Composer: George Frideric Handel
Performer: English Baroque Soloists, Monteverdi Choir, Jennifer Smith, Maldwyn Davies, Michael Ginn, Stephen Varcoe, Martyn Hill, Patrizia Kwella, Marie McLaughlin, Derek Lee Ragin, Michael Chance, Jane Findlay, Nigel Robson, Nancy Argenta, René Schirrer
Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Warner
Catalogue: 2564696208
Release: 2008
Size: 1.48 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, HWV 55
01. Part 1: “Hence loathed Melancholy” (Tenor I)
02. Part 1: “Hence vain deluding joyes” (Soprano I)
03. Part 1: “Come, thou Goddess” (Soprano II)
04. Part 1: “Come, rather, Goddess” (Soprano III)
05. Part 1: “Haste thee, nymph” (Tenor I)
06. Part 1: “Haste thee, nymph” (Chorus)
07. Part 1: “Come, and trip it” (Tenor II, Chorus)
08. Part 1: “Come, pensive nun” (Soprano III)
09. Part 1: “Come, but keep thy wonted state” (Soprano I) – “Join with thee” (Chorus)
10. Part 1: “Hence, loathed Melancholy” (M. Hill) – “And if I give the honour due” (Soprano IV)
11. Part 1: “First, and chief, on golden wing” (Soprano I)
12. Part 1: “If I give thee honour due” (Bass)
13. Part 1: “Oft on a plat of rising ground” (Soprano III)
14. Part 1: “Far from all resort of Mirth” (Soprano II)
15. Part 1: “If I give thee honour due” (Tenor II)
16. Part 1: “Straight mine eye” (Soprano II)
17. Part 1: “Or let the merry bells” (Soprano IV) – “And young and old come” (Chorus)
18. Part 2: “Hence, vain deluding joys” (Soprano III)
19. Part 2: “Thus night oft see me” (Soprano I)
20. Part 2: “Populous cities” (Bass, Chorus)
21. Part 2: “There let Hymen oft appear” (Tenor II)
22. Part 2: “Me, when the sun begins to fling” (Soprano I)
23. Part 2: “I’ll to the well-trod stage anon” (Tenor I)
24. Part 2: “And ever against eating cares” (Soprano II)
25. Part 2: “Orpheus’ self may heave his head” (Soprano II)
26. Part 2: “These delights if thou canst give” (Tenor I, Chorus)
27. Part 2: “But let my due feet never fail” (Soprano I)
28. Part 2: “There let the pealing organ blow” (Chorus) – “And let their sweetness” (Soprano I)
29. Part 2: “May at last my weary age” (J. Smith) – “These pleasures, Melancholy, give” (Soprano I, Chorus)
30. Part 3: “Hence, boast not” (Bass) – “All this company serene” (Chorus)
31. Part 3: “Come, with gentle hand restrain” (Soprano III)
32. Part 3: “No more short life” (Tenor I)
33. Part 3: “As steals the morn upon the night” (Soprano I, Tenor II)
34. Part 3: “Thy pleasures, Moderation, give” (Chorus)
Tamerlano
35. Overture to Act 1
36. Menuet
37. Act 1: “Esci, oh Signore!” (Andronico, Bajazet)
38. Act 1: “Forte e lieto a morte andrei” (Bajazet)
39. Act 1: “Non si perda di vista il disperato” (Andronico, Tamerlano)
40. Act 1: “Vo’ dar pace a un alma altiera” (Tamerlano)
41. Act 1: “Il Tartaro ama Asteria” (Andronico)
42. Act 1: “Bella Asteria, il tuo cor mi difenda” (Andronico)
43. Act 1 “Non è più tempo Asteria – Serve Asteria di prezzo” [Tamerlano, Asteria]
44. Act 1: “Se non mi vuol amar” (Asteria)
45. Act 1: “Non ascolto più nulla” (Bajazet, Andronico, Asteria)
46. Act 1: “Ciel e terra armi di sdegno” (Bajazet)
47. Act 1: “Asteria non parlate?” (Andronico, Asteria)
48. Act 1: “Deh, lasciatemi il nemico” (Asteria)
49. Act 1: “Così la sposa il Tamerlano accoglie?” (Irene, Leone, Andronico)
50. Act 1: “Dal crudel che m’ha tradita” (Irene)
51. Act 1: “Chi vide mai più sventurato amante?” (Andronico)
52. Act 1: “Benchè mi sprezzi l’idol ch’adoro” (Andronico)
53. Act 2: “Amico, tengo un testimon fedele” (Tamerlano, Andronico)
54. Act 2: “Bella gara che faronno” (Tamerlano)
55. Act 2: “Qui l’infedel! cogliamo” (Asteria, Andronico)
56. Act 2: “Non è più tempo” (Asteria)
57. Act 2: “Ah nò! dove trascorri, idolo mio?” (Andronico)
58. Act 2: “Cerco in vano di placare” (Andronico)
59. Act 2: “Signor, vergine illustre” (Leone, Tamerlano, Irene, Asteria)
60. Act 2: “Par che mi nasca in seno” (Irene)
61. Act 2: “Dov’è mia figlia, Andronico?” (Bajazet, Andronico)
62. Act 2: “A suoi piedi padre esangue” (Bajazet)
63. Act 2: “Se Asteria mi tradisce” (Andronico)
64. Act 2: “Più d’una tigre altero” (Andronico)
65. Act 2: “Al soglio, oh bella!” (Tamerlano, Asteria, Bajazet, Andronico, Irene)
66. Act 2 “Ecco il cor, sarò contenta” “Voglio stragi, voglio sangue” “Ecco il petto, non mi paventa” [Asteria, Tamerlano, Bajazet]
67. Act 2: “Padre, dimmi son più l’indegna figlia” (Asteria)
68. Act 2: “No, il tuo sdegno mi placò” (Bajazet)
69. Act 2: “Andronico, son più l’infida amante?” (Asteria)
70. Act 2: “No, che del tuo gran cor” (Andronico)
71. Act 2: “Amica, son quella superba donna?” (Asteria)
72. Act 2: “No, che sei tanto costante nella la fede” (Irene)
73. Act 2: “Sì, sì, son vendicata” (Asteria)
74. Act 2: “Cor di padre, e cor d’amante” (Asteria)
75. Act 3: “Figlia, siam rei, io di schernito sdegno” (Bajazet, Asteria)
76. Act 3 “Sù la sponda del pigro Lete” [Bajazet]
77. Act 3: “Andronico, il mio amore” (Tamerlano, Andronico, Asteria, Bajazet)
78. Act 3: “A dispetto d’un volto ingrato” (Andronico)
79. Act 3 “L’empietà de’ ministri” [Leone, Andronico, Asteria]
80. Act 3: “Vivo in te, mio caro bene!” (Asteria, Andronico)
81. Act 3: “Eccoti Bajazete” (Tamerlano, Bajazet, Andronico)
82. Act 3: “Eccomi, che si chiede?” (Asteria, Tamerlano, Andronico, Bajazet)
83. Act 3 “Padre, amante” [Asteria] “Folle sei” [Asteria] “Beva dunque la rea” [Asteria, Andronico, Bajazet, Tamerlano]
84. Act 3: “E il soffrirete” (Bajazet)
85. Act 3: “Empio, per farti guerra” (Bajazet)
86. Act 3: “Signor, fra tante cure” (Irene, Tamerlano)
87. Act 3: “Vieni, Asteria” (Leono, Andronico, Tamerlano, Asteria)
88. Act 3 “Oh per me lieto” [Bajazet, Tamerlano] … “Sù, via, furie, e ministre” [Bajazet]
89. Act 3 “Barbaro! al fin sei sazio ancor?” [Andronico, Asteria] “Mirami, io quella son che già due volte” [Asteria]
90. Act 3: “Padre amato, in me riposa” (Asteria)
91. Act 3 “Io più non posso vivere” [Andronico, Tamerlano, Irene]
92. Act 3: “Coronata di gigli e di rose” (Andronico, Tamerlano)
93. Act 3: “Ora invitta regina” (Tamerlano, Irene)
94. Act 3: “D’atra notte già mirasi a scorno” (Irene, Andronico, Tamerlano, Leone)
Alcina, HWV 34
95. Prelude – Overture
96. Prelude – Musette
97. Prelude – Menuet
98. Act 1 Ballo – Sarabande – Ballo da capo
99. Act 1 Menuet
100. Act 1 [Gavotte]
101. Act 3 Sinfonia
102. Act 3 Entrée
103. Act 3 Tambourino
104. Act 3 Entrée des songes agréables
105. Act 3 Entrée des songes funestes
106. Act 3 Entrée des songes agréables et effrayés – Combat des songes funestes et agréables
107. Act 3 Entrée de Mori
108. Act 3 Rondeau
Terpsichore
109. I Prelude – Chaconne
110. II Sarabande
111. III Gigue
112. IV Air
113. V Ballo
Il pastor fido, HWV 8a
114. I A tempo di bourrée
115. II Bourrée
116. III Musette – Bourrée da capo
117. IV Menuet
118. V Menuet
119. VI Menuet
120. VII Gavotte
121. VIII Gigue
Taking Milton as his starting point, Handel illustrated in music the contrasts of mood and character between the cheerful and the thoughtful. Then, prompted by his librettist, Charles Jennens, he added compromise in Il Moderato, the moderate man. The sequence of brief numbers is a delight, particularly in a performance as exhilarating as Gardiner’s, with excellent soloists, choir and orchestra. The recording is first rate.
This six-disc set of music by George Frederick Handel presents an unlikely combination of genres: the oratorio L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato; the opera Tamerlano; and ballet music from Alcina, Il pastor fido, and Terpsichore. Each is surely a masterpiece in its form, but it is odd to have such heterodox works grouped together. Aside from the composer, the common thread here is conductor John Eliot Gardiner with his orchestra, the English Baroque Soloists, and the Monteverdi Choir. Baroque specialist Gardiner turns in apt performances, all recorded in the 1980s. His L’Allegro is mighty and monumental, with lovely lyrical touches; his Tamerlano deeply expressive and highly dramatic, with astounding vocal writing; and his trio of ballets catchy, colorful, and buoyantly rhythmic. The oratorio and the opera have large and entirely different casts, and amazingly, both casts are superb: Patrizia Kwella, Marie McLaughlin, and Martyn Hill being the standouts in the oratorio and Derek Ragin and especially the clarion Nancy Argenta being the standouts in the opera. Recorded in warm, clear early digital sound by Erato, this set will appeal to any Handel fan who doesn’t already have one or more of these works or is looking for excellent recordings of any of them.