Handel: Alexander's Feast / Martini, Samann, Schoch, Mertens

$19.99
Label
Naxos
Release Date
February 23, 2010
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      HANDEL DRYDEN HAMILTON
    • PERFORMER
      Martini, Barockorchester Frankfurt, Sämann, Schoch, Junge Kantorei
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      February 23, 2010
    • UPC
      747313222476
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      8572224
    • LABEL
      Naxos
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      1
    • GENRE
      Choral - Secular
    Works ⌄

    1. Part 1: Overture

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    2. Part 1: Recitative: 'Twas at the royal feast (Tenor)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Knut Schoch

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    3. Part I: Air: Happy, happy, happy pair (Tenor, Chorus)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Junge Kantorei, Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Knut Schoch

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    4. Part I: Recitative: Timotheus, plac'd on high (Tenor)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Knut Schoch

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    5. Part 1: Accompagnato: The song began from Jove (Soprano)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Gerlinde Sämann

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    6. Part 1: The list'ning Crowd (Chorus)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Junge Kantorei, Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    7. Part 1: Air: With ravish'd ears (Soprano)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Gerlinde Sämann

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    8. Part 1: Recitative: The praise of Bacchus (Tenor)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Knut Schoch

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    9. Part 1: Air and Chorus: Bacchus, ever fair and young (Bass and Chorus)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Junge Kantorei, Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Klaus Mertens

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    10. Part 1: Recitative: Sooth'd with the sound (Tenor)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Knut Schoch

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    11. Part 1: Accompagnato: He chose a mournful muse (Soprano)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Gerlinde Sämann

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    12. Part 1: Air: He sung Darius great and good (Soprano)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Gerlinde Sämann

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    13. Part 1: Accompagnato: With downcast looks (Soprano)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Gerlinde Sämann

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    14. Part 1: Behold Darius great and good (Chorus)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Junge Kantorei, Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    15. Part 1: Recitative: The mighty master smil'd to see (Tenor)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Knut Schoch

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    16. Part 1: Air: Softly sweet (Soprano)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Gerlinde Sämann

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    17. Part 1: Air: War, he sung, is toil and trouble (Soprano)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Gerlinde Sämann

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    18. Part 1: The many rend the skies (Chorus)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Junge Kantorei, Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    19. Part 1: Air: The Prince, unable to conceal his pain (Soprano)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Gerlinde Sämann

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    20. Part 1: The many rend the skies (Chorus)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Junge Kantorei, Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    21. Part 2: Accompagnato and Chorus: Now strike the golden lyre (Tenor and Chorus)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Junge Kantorei, Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Knut Schoch

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    22. Part 2: Air: Revenge, revenge, Timotheus cries (Bass)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Klaus Mertens

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    23. Part 2: Accompagnato: Give the vengeance due (Tenor)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Knut Schoch

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    24. Part 2: Air: The princes applaud with a furious joy (Tenor)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Knut Schoch

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    25. Part 2: Air and Chorus: Thais led the way (Soprano and Chorus)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Junge Kantorei, Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Gerlinde Sämann

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    26. Part 2: Accompagnato and Chorus: Thus, long ago (Tenor)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Knut Schoch

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    27. Part 2: Recitative: Let old Timotheus yield the prize (Tenor and Bass)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Performer: Knut Schoch, Klaus Mertens

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini

    28. Part 2: Let old Timotheus yield the prize (Chorus)

      Composer: George Frideric Handel

      Ensemble: Junge Kantorei, Barockorchester Frankfurt

      Conductor: Joachim Carlos Martini


I came away from hearing this version with renewed enthusiasm for the work.
 
First, a confession. Much as I enjoy recordings of Handel’s operas in prospect, in practice by the end - and sometimes the start - of the third disc I am finding difficulty in paying full attention. Over-complex plots, lengthy secco recitatives and extended da capos all take their toll. Probably this reflects more on me than on the works, but maybe I am not alone and others too prefer Handel in shorter, more concentrated, bursts. For such people, if they have not encountered it before, I can confidently recommend “Alexander’s Feast”. It has great musical variety including choruses and arias of considerable imagination and beauty, not too many da capo arias, and a text derived from a splendid poem by John Dryden. The plot concerns a feast given by Alexander the Great after his defeat of Darius, King of Persia, at which Alexander is entertained by Timotheus who arouses various emotions before being replaced by St Cecilia.
 
This recording is of a live performance and despite some reservations about it as heard on this disc it clearly was a very enjoyable event to be at. It gets off to a good start with an alert performance of the Overture; indeed the orchestra and Joachim Carlos Martini’s direction are the strongest points about this disc. They play with verve and colour, and great rhythmic bite. The soloists are less satisfactory, all adopting a somewhat heavy style with an occasionally hectoring tone that does not suit Handel’s vocal writing. In addition it soon becomes clear that none are native speakers of English and there are a few curious pronunciations and accentuations from the men and an almost total lack of verbal clarity from the soprano.
 
There is however a much greater problem with this disc. It is the actual sound of the chorus as heard here. I use those words advisedly, as it may well be that heard live they sounded fine, but as heard here they appear to be in a quite different, and much less suitable, acoustic to the soloists and orchestra. This boxy sound has a depressing effect every time the chorus sing. Although this is only in parts of the work it is frequent enough to be more than a trivial irritation. There is however the practical virtue of managing to include the whole work on a single disc, even with a brief additional harp movement representing Timotheus’ skill on the lyre - but not the Concerto which Handel himself included. This is not mentioned in Keith Anderson’s otherwise admirable notes. I understand that the text and a German translation are available on the Naxos website.
 
There is strong competition for CDs of “Alexander’s Feast”, and even restricting it to those at bargain price fine recordings are available conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Philip Ledger. The present version does nonetheless have solid virtues in terms of its general spirit and even, where necessary, verve. Despite my earlier comments, I was never bored listening to it and I did end with a renewed enthusiasm for the work. If you do not have a recording of it already this would certainly fill an important gap and give considerable pleasure, even if you may need to look elsewhere, possibly to the version by The Sixteen under Harry Christophers on two discs (but with extra material) to find fuller satisfaction.

-- John Sheppard, MusicWeb International