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HANDEL
SEMELE
Rosemary Joshua, Hilary Summers,
Brindley Sherratt, Stephen Wallace, Richard Croft, Gail Pearson
Chorus & Orchestra of Early Opera
Company
CHRISTIAN CURNYN
Chandos CHAN 0745(3)
2007 • 3 CDs: 169:35
For an introduction to Handel’s
deliciously ironic “profane oratorio” Semele, an opera by any other name, readers are referred to Pierre
Degott’s splendid article in Goldberg 49. Although there have been a number of recordings, this new Chandos is the first
to present the work as it was first heard at Covent Garden on 10 February 1744, although if you want to hear the enchanting
Act II air for Cupid cut by Handel shortly before the first performance you’ll have to go back to Eliot Gardiner’s
substantially cut Erato recording. My experience of the Early Opera Company’s Handel – a mediocre staged Susanna
and an under-characterised Partenope – happily proved no harbinger of this splendid Semele. Although
Curnyn favours a light, fleet approach to Handel’s quicker music, it works far better here and in the bigger numbers
there is more breadth and depth than has been previously apparent, although I’d still like more body from his upper
strings; the chorus, which sings with excellent diction and real weight and commitment, is throughout a major plus. Rosemary
Joshua’s Semele well conveys the silly vanity of the heroine in addition to throwing off her florid roulades with real
assurance, while her Jupiter is elegantly sung by Richard Croft, although there’s more vibrato in the voice these days.
Hilary Summers is a quite outstanding Ino/Juno, her rich contralto encompassing enough colour to differentiate well between
the two, special praise also being due to bass Brindley Sherratt’s Cadmus/Somnus. An obligatory set for all Handelians.
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PEZ
OUVERTURES – CONCERTI
Les Muffatti
PETER VAN HEYGHEN
Ramée RAM 0705
2006 • 76:41
Les Muffatti’s
first CD, devoted to Muffat’s Armonico Tributo, deservedly received strong commendation. Its second is arguably
even more significant, for not only does it confirm the Belgian ensemble as a quite exceptional body, but it also introduces
us to some splendid music by a neglected composer. Munich-born Johann Christoph Pez (1664-1716) worked in his native city
and Bonn before becoming Kapellmeister in Stuttgart. Like Muffat and J.C.F. Fischer, he thoroughly assimilated the
French style of Lully, although unlike them he seems to have had no direct contact with France. But that is not the whole
picture, since Pez was sent to study in Rome, where he came into contact with the “serious” style of Corelli.
It is this fusion of styles that informs the works on the present disc, all prepared from MS sources by Peter Van Heyghen.
The French influence is most clearly apparent in two multi-movement ouvertures, but is also found more improbably in
the Concerto grosso in G minor. Two sonatas (in F and G) and the charming Concert Pastoral are more obviously indebted to
Corelli, although the F-major work includes a remarkable improvisatory movement of Biber-like fantasy.
The playing and performances
warrant only superlatives, having a rare distinction that goes beyond a natural ease, grace and buoyancy to encompass the
subtlest variations of tempo, shading and phrasing, in addition to an ideal balance between parts. Outstanding sound and superb
presentation contribute to what is in every way an outstanding achievement.
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AVISON/GEMINIANI
CONCERTO GROSSO ARRANGEMENTS
The Avison Ensemble
PAVLO BEZNOSIUK
Divine Art DDA21210
2005 • 2 CDs:
99:28
Newcastle-born Charles
Avison’s concerto grosso arrangements of Domenico Scarlatti sonatas are now fairly familiar, but these concertos arranged
from Francesco Geminiani’s set of 12 Sonatas and Continuo, op. 1 (1716) are likely to be new to most listeners. They
are in fact recent discoveries, having only came to light as recently as 2002. As the excellent booklet note reminds us, it
should come as no surprise that Avison should have been drawn to these sonatas, given the mutual admiration he and Geminiani
had for the other’s works. Geminiani’s publication followed the standard format of including 6 sonate da chiesa
followed by 6 sonate da camera, a pattern followed by Avison, who was largely faithful as to matters like tempo
and harmony. There is, however, a striking departure in the case of the final movement of No. 6 in G minor, where Avison concludes
with an Andante followed by an extensive set of variations not included in the sonata and scored in only two parts. They are
played here by violin and cello.
The performances of
this immensely appealing set of concertos are outstanding. The Avison Ensemble includes some of Britain’s finest period
instrument players, but what is remarkable is the rich depth of the playing. The broad sonority of some of the movements of
the da chiesa concertos is especially impressive, while there is real warmth and expressive sensitivity in such movements
as No. 2/iii or the gracious opening Vivace of No. 9 in F. An exceptional issue in every way.
These reviews will appear in Goldberg Early Music Magazine
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