Performer: Michael Slattery, Finnur Bjarnason, Jeremy Ovenden, Gidon Saks, Rosemary Joshua, Lawrence Zazzo, Emma Bell, Henry Waddington
Orchestra: Concerto Köln, RIAS Kammerchor
Conductor: Rene Jacobs
Composer: George Frideric Handel
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 2
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
Size: 711 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
# Saul, oratorio, HWV 53
Composed by George Frideric Handel
Performed by Cologne Concerto
with Michael Slattery, Finnur Bjarnason, Jeremy Ovenden, Gidon Saks, Rosemary Joshua, Lawrence Zazzo, Emma Bell, Rene Jacobs, Henry Waddington
THIS MAY BE THE DEFINITVE SAUL!
There are already several excellent recordings of this wonderful oratorio by Handel. In fact, you may ask is another one truly necessary? The answer to this question is a strong Yes! Why? Because, this one is definitive in every role, soloist, dramatic involvement, tempi, accent, articulation. WHY? Because, the conductor, Renee Jacob’s has truly managed to impart to every singer and instrumentalist involved his Dramatic and Inspired Vision!!! This is an INSPIRED Performance in the best sense of that oft sought for lofty goal! I would not want to change one artist, interpretation, phrase, tempo or insight that Jacobs brings to this Spectacular Performance. It truly is IDEAL! I was swept instantly into this gripping performance. Of course, we owe this to the Genius of Handel and his Great God given gift of Dramatic composing, perfect use of instrumentation for dramatic feeling of the moment and emotion and finally his inspired way of setting the English language to music; and he a German who never truly mastered this difficult language. This performance truly is an opera/oratorio. It is that dramatic. I only wish that this cast and conductor could have been Vidio Taped in an inspired stage production for prosperity.
All aspects of this production are flawless.
No matter how many or which SAUL you may already own, you owe it to yourself and your Handel collection to own this, in my humble opinion, truly IMMORTAL PERFORMANCE!