it, “Her joy in Handel’s ingenuity shines through.” The album is a part of a larger, multimedia initiative called Handel at the Piano. Through videos and non-traditional stages and platforms, van den Bercken directly connects her performance to the public. “I want everybody to hear this music, to get to know this music,” says the pianist. Online videos give everyone a chance to witness her antics; in one particular stunt, van den Bercken ventures out into the streets of Amsterdam for a literal moving performance. Attached to the back of a car, her piano graces the public with every note she plays as they move about the city, sometimes stopping along the way for passersby to listen. Daria van den Bercken’s recording of Handel’s Suites for Keyboard is as uplifting and dynamic as van den Bercken’s approach to public performance. It is as inviting as the pianist herself, who recently hosted an in-home performance for strangers she had approached in the street.

Handel: Rodelinda, HWV 19 (Live)

"The disc from Nathalie Stutzmann ranges promiscuously across a variety of original singers, most of them castratos but also including Durastanti (the poor note in the booklet here neglects to mention singers and doesn't even name the role for which each aria was composed). It begins superbly, leaping in with the magnificent ''Fammi combattere'', sung here in a truly grand manner—as indeed everything is, for Stutzmann, although still under 30, has a commanding style and a tremendous technique allied to a very powerful contralto. It is not unlike the traditional English oratorio contralto, up to a point, but more resonant, clearer, and stronger in attack. Her manner is that of a modern singer, not a self-conscious period stylist, but she has a real feeling for Handel. She is an exceptionally rhythmic singer and produces immense fire in the quick numbers among them the big outburst from Partenope ''Furibondo'', and the first of the two from Floridante, as well as parts of the Mad Scene from Orlando, in which too, she is very successful at conveying, musically, the character's slipping into madness through her softening of the voice. There are also some pathetic arias of a high order, sung with no less distinction: the devastatingly beautiful ''Cara sposa'' from Rinaldo, the second of the Floridante arias (one of Handel's finest siciliana-style pieces), where the hushed tone in the da capo is wonderfully telling, and the Radamisto aria ''Ombra cara'' again, whose hauntingly sung ending concludes the disc very movingly. I thought ''Va tacito'' from Giulio Cesare a shade unsubtle, but the other aria from that work is charmingly rendered, with an appealing swing to the rhythm. Ornamentation is mostly tasteful again, there is some rewriting that goes too far but no serious damage is done. The accompaniments are done with more vigour than refinement, but serve excellently in support: in many ways a thrilling disc."

Stanley Sadie, Gramophone [3/1993]

HANDEL: Oboe Concertos Nos. 1- 3 / Suite in G Minor

These performances are splendidly spirited and enjoyable on every plane.

It hasn’t been done before, but it makes excellent sense to devote a CD to the three Concerti a due cori and the Music for the Royal Fireworks – the four pieces of large-scale entertainment music from Handel’s late years. Here the Fireworks Music is done in the form, with strings as well as wind, that Handel preferred. The less familiar Concerti a due cori were composed in the late 1740s for use in the intervals of oratorio performances – their usual title is something of a misnomer, as they are really for three groups, a string band and two choirs of wind instruments (oboes, bassoon and horns in Nos. 2 and 3, just oboes and bassoon in No. 1). They borrow freely from other works – in particular Messiah (at the time scarcely known to London audiences) and Belshazzar – and some of the movements seem a little odd in shape because the structure is dictated, in the originals, by the texts; but they are cheerful, outgoing pieces and make very attractive listening, undemanding but, typically, touching here and there on deeper feeling.

These performances are splendidly spirited and enjoyable on every plane. Tafelmusik tend to favour speedy tempos in Handel. In the Fireworks Music “La paix” is taken steadily but it is all very nicely judged, and I liked in particular the jauntiness they bring to the main Allegro of the overture, making it a shade more detached than usual to good effect. Handel’s directions for the repeats in the dance movements are decidedly ambiguous, and Tafelmusik make sensible decisions of their own which don’t always quite accord with the instructions but work perfectly well. Once or twice there is a stylish lilt, almost a hint of inegalite, in the dances. The band sounds a big one, but the strings are only 5.6.3.3.2, with a fair number of wind – six oboes, three bassoons, four horns and three trumpets, with percussion (their collective intonation is as good as one has any right to expect). In the concertos, there is some first-rate wind playing, especially from the two first oboists, who match one another delightfully in their athleticism, their articulation and their sweetness of tone (notably in the finale of No. 2), and there is a fine, earthy ring from the horns throughout. One or two tempos may strike you as quickish; no one would think of singing “And the glory of the Lord” as fast as Tafelmusik play Handel’s transcription of it, but after all there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be done this way on instruments.

-- Stanley Sadie, Gramophone [10/1998]

Handel: Concerti Grossi Opus 6 marked the Linn debut of the outstanding period instrument orchestra, The Avison Ensemble. Directed by Pavlo Beznosiuk, Britain’s foremost Baroque violin virtuosi, the ensemble presents a fresh and insightful performance of the Baroque masterpiece. This recording earned Opus d’Or and BBC Music Magazine ‘Choice’ accolades, was named a ‘Finalist’ at the 2011 Gramophone Awards and High Fidelity’s ‘Best Recording of 2010’. Handel’s Opus 6 is widely considered as one of the definitive examples of the concerto grosso form: their symphonic variety of color, texture and emotion sets them apart from other examples. The Avison Ensemble has frequently performed these works since its formation in 1985; this recording represents a culmination of its experience. Beznosiuk stated: ‘These new readings are a chance to revisit old and familiar friends and to reacquaint ourselves with Handel’s genius, but above all, to joyously revel in some of the greatest string music ever penned.”

This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.

Also available on standard DVD
During his years in Italy, Handel absorbed the music of his contemporaries and mastered new stylistic trends. Though the staging of La resurrezione was a memorable event in the Roman musical world, it was the production of Agrippina that marked Handel’s definitive investiture as an operatic composer. It met with enormous success and an unprecedented number of performances followed. Its melodic power is overwhelming and in his creation of credible and vivid characters, the alternation of recitative and arias, and sheer theatrical power, Handel established the template that was to last for the remainder of his operatic career. The production on the present release was filmed in March 2016 at the Theater an der Wien, Vienna, Austria, and was directed by Robert Carsen.

If Handel were alive today, he'd still be revising Messiah--it's the nature of this remarkable work, and it was the nature of its very practical, theatre-savvy composer. The various "official" performing versions and hybrids, along with alternate arias and added choruses, have given modern choirs a wealth of choices for their own performances, including license to just cobble together a version to suit the needs of the available forces--just as Handel would have done. This recording claims to offer "the only modern account of Handel's unique London performances in April and May 1751, when he used [boy] treble voices for choruses and arias." Conductor Edward Higginbottom can't find an explanation for that decision, but just the same he selected three boys from his excellent choir to help replicate the event. Indeed, of all the British chapel, cathedral, and university-based choirs, Higginbottom's Choir of New College Oxford always has cultivated the most ingratiatingly warm, clear, full-bodied, centered treble tone, complemented by robust basses and rich-colored middle voices--which is why his is the ideal group to bring this particular Messiah setting to disc.


Of course, for the most part, the arias, recits, and choruses are the same here as for any other complete Messiah performance; variations occur in the use of countertenor rather than female alto, and in the several numbers where a treble sings instead of the usual female soprano. And the three trebles who share the work here are fabulous; nothing is lost in expression or technique, and there's something to be said for their pure, completely unmannered style in such hugely familiar music, so often overwrought and excessively ornamented. And speaking of ornaments, Higginbottom doesn't allow the "all-about-me" kind of decoration from his soloists that renders many performances different but ultimately irritating; instead the ornamenting is tasteful and artful.


Higginbottom's command of the orchestra also is impressive; he has a firm grasp of the larger picture of the oratorio, and consequently makes decisions regarding pacing that just "feel" right. It's interesting that among the vast volumes of writing about Messiah, almost no one ever discusses tempo--and yet it's tempo more than anything that determines a successful performance. The current "speed for speed's sake" obsession of some conductors simply ruins choruses such as "And He shall purify", "His yoke is easy", and "All we like sheep", and arias like "Rejoice greatly"--but here we are treated to mostly sensible (but certainly not slow!) tempos that properly capture the essential rhythmic and melodic--and textual--aspects of a given movement (except for Higginbottom's insanely fast "All we like sheep", which the choir almost pulls off!). The lively movements dance; the more reflective and solemn ones are appropriately weighty or delicate as required. In other words, this is a very intelligent, articulate, and consummately musical--as well as entertaining--Messiah.


The choir is as good as any you'll hear in this music, and the soloists--none of them big names, but all experts in this repertoire--couldn't be more ideally chosen. There are many scintillating moments--including the chorus "For unto us a Child is born", which has never been more excitingly rendered on a recording (at least among the two-dozen-plus sets in my collection)--and there are some occasions, the "Hallelujah" chorus for one, where the choir is covered just a little more than we'd like by the exuberant orchestra.


Being a very critical Messiah observer, I was pleasantly surprised by this "treble"-voice version. In fact, along with the reference recordings above, it's becoming one of my favorites, simply because it renders this beloved and time-worn work with respect for its innate structural and expositional integrity--no fancy, quirky self-indulgences, no artificial additives, just pure, unprocessed, organic Handel. A pleasure!
--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

HANDEL Keyboard Suites, HWV 426–434; 436–441. Chaconne and Variations, HWV 435. Prelude and Chaconne, HWV 442 • Ragna Schirmer (pn) • BERLIN 1645 (3 CDs: 208:25)


It has been said that Bach’s harpsichord music transcends the harpsichord but that Handel’s exploits it. For this reason, I had always resisted the idea that these works could be played successfully on the modern concert grand piano and had consequently avoided any piano recording of Handel’s suites. My resistance began to crumble when the publisher sent me for review a recording of four suites played on the piano by Evgeni Koroliov. I found those performances persuasive and had to admit that Handel’s harpsichord music could be convincingly played on the piano. Now comes this new recording of suites to complete my conversion.


Handel published eight suites in 1720 in response to a pirated publication the previous year of four of his harpsichord suites. In his publication, Handel revised the suites that had been published as well as adding additional movements, combining them with four unpublished suites. A promised follow-up publication did not appear until 1733. This second set contained nine works, seven suites and two one-movement “suites,” each a Chaconne with variations (21 and 62, respectively). Schirmer records all except the latter Chaconne.


By Handel’s time, especially in Germany, the standard suite contained four movements, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, and Gigue, to which other movements might be added. Only three of these 16 suites conform to this arrangement. Most often, Handel omits the Sarabande while adding other movements generally not based on dance forms.


I was not previously acquainted with the artistry of Ragna Schirmer. The notes tell us of her many prizes in competitions, her busy career, and the awards her recordings have won. She lives in Halle, Handel’s birthplace and the site of an annual Handel festival. Her aim in this recording is to realize on the modern piano what Handel wished to express in each movement. She acknowledges the need to be careful not to overwhelm the music with modern piano technique. To these ears, she has succeeded admirably. Her touch is generally light, but she is not afraid to employ the full power of the piano when the music can bear it. Without being too free, she is occasionally playful with rhythms, especially on repeats. Repeats are tastefully decorated; whether simple or elaborate, the decorations never overwhelm the music, and she never indulges in the mistake of recomposing Handel’s melodies (would that we could get singers to follow her example). Schirmer’s technique and the recording acoustic help keep lines clear so that tone is never muddy or messy. Schirmer performs most, but not all, repeats.


The main competition for this recording comes from EMI. Sviatoslav Richter and Andrei Gavrilov perform most of the same works on four discs (priced as two). They omit HWV 434 and 435, substituting instead two later suites, HWV 447 and 452, which were not published until 1793. As interesting as those performances are, I find Schirmer more persuasive. She also has the better recording acoustic. The Russian pianists were recorded live. The sound is harsher, and there are occasional stage noises and coughs.


For those who dislike the sound of the harpsichord, these performances are ideal. While I prefer these works performed on the harpsichord, when I want to hear them on a concert grand, these are the discs I will play.


FANFARE: Ron Salemi

At Salzburg Festival, Cecilia Bartoli shines as Ariodante with her dazzling coloratura in a highly acclaimed new production by the German director Christoph Loy, who is known for his clever psychological stagings. Loy turns Handel's splendid baroque opera into an exciting and differentiated reflection on gender roles. A high-class ensemble, first and foremost a brilliant Cecilia Bartoli in the trouser role of the knight Ariodante who effortlessly switches between cheerful and lamenting virtuoso singing makes the production a true triumph. At her side perform audience favorite Rolando Villazón as Lurcano and young American soprano Kathryn Lewek, praised by critics as a “true discovery“ (Neue Zürcher Zeitung). Gianluca Capuano at the podium of the Musiciens du Prince – Monaco “provides for elegance, richness of color and a sensitive, stirring realization of the ingenious score.“ (Kurier). “Cecilia Bartoli is a league of her own!" (Der Standard). "The singing was sensational" (LA Times)

HANDEL: WATER MUSIC, ROYAL FIR

"The Messiah" by George Frederic Handel counts among the most popular and formative oratorios. Starting in 1750, it has for decades been annually performed as conclusion to the oratorio season in London, oftentimes under the baton of Handel himself. The "Messiah" is, essentially, nothing other than a biography of Jesus told in metaphors and described with the immense dramatic power, passion and religious emphasis of Handel. The concert given on Easter, 2016 in Kosterneuburg Abey, Lower Austria, by the Bach Consort Vienna, conducted by Ruben Dubrovsky, with the great Salzburg Bach Choir and the extraordinary soloists Hanna Herfurtner, Gaia Petrone, Michael Schade and Christian Immler marked a re-encounter with Handel's masterpiece and can now be relived with this live recording. The Bach Consort Vienna was in founded in 1999 under the baton of Ruben Dubrovsky and they soon grew into one of the most important Baroque Ensembles in Austria. Next to several performances at the Vienna Musikverein, the ensemble is ever-present on different European concert stages. Internaionally renowned artists, such as Bernarda Fink and Christophe Coin, are closely connected to the Bach Consort Vienna. The ensemble has always remained faithful to its original conceptual idea of chamber music.