The Most Important Recording Projects Ever (No. 30): Handel's Italian Cantatas
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- Опубликовано: 28 авг 2024
- Handel: Italian Cantatas (plus Italian Duets and Trios). Soloists, La Risonanza, Fabio Bonizzoni (cond.) Glossa (7 CDs + 3 additional albums)
A wonderful series and a must have for all Handel's lovers indeed !
Another suggestion : Handel's complete Chandos Anthems by Harry Christophers & The Sixteen (4 CDs box on Chandos Records Ltd).
Chandos Anthems were a source of inspiration for Handel's future oratorios, and are a very little known masterpiece. The recording is excellent (and unique, as far as I know).
A modern Ode to St. Cecilia (I forget the poet) refers to "the bubble and bounce of Handel," but I do believe "gorgeous" is more accurate.
An inspired choice for this series! Such a trove of great vocal music, still underappreciated among Handel's works. Handel was surely the greatest recycler (of his own and others' music) in the history of Western music. I'd like to take this opportunity to revisit an earlier suggestion for this series--namely, the Tallis Scholars' huge discography of vocal music, mostly from the Renaissance. Yes, there were many fine recordings of this literature preior to the 1980's when this fine group started recording for its own label, under the direction of Peter Phillips. But I would contend that their ongoing explorations of great sacred vocal music from Dufay to Byrd did more to put "early music" on the map for more casual concertgoers and listeners than any similar group. There are many music lovers in the Boston area, where I live, who would have regarded Renaissance vocal music as an esoteric taste, until they heard, in concert or on record, this stylistically and musically impeccable group. Having heard them live, I can say that gorgeous colletcive tone, near infallible intonation, rhythmic vitality, and textual projection are no less in evidence in the concert hall than in the recording studio. And this group, above all, brought forward so many previously obscure composers and works into the domain of the concert-going public. So their amazing discography could well qualify as "one of the greatest recording projects EVER."
I agree, and I would suggest a video focusing on the great interpreters of Josquin Desprez : in particular the Tallis Scholars, Maurice Bourbon (both recorded a complete set of his Masses), and A Sei Voci (they recorded a wonderful 6 CDs Box of Josquin, difficult to find : Ripe for Reissue ?).
Thank you! Just finished listening to all 7 CDs for the third time. Truly note perfect. This and Beaux Arts' Haydn Piano Trios are my two desert island boxes. Hands down. Together, arguably the best intro to non-opera classical music. So glad you you took the time to revisit.
Marvelous, great, great...Thank you making me aware of this !!
Agreed. I received immense pleasure listening to this set.
Thanks for the recommendation. 😊
Your earlier discussion of Handel operas helped to break my impression made only by a handful of familiar pieces as being merely lesser to Bach, and since then I have plunged into all genres of his music, including some of these cantatas, and thanks to you have discovered his different but equally great achievements. I hope to hear this collection soon. By the way, I download lists of complete works of composers I like, and mark what I have collected as this helps me know how complete a picture I have of them.
I love this choice. I adore the cantatas and I am so glad Handel didn't spend much of his life and talent on dour, morbid, penitential sacred cantata texts a la JS Bach.
Me too!
Sometimes his opera librettos could be contrivences.
What do you think about the Consort of Musicke’s boxed set of Dowland on L’Oiseaux Lyre. Seems pretty important to me. Not only for showing the genius of Dowland, but putting Emma Kirkby on the map. Thoughts?
I don't think so.