Andrew McGregor introduces Radio 3's weekly programme devoted to all that's new in the world of recorded music.
On this week's programme:
HANDEL: Concerto Grosso in F major Op. 6 No. 9 (movements 1 and 2) from disc Handel Concerti Grossi Op. 6 Nos. 7-12, Volume 2
(c/w Concerto Grosso in B-flat major, Op. 6, No. 7; Concert Grosso in C minor, Op. 6, No. 8; Concerto Grosso in F major, Op. 6, No. 9; Concerto Grosso in D minor, Op. 6, No. 10; Concerto Grosso in A major, Op. 6, No. 11; Concerto Grosso in B minor, Op. 6, No. 12)
Boston Baroque, Martin Pearlman (director)
Telarc CD 80688 (CD)
Album Description
The first half of Handel's Concerto Grossi Op. 6 Nos. 1 - 6 marked Boston Baroque's debut release with Telarc in 1992. American Record Guide hailed the debut recording as "...full of imagination and resourcefulness, bringing pungent new personality to these pieces." Gramophone wrote "...meticulously prepared...enlivened by spirited and warmly coloured playing. I shall look forward to the sequel." And CD Review welcomed Boston Baroque as "a world class member of the original instruments club."
In the fall of 1739, immediately after finishing his Ode for St. Cecilia's Day, Handel began composing twelve concerti grossi, completing the entire set within the astonishing space of one month. The dates of completion written at the ends of the concertos range from September 29 to October 30, meaning that Handel composed on average one concerto every two-and-a-half to three days.
Martin Pearlman is one of the US's leading interpreters of Baroque and Classical music on both period and modern instruments. Hailed for his "fresh, buoyant interpretations," and his "vivid realizations teeming with life," Pearlman has been acclaimed for more than thirty years in the orchestral, choral, and operatic repertoire from Monteverdi to Beethoven. Boston Baroque is the resident professional ensemble for Boston University's Historical Performance Program.
1. I. Largo
2. II. Allegro
3. III. Largo, E Piano
4. IV. Andante
5. V. Hornpipe
6. I. Allemande
7. II. Grave
8. III. Andante Allegro
9. IV. Adagio
10. V. Siciliana (Andante)
11. VI. Allegro
12. I. Largo
13. II. Allegro
14. III. Larghetto
15. IV. Allegro
16. V. Menuet
17. VI. Gigue
18. I. Overture: (Grave)/Allegro
19. II. Air (Lento)
20. III. Allegro
21. IV. Allegro
22. V. Allegro Moderato
23. I. Andante Larghetto
24. II. Allegro
25. III. Largo
26. IV. Andante
27. V. Allegro
28. I. Largo
29. II. Allegro
30. III. Larghetto, E Piano
31. IV. Largo
32. V. Allegro
HANDEL: Organ Concerto in F major Op. 4 No. 5 from disc Organ Concertos Op. 4
(c/w Organ Concerto in G minor Op. 4 No. 1; Organ Concerto in B flat major Op. 4 No. 2; Organ Concerto in G minor Op. 4 No. 3; Organ Concerto in F major Op. 4 No. 5; Concerto in B flat major Op. 4 No. 6)
Academy of Ancient Music, Richard Egarr (organ and direction)
Harmonia Mundi HMU807446 (Hybrid SACD)
1. Larghetto, E Staccato
2. Allegro
3. Adagio
4. Andante
5. A Tempo Ordinario, E Staccato
6. Allegro
7. Adagio, E Staccato
8. Allegro, Ma Non Presto
9. Adagio
10. Allegro
11. Adagio
12. Allegro
13. Allegro
14. Andante
15. Adagio
16. Allegro
17. Larghetto
18. Allegro
19. Alla Siciliana
20. Presto
21. Andante Allegro
22. Larghetto
23. Allegro Moderato
PAUL AYRES after Handel: 'The Departure of the Queen of Sheba' from disc Handel-inspired
(c/w HANDEL: Sinfonia from Solomon ('The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba'); JOHN HAWKINS: Footnote; HANDEL: Voluntary in C; ALAN SMITH: Scherzo on 'Gopsal'; HANDEL: Air and Bourree, from Water Music; SATORU IKEDA: Water Bubbling; HANDEL: Overture to 'Esther'; Siciliano and Minuet, from Fireworks Music; JOHN ELLIS: Overture and Gigue, from Handel-Inspired Suite. HANDEL: Fugue in A minor; Krzysztof Aleksander Janczak: Le Tombeau d'Handel; HANDEL: Two Pieces for Mechanical Clock; William Wolstenholme: Introduction and Allegro, from Sonata in the style of Handel; Jos Martens: Little Prelude; Akmal Parwez: In Handel's Name; Alexandre Guilmant: Paraphrase; Thomas Neal: Lednah Loblied; Samuel Wesley: Variations on a theme in Handel's Otto)
Paul Ayres (organ) playing Goetze and Gwynn's 'Handel House' organ at the St. George's Church, Hannover Square (London)
Priory PRCD 894 (CD)
HANDEL: Act 3, Scene 6 from Tolomeo
Ann Hallenberg (Tolomeo)*, Karina Gauvin (Seleuce), Petro Spagnoli (Araspe), Anna Bonitatibus (Elisa), Romina Basso (Alessandro), Il Complesso Barocco, Alan Curtis (conductor)
Archiv Produktion 477 7106 (3 CDs, Mid Price)
Building a Library Recommendation
BIBER: 'Rosary' or 'Mystery' Sonatas
Reviewer - Francis Knights
First Choice:
John Holloway (violin), Tragicomedia: Davitt Moroney (harpsichord/organ), Stephen Stubbs (lute/chitarrone), Andrew Lawrence-King (harp/regal), Erin Headley (gamba/lirone)
Virgin Veritas 0724356206229 (2CDs, Budget)
Other Recommendations:
Andrew Manze (violin), Richard Egarr (harpsichord/organ), Alison McGillivray (cello [Sonata XII])
Harmonia Mundi HMU 907321.22 (2CDs, Mid Price)
Disc: 1
1. Praeludium
2. Aria, Variato
3. Finale
4. Sonata
5. Allamanda
6. Finale
7. Sonata
8. Courette, Double
9. Finale
10. Ciacona
11. Praeludium
12. Alamanda
13. Giugue
14. Sarabanda, Double
15. Lamento
16. Allamanda
17. Sarabanda, Variatio
18. Sonata
19. Guigue, Double 1, Double 2
20. Sonata
21. Courente, Double
22. Finale
Disc: 2
1. Praeludium
2. Aria
3. Variatio, Cont.
4. Sonata
5. Surexit Christus Hodie
6. Adagio
7. Intrada
8. Aria Tubicinum
9. Allamanda
10. Courente, Double
11. Sonata
12. Gavotta
13. Guigue
14. Sarabanda
15. Sonata
16. Aria
17. Sonata
18. Aria, Variatio
19. Canzona
20. Sarabanda, Double
21. Passangalia For Unaccompanied Violin
22. Scordatura Briefly Explained
Maya Homburger (violin), Camerata Kilkenny: Malcolm Proud (harpsichord/organ), Brian Feehan (theorbo), Siobhan Armstrong (harp), Sarah Cunningham (gamba), Barry Guy (double bass)
Maya Recordings MCD0603 (2CDs)
1. Praeludium of Mystery Sonata No. 1: Annunciation
2. For Violin: Celebration
3. Four Songs for Baroque violin and double-bass: Immeasurable Sky
4. For Baroque Violins: Ceremony
5. For Double Bass: Still
6. Foer Baroque Violin and Double Bass: Breathing Earth
Next week Rob Cowan examines recordings of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.
New Releases
Conductor and performance practice specialist John Traill joins Andrew for a round up of recent releases of Beethoven symphonies. Includes extracts from the following discs:
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 7
(c/w Weber: Adagio from the Clarinet Concerto No. 1; Rossini: L'Italiana in Algeri - Sinfonia; Johan Wilhelm Wilms: Rondo from Sinfonia a grand orchestre)
Budapest Festival Orchestra, Ivan Fischer (conductor)
Channel Classics CCS SA 25207 (Hybrid SACD)
BEETHOVEN: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 6 (from disc Beethoven Symphonies)
Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo Vanska (conductor)
BIS-SACD-1716 (Hybrid SACD)
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 5
(c/w DVORAK: Symphonic Variations Op. 78; MARTINU: Incantation (Piano Concerto No. 4))
Philharmonia Orchestra, Rudolf Firkusny (piano), Rafael Kubelik (conductor)
Testament SBT 1421 (CD, Mid Price)
BEETHOVEN: Symphonies Nos. 5 and 7
Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer (conductor)
Naxos Historical 8.111248 (CD, Budget)
BEETHOVEN: Symphonies Nos. 5 and 8
Royal Flemish Philharmonic Orchestra, Philippe Herreweghe (conductor)
PentaTone Classics PTC 5186 316 (Hybrid SACD)
BEETHOVEN: Symphonies Nos. 3 and 8
The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Paavo Jarvi (conductor)
RCA Red Seal 88697 006552 (Hybrid SACD)
Disc of the Week
HANDEL: Amadigi di Gaula
Maria Riccarda Wesseling (mezzo), Elena de la Merced (soprano), Sharon Rostorf-Zamir (soprano), Jordi Domenech (countertenor), Al Ayre Espanol, Eduardo Lopez Banzo (harpsichord and conductor)
Ambroisie AM133 (2CDs, Mid Price)
Album Description
'Amadigi di Gaula' was inspired by a text written by the French writer Antoine Houdar de la Motte entitled "Amadis de Grèce". Destouches had already composed music around this text sixteen years before Handel. It was the composer's fifth London opera and received its first performance in London at the Haymarket Theatre on 25 May 1715. The original cast included the celebrated castrato Nicolo Grimaldi. It was a great success and received a known minimum of 17 further performances in London through 1717, and a similar number in Hamburg from 1717-1720, with a different title, 'Oriana'. It then fell into neglect until a revival performance in 1968 at the Abbey Hall, Abingdon, by the English based "Unicorn Opera Group".
Although the plot of 'Amadigi di Gaula' is convoluted, it has at its centre a fairly simple premise. Amagigi, "a famous hero", and Dardano, Prince of Thrace, are rivals for the love of Oriana, daughter of the King of the Fortune Islands. Oriana is in love with Amadigi, as is the sorceress Melissa who throughout the opera tries to captivate him with potions and spells. Needless to say after various twists, true love conquers all and Amadigi and Oriana end up in each others arms.
Eduardo Lopez Banzo second album for Ambroise, featuring another of Handel's operas "Rodrigo", will be released later in the year.
Next Week
On next week's programme Rob Cowan recommends a recording of Stravinsky's ballet 'Rite of Spring' (Building a Library) and performer and academic Berta Joncus discusses new Bach Passions and Cantata recordings
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