Composer: Georg Friedrich Händel
Performer: Rachel Redmond, Sreten Manojlović, James Way, Rachel Redmond, Leo Jemison, Trinity Boys Choir
Orchestra: Les Arts Florissants
Conductor: William Christie
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Harmonia Mundi
Catalogue: HAF890535960
Release: 2023
Size: 1.86 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, HWV 55
CD 01
Part I
01. Accompagnato. Hence loathed Melancoly (L’Allegro)
02. Accompagnato. Hence vain deluding joys (Il Penseroso)
03. Air. Come, thou Goddess, fair and free (L’Allegro)
04. Air. Come rather, goddess sage and holy (Il Penseroso)
05. Air and Chorus. Haste thee, nymph, and bring with thee (L’Allegro)
06. Air and Chorus. Come, and trip it as you go (L’Allegro)
07. Accompagnato. Come, pensive nun, devout and pure (Il Penseroso)
08. Arioso. Come, but keep thy wonted state (Il Penseroso)
09. Chorus. Join with thee calm peace, and quiet
10. Recitative. Hence, loathed Melancholy (L’Allegro); Recitative. And if I give thee honour due (L’Allegro)
11. Air. Mirth, admit me of thy crew (L’Allegro)
12. Accompagnato. First, and chief, on golden wing (Il Penseroso)
13. Air. Sweet bird, that shun’st the noise of folly (Il Penseroso)
14. Recitative. If I give thee honour due (L’Allegro)
15. Air. Mirth, admit me of thy crew (L’Allegro)
16. Air. Oft, on a plat of rising ground (Il Penseroso)
17. Recitative. If I give thee honour due (L’Allegro)
18. Air. Let me wander, not unseen (L’Allegro)
19. Air and Chorus. Or let the merry bells ring round (L’Allegro)
CD 02
Part II
01. Accompagnato. Hence, vain deluding joys (Il Penseroso)
02. Air. But oh, sad virgin (Il Penseroso)
03. Recitative. Thus, night oft see me (Il Penseroso)
04. Chorus. Populous cities please me then (Il Penseroso)
05. Air. There let Hymen oft appear (L’Allegro)
06. Accompagnato. Me, when the sun begins to fling (Il Penseroso)
07. Air. Hide me from day’s garish eye (Il Penseroso)
08. Air. I’ll to the well-trod stage anon (L’Allegro)
09. Air. And ever against eating cares (L’Allegro)
10. Air and Chorus. These delights if thou canst give (L’Allegro)
11. Recitative. But let my due feet never fail (Il Penseroso)
12. Chorus. There let the pealing organ blow ; Solo. And let their sweetness, through mine ear (Il Penseroso)
13. Fugue Organo ad libitum
14. Solo and Chorus. These pleasures, Melancholy, give (Il Penseroso)
15. Accompagnato. Hence, boast not, ye profane (Il Moderato)
Part III
16. Air. Come, with native lustre shine (Il Moderato)
17. Accompagnato and Chorus. Sweet temp’rance (Il Moderato)
18. Air. Come, with gentle hand restrain (Il Moderato)
19. Recitative. No more short life (Il Moderato)
20. Air. Each Action will derive new Grace (Il Moderato)
21. Duet. As steals the morn upon the night (Il Moderato)
22. Chorus. Thy pleasures, Moderation, give (Il Moderato)
A hybrid work between oratorio, ode and serenata, L’Allegro is undoubtedly one of Handel’s most mysterious works, but also his most inspired! With their accustomed poetry, William Christie and Les Arts Florissants offer us the chance to rediscover this masterpiece, in which the composer transforms metaphysics into painting and ideas into pure emotions.