Composer: George Frideric Handel
Performer: Bridget Cunningham
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Signum
Catalogue: SIGCD679
Release: 2021
Size: 3.39 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
CD 01
Keyboard Suite, HWV 426 in A major
01. I. Prelude
02. II. Allemande
03. III. Courante
04. IV. Gigue
Keyboard Suite, HWV 427 in F major
05. I. Adagio
06. II. Allegro
07. III. Adagio
08. IV. Allegro
Keyboard Suite, HWV 428 in D minor
09. I. Prelude
10. II. Allegro
11. III. Allemande
12. IV. Courante
13. V. Air and Variations
14. VI. Presto
Keyboard Suite, HWV 429 in E minor
15. I. Allegro
16. II. Allemande
17. III. Courante
18. IV. Sarabande
19. V. Gigue
Keyboard Suite, HWV 430 in E major ‘The Harmonious Blacksmith’
20. I. Prelude
21. II. Allemande
22. III. Courante
23. IV. Air and Variations, “The Harmonious Blacksmith”
Keyboard Suite, HWV 431 in F sharp minor
24. I. Prelude
25. II. Largo
26. III. Allegro
27. IV. Gigue
CD 02
Keyboard Suite, HWV 432 in G minor
01. I. Overture
02. II. Andante
03. III. Allegro
04. IV. Sarabande
05. V. Gigue
06. VI. Passacaille
Keyboard Suite, HWV 433 in F minor
07. I. Prelude
08. II. Allegro
09. III. Allemande
10. IV. Courante
11. V. Gigue
12. Muzio Scevola, HWV13: Overture
Keyboard Arrangements of Arias from Italian Operas, HWV 482
13. IV. ‘Pupile sdegnose’ from Muzio Scevola
14. V. ‘Come se ti vedrò’ from Muzio Scevola
15. II. ‘Sventurato godi o core abbandonato’ from Floridante
16. Overture in D major (Riccardo Primo), HWV456 / 5
17. Aria dell’opera Radamisto, HWV 482 / 3
18. Keyboard Suite, HWV 435 (Chaconne) in G major
This important new recording revisits George Frideric Handel’s monumental Suites de Pièces pour le Clavecin – subsequently known as the Eight Great Harpsichord Suites as well as his Chaconne in G major and some world première recordings of Handel’s superb arrangements of operatic arias and ouvertures which were specially reworked and ornamented by Handel for the harpsichord.
The album celebrates the 300th anniversary of the first publication of these works on 14 November 1720.
Bridget Cunningham is an international conductor, prizewinning harpsichordist and musicologist who trained at the Royal College of Music and was awarded a Junior Fellowship to work in the Centre for Performance History and coach singers in the baroque style.
Cunningham is also Artistic Director of London Early Opera, with a number of critically acclaimed recordings out on Signum Classics.