Handel: Concerti Grossi op.3,6 (4 CD, APE)

Orchestra: Munchener Bach-Orchester
Conductor: Karl Richter
Composer: George Frideric Handel
Audio CD
SPARS Code: A-D
Number of Discs: 4 CD
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Archiv
Size: 1.23 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

01. Concerto No. 1 In B-Flat Major Hwv 312 – 1. Allegro
02. Concerto No. 1 In B-Flat Major Hwv 312 – 2. Largo
03. Concerto No. 1 In B-Flat Major Hwv 312 – 3. Allegro
04. Concerto No. 2 In B-Flat Major Hwv 313 – 1. Vivace
05. Concerto No. 2 In B-Flat Major Hwv 313 – 2. Largo
06. Concerto No. 2 In B-Flat Major Hwv 313 – 3. Allegro
07. Concerto No. 2 In B-Flat Major Hwv 313 – 4. Without Tempo Indication
08. Concerto No. 2 In B-Flat Major Hwv 313 – 5. Without Tempo Indication
09. Concerto No. 3 In G Major Hwv 314 – 1. Largo E Staccato
10. Concerto No. 3 In G Major Hwv 314 – 2. Adagio
11. Concerto No. 3 In G Major Hwv 314 – 3. Adagio
12. Concerto No. 3 In G Major Hwv 314 – 4. Allegro
13. Concerto No. 4a In F Major Hwv 315 – 1. Andante – Allegro – Lentamente
14. Concerto No. 4a In F Major Hwv 315 – 2. Andante
15. Concerto No. 4a In F Major Hwv 315 – 3. Allegro
16. Concerto No. 4a In F Major Hwv 315 – 4. Minuetto Alternativo I-Ii
17. Concerto No. 4b In F Major (F. Geminiani-) – 1. Largo
18. Concerto No. 4b In F Major (F. Geminiani-) – 2. Allegro
19. Concerto No. 4b In F Major (F. Geminiani-) – 3. Largo
20. Concerto No. 4b In F Major (F. Geminiani-) – 4. Allegro
21. Concerto No. 5 In D Minor Hwv 316 – 1. Without Tempo Indication
22. Concerto No. 5 In D Minor Hwv 316 – 2. Allegro
23. Concerto No. 5 In D Minor Hwv 316 – 3. Adagio
24. Concerto No. 5 In D Minor Hwv 316 – 4. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
25. Concerto No. 5 In D Minor Hwv 316 – 5. Allegro
26. Concerto No. 6 In D Major Hwv 317 – 1. Vivace
27. Concerto No. 6 In D Major Hwv 317 – 2. Allegro
28. Concerto No. 1 G-Dur Hvw 319 – 1. A Tempo Giusto
29. 2. Allegro E Forte
30. 3. Adagio
31. 4. Allegro
32. 5. Allegro
33. Concerto No. 2 F-Dur Hvw 320 – 1. Andante Larghetto
34. 2. Allegro
35. 3. Largo – Adagio – Larghetto Andante, E Piano
36. 4. Allegro, Ma Non Troppo
37. Concerto No. 3 E-Moll Hvw 321 – 1. Larghetto
38. 2. Andante
39. 3. Allegro
40. 4. Polonaise. Andante
41. 5. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
42. Concerto No. 4 A-Moll Hvw 322 – 1. Larghetto Affettuoso
43. 2. Allegro
44. 3. Largo E Piano
45. 4. Allegro
46. Concerto No. 5 D-Dur Hvw 323 – 1. (Ohne Satzbezeichnung)
47. 2. Allegro
48. 3. Presto
49. 4. Largo
50. 5. Allegro
51. 6. Menuet. Un Poco Larghetto
52. Concerto No. 6 G-Moll Hvw 324 – 1. Larghetto Affettuoso
53. 2. Allegro, Ma Non Troppo
54. 3. Musette. Larghetto
55. 4. Allegro
56. 5. Allegro
57. Concerto No. 7 B-Dur Hvw 325 – 1. Largo
58. 2. Allegro
59. 3. Largo E Piano
60. 4. Andante
61. 5. Hornpipe
62. Concerto No. 8 C-Moll Hvw 326 – 1. Allemande- Andante
63. 2. Grave
64. 3. Andante Allegro
65. 4. Adagio
66. 5. Siciliana- Andante
67. 6. Allegro
68. Concerto No. 9 F-Dur Hvw 327 – 1. Largo
69. 2. Allegro
70. 3. Larghetto
71. 4. Andante
72. 5. Menuet
73. 6. Gigue. Allegro
74. Concerto No. 10 D-Moll Hwv 328- 1. Ouverture
75. 2. Allegro
76. 3. Air- Lento
77. 4. Allegro
78. 5. Allegro
79. 6. Allegro Moderato
80. Concerto No. 11 A-Dur Hwv 329- 1. Andante Larghetto E Staccato
81. 2. Allegro
82. 3. Largo E Staccato
83. 4. Andante
84. 5. Allegro
85. Concerto No. 12 H-Moll Mwv 330- 1. Largo
86. 2. Allegro
87. 3. Aria. Larghetto E Piano
88. 4. Largo
89. 5. Allegro
90. Concerto Grosso C-Dur -Alexanderfest- Hwv 318- 1. Allegro
91. 2. Largo
92. 3. Allegro
93. 4. Andante Non Presto

Concerti Grossi in Grand Style

I’ve been listening to this recording since its first release some decades ago.

Now digitally re-mastered, my worn out vinyl recording can be put to rest.

Richter actually made a full set of recordings for Handel’s Concerti Grossi. The Munich Bach Orchestra, who almost played exclusively for Richter, maintained its essential baroque flur throughout all the pieces, under the impeccable conducting of Richter.

What I love most about Richter’s style is not his sometimes over-rigid tempo (of which is generally fine in Handel and Bach’s works), but his beautiful rendition of all the counterpoints in those pieces.

The different string sections played as if they were in a chorus, each minute part played in fully melodious and engaging manner, while the ensemble as a whole displayed all the required congeniality and harmoniousness essential of the baroque style.

The rhythms are enlivened while contrasts striking, and you will seldom find Handel’s works played in such grand style as did Richter and the Munich Bach Orchestra here.