Handel: Aci, Galatea e Polifemo

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Handel’s Aci, Galatea e Polifemo is a product of his early years in Italy, not to be confused with the pastorale Acis and Galatea, written a decade later to an English text. The Italian Aci is a cantata for three voices, really a chamber opera chock-full of gorgeous melodies, many of which Handel lifted for later works. It tells the story of the lovers Aci and Galatea and the jealous giant Polifemo, whose unrequited love for Galatea drives the tragedy. The music ranges from the idyllic to deep, dark arias vividly depicting the characters’ dilemmas.

It demands top-flight singers and gets them here. Piau’s lyric soprano sails lightly through coloratura passages and darkens when the plot turns grim. Mingardo is superb, singing with tremendous feeling in a voice whose richness and ease throughout its range make her depiction of Galatea truly memorable. Naouri’s role may be the most demanding,; requiring a cruelly wide range, from treble A to low D. Just getting those notes would be enough to earn respect, but he not only nails them but sings with feeling, making a real character out of the stage giant. His "Fra l’ombre e gl’orrori" is one of the set's many highlights. The period instruments of Le Concert d'Astrée play with verve and conductor Emmanuelle Haïm paces the work well. A first-rate performance of a neglected Handel masterpiece. --Dan Davis

Handel: Aci, Galatea e Polifemo, Music, Sandrine Piau, Sara Mingardo, Laurent Naouri, Emmanuelle Haim, George Frideric Handel, Le Concert d'Astree, Cantata, Choral, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Classical Vocals

Natalie Dessay ~ Delirio (Handel Italian Cantatas)
Average customer rating:

Brillant recording

Rarely Heard Handel Performed with Great Style

Perfect pitch

Ideal Blend of Voice and Instruments on Handel's Prodigious Italian Cantatas

THE SUPERB NATALIE DESSAY DIGS NEW REPERTOIRE FOR HER WITH THE HELP OF HAÏM'S LIVELY CONDUCTING

Natalie Dessay ~ Delirio (Handel Italian Cantatas)
George Frideric Handel , Emmanuelle Haïm , Natalie Dessay , Le Concert d'Astrée , Atsushi Sakai , Stéphanie-Marie Degand , and Patrick Beaugiraud
Manufacturer: Virgin Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Cantatas | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Lamento

Handel: Radamisto

Vivaldi: Bajazet [Includes Bonus DVD]

Tragédiennes

ASIN: B0009U5600
Release Date: 2006-01-10

Tracks:

Introduzione
Recitativo: Da Quel Giorno Fatale
Aria: Un Pensiero Voli In Ciel
Recitativo: Ma Fermati, Pensier!
Aria: Per Te Lasciai La Luce
Recitativo: Non Ti Bastava, Ingrato
Aria: Lascia Omai Le Brune Vele
Recitativo: Ma Siamo Giunti In Lete
Entree
Minuet: In Queste Amene Piagge Serene
Recitativo: Si Disse Clori
Minuet
Aria: Qui 'augel Da Pianta In Pianta
Adagio: Mi Palpita Il Cor
Allegro: Agitata E L'alma Mia
Recitativo: Tormento E Gelosia
Aria: Ho Tanti Affanni In Petto
Recitativo: Clori, Di Te Mi Lagno
Aria: Se Un Di M'adora

Customer Reviews:

Brillant recording.......2007-06-10

I love Handel, and bought this cd because I had never heard "Delirio amoroso" or for that matter, I had never even heard of it. The cd turned out to be a wonderful surprise. The music is light and airy. Delirio is a substantial and brilliantly orchestrated cantata for solo Soprano. Handel aficionados may recognize some of the music as Handel reworked one of the arias for both "Rodrigo", and "Radamisto".

The cd also includes an aria from "Aci, Galateae Polifemo". If you are unfamiliar with this, then you may find yourself wanting to search out the entire cantata.

Finally, there is "Mi palpita il cor", a cantata that has been reworked several times. The cd notes say that this appears to be the earliest version of this cantata. While a purist may need to know that, to me it hardly mattered. The music intertwines the solo soprano voice with the oboe making the "palpita" a new Handel favorite. I love that combination! It is haunting in a way that baroque music seldom is. In my spare time I may search out the versions... one for alto voice and flute, HWV 132c, or HWV 132d, which apparently uses both flute and oboe.

Natalie Dessay is perfectly suited to the musical and interpretive demands. I love her voice! She moves through her voice registers seamlessly. She adds color to her voice as she interprets the music flawlessly. I don't know what else one could expect of a singer.

This is well worth the purchase price. I highly recommend it.

Rarely Heard Handel Performed with Great Style.......2006-03-20

This is one of those albums for people who love Baroque music but who want to enter the realm of the lesser known works. Though Natalie Dessay has become a star on the opera stage, here she collaborates with Emmanuelle Haïm conducting Le Concert D'Astree in three cantatas for soprano and instruments. The result is a CD of enormous beauty and grace and one that deserves awards in every category of music making!

There are three works on this well engineered CD: 'Il Delirio Amoroso', 'Aci, Galatea e Polifemo,' 'Mi palpita il cor', and the aria 'Qui l'augel da pianta in pianta'. The recital opens with the 'Introduzione from Il Delirio Amoroso' in which Emmanuelle Haïm sets a buoyant and elegant mood for the rest of the recording. Natalie Dessay is in top form here, giving us a broader range of voice than we are used to hearing from this talented artist. She has a definite affinity for Handel and her approach to these rare works is gratifying in every way. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, March 06

Perfect pitch.......2006-03-04

Natalie Dessay is back with a new album in spite of her two accidents in the last few years threatening her vocal chords.

Thanks to hard work, her stratosferic voice is still there, her agility to sing and her massive breath remain unchanged and her vocal pyrotechnics unrivalled. She is a force by nature, fully emotional when she sings, her voice is a wonder, crystal clear and devastatingly accurate with a remarkable power and flexibility...no hint of strain even at the outer limits.

Emmanuelle Haïm already worked twice with Natalie Dessay on the "Arcadian Duets" from Handel and "L'Orfeo" from Monteverdi. It's been a long friendship and cooperation between them.

Other Dessay's releases are as good as this one : Lucie de Lamermoor from Donizetti, Lakmé from Delibes (where I discovered Dessay), Alcina (singing Morgana), and other CDs dedicated to French Opera Arias...

If you've never heard of them, just try one CD : you cannot be disappointed. If you want to see the remarquable actress she is, the DVD recorded live at the Liceu in Barcelona ("Hamlet" from Ambroise Thomas) is the one you have to buy to admire her.

You will neer regret any purchase.

Ideal Blend of Voice and Instruments on Handel's Prodigious Italian Cantatas.......2006-02-09

French soprano Natalie Dessay has had to endure two major surgeries to remove nodes that were preventing her from fully reaching her stratospheric, two-and-a-half octave range. This supple dexterity is showcased nicely albeit briefly in her soubrettish turn as Morgana on the 2000 recording of the 1999 William Christie-conducted Paris Opera production of Handel's "Alcina". She also intertwined flawlessly with soprano Veronique Gens on "Ahi, nelle sorte umane" from the 2002 recording of Handel's Arcadian duets. Here, again under Emmanuelle Haim's direction of the period-authentic Le Concert d'Astree, Dessay performs in a deeper tone with more heft and color at the lower end, and the vocal change, if anything, has improved her interpretative skills in realizing the pastoral mythologies set to Handel's wondrous music composed during his youthful Italian sojourn when he was in his twenties.

Equipped with a cleaner, crisper voice than Cecilia Bartoli, Dessay produces a similar emotional intensity on the two cantatas featured here. Both written in 1707, they become vehicles for her to carry her own unique power and eloquence. Haim sets the stage beautifully by allowing her ensemble to play Handel's opening sinfonia with spirited solo turns on each of the featured instruments - oboe, cello, recorder and violin (played with virtuosity by Stefanie-Marie Degand). Five minutes later, Dessay enters and takes command of the first cantata, "Delirio amoroso" with the high point likely being the stunning aria, "Lascia omai le brune vele" with oboist Patrick Beaugiraud providing lively accompaniment during the key obbligato.

The second cantata, "Mi palpita il cor", is a more somber piece highlighted by Dessay's particularly adept performance of the two arias - the first about the possibility of rejection from a lover, "Ho tanti affanni in petto" and the concluding one, an about-face sung with complete abandon, about the gleeful anticipation of love, "Se un di m'adora". Regardless, the disc's unequivocal peak is the aria which bridges the two cantatas, "Qui l'augel da pianta in pinata" from "Aci, Galatea e Polifemo", where Dessay astonishes with her virtuosity in one of Aci's most dramatic passages. Overall this is a superb recording that matches a stellar voice growing more burnished over time with an impeccable ensemble. Handelians should be pleased.

THE SUPERB NATALIE DESSAY DIGS NEW REPERTOIRE FOR HER WITH THE HELP OF HAÏM'S LIVELY CONDUCTING.......2006-01-25

Some time ago, it was reported that Natalie Dessay was facing a vocal crisis, and I became quite worried at how her voice would sound after that. Now I know I had no real reasons to be worried, since the superb Natalie Dessay proved again what a great and intelligent artist she is. While Natalie Dessay has had to abandone a little her former lirico-leggero coloratura singing with an abundance of stratospheric high notes and superhuman agility, she has now gained an equally stupendous voice. It's now creamier and fuller than before, with a much improved low register and a richer middle register. She doesn't attempt the highest notes anymore (notice that highest notes for Dessay mean High G's and High A's, since she's still able to hit a wonderful High E Flat or High E), but her artistry seems to have deepend and matured. One of my greatest praises to her singing has always been Dessay's ability to convey the proper nuance and dramaticism to any melody she sings, even if it's a simple recitative. Now she seems to have reached the complete maturity of her artistry, and this album is a proof of that.
This is an album of Händel's Italian Cantatas, which are full of nuanced and fascinating music. They may not have the dramaticism of his later operas nor the depth of other sacred pieces by him, like Messiah, but they have that wonderful melodical creativity that Händel had. In "Un pensiero voli in ciel", Dessay shows her flowing legato in long coloratura lines with the accompaniment of lively, meaningful strings. The aria "Lascia omai le brune vele" contains some fascinating, unselfconsciously exuberant fioriture, which are sung by Dessay with stunning ease. She's also magnificent in the more lyrical and melancholic arias, such as "Per te lasciai la luce" or "Ho tanti affanni in petto", where it's amazing to hear the rich and expressive vocal colours and tones of Dessay's voice.

There are some people who criticize Emanuelle Haïm's always lively and exciting conducting. Those must be real purists, who prefer a flawless sound to an orchestral performance that shows all the dramatic and melodical nuances of the music. As I'm not a Baroque purist, I must say I'm a real fan of Haïm's conducting. She doesn't seem to care a lot about creating a perfectly homogeneous and transcendental sound, but rather creating a sound that excites the ears and is meaningful to the heart, and she always succeeds. In this way, her conducting is a perfect accompaniment to Natalie Dessay, whose superb voice is always used to favor the drama that imbues the music.

Definitely, this is one of the best Händel releases of the last years, and it's also a great success for Dessay, who digs new repertoire for her and proves to be ideal for it. I highly recommend this excellent album!

Average customer rating:

Aci Galatea e Polifemo
Exciting young singers, temperamental orchestra

Handel: Aci, Galatea e Polifemo
Sandrine Piau , Laurent Naouri , Emmanuelle Haim , George Frideric Handel , and Le Concert d'Astree
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00008LNSV
Release Date: 2003-06-10

Tracks:

Ouverture: Andante-Allegro-Andante - Emmanuelle Haim
Ouverture: Allegro - Emmanuelle Haim
Duetto: Sorge Il Di - Sandrine Piau
Recitativo: Vanti, O Cara, Il Ruscello - Sandrine Piau
Aria: Sforzano A Piangere Con Piu Dolor - Sara Mingardo
Recitativo: E Qual Nuova Sventura - Sandrine Piau
Aria: Che Non Puo La Gelosia - Sandrine Piau
Recitativo Accompagnato: Ma Qual Orrido Suono - Sandrine Piau
Recitativo: Ahi! Che Da L'ombre Eterne - Sandrine Piau
Aria: Sibilar L'angui D'Aletto
Recitativo: Deh Lascia, O Polifemo
Aria: Benche Tuoni E L'etra Avvampi - Sara Mingardo
Recitativo: Cadrai Depressa E Vinta
Aria: Non Sempre, No, Crudele
Recitativo: Folle, Quanto Mi Rido
Aria: Dell'aquila L'artigli - Sandrine Piau
Recitativo: Folle, Quanto Mi Rido
Aria: Precipitoso Nel Mar Che Freme
Recitativo: Si, T'intendo, Inumano - Sara Mingardo
Aria: S'agita In Mezzo All'onde - Sara Mingardo
Recitativo: So Che Le Cinosure
Terzetto: Provera Lo Sdegno Mio

Tracks:

Recitativo: Ingrata, Se Mi Nieghi
Aria: Fra L'ombre E Gl'orrori
Recitativo: Ma Che? Non Andra Inulta
Aria: Qui L'augel Da Pianta In Pianta - Sandrine Piau
Recitativo: Giunsi Al Fin Mio Tesoro - Sandrine Piau
Aria: Se M'ami, O Caro - Sara Mingardo
Recitativo: Qui Su L'alto Del Monte
Terzetto: Dolce Amico Amplesso
Recitativo: Or Poiche Sordi Sono
Aria: Verso Gia L'alma Col Sangue - Sandrine Piau
Recitativo: Misera, E Dove Sono? - Sara Mingardo
Aria: Del Mar Fra L'onde
Recitativo: Ah, Tiranno, Inumano!
Aria: Del Mar Fra L'onde - Sara Mingardo
Recitativo: Ferma! Ma Gia Nel Mare
Recitativo Accompagnato: Vissi Fedel, Mia Vita
Recitativo: Ed Io Che Tanto Ascolto
Terzetto: Chi Ben Ama Ha Per Oggetti

Amazon.com

Handel's Aci, Galatea e Polifemo is a product of his early years in Italy, not to be confused with the pastorale Acis and Galatea, written a decade later to an English text. The Italian Aci is a cantata for three voices, really a chamber opera chock-full of gorgeous melodies, many of which Handel lifted for later works. It tells the story of the lovers Aci and Galatea and the jealous giant Polifemo, whose unrequited love for Galatea drives the tragedy. The music ranges from the idyllic to deep, dark arias vividly depicting the characters' dilemmas.

It demands top-flight singers and gets them here. Piau's lyric soprano sails lightly through coloratura passages and darkens when the plot turns grim. Mingardo is superb, singing with tremendous feeling in a voice whose richness and ease throughout its range make her depiction of Galatea truly memorable. Naouri's role may be the most demanding,; requiring a cruelly wide range, from treble A to low D. Just getting those notes would be enough to earn respect, but he not only nails them but sings with feeling, making a real character out of the stage giant. His "Fra l'ombre e gl'orrori" is one of the set's many highlights. The period instruments of Le Concert d'Astrée play with verve and conductor Emmanuelle Haïm paces the work well. A first-rate performance of a neglected Handel masterpiece. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Aci Galatea e Polifemo.......2005-08-12

This is one of Handel's earlier works, written 10 years before Acis & Galatea. The singing is excellent throughout and I enjoyed the whole work tremendously. I withheld the fifth star only because I had recently heard a live broadcast on BBC 3, with Charbel Mattar singing the bass part, which to me was better. There is a wonderful bass aria towards the end of the work - Fra l'ombre e gl'orrori - encompassing a range of two and a half octaves - which is the highlight of the work.

Exciting young singers, temperamental orchestra.......2004-11-08

This all-French production from the year 2002 is one of those recordings that I, as a Handel and early music fan, can without further ado wax enthusiastic about. The music, originally performed in Naples in 1708, is already typically Handelian and sounds just like one would expect one of his operas or oratorios to sound, and, indeed, Handel later plundered many of the numbers for his stage and sacred works; also, there are many striking similarities to 'La Resurrezione', another work Handel produced during his stay in Italy as a young man. The story is, apparently, based on an old Sicilian legend, and is probably better known in the English-language version that Handel composed many years later in London; this Italian version is, however, completely different, with regard both to the music and the text.

On this recording you get to hear three of today's most exciting young Handel singers and an orchestra (Le Concert d'Astrée) which, although I had never heard the name before, seems to have Handel in its blood, so accurately, so temperamentally does it produce the most delightful Handelian tones. Harpsichordist/director Emanuelle Haim demonstrates her mastery at every step, while her singers (Sandrine Piau, soprano; Sara Mingardo, alto; Laurent Naouri, bass) seem to have a natural gifting for this kind of music which flows and warbles as though Handel had had exactly these voices in mind. Laurent Naouri, in particular, has an incredibly difficult part to master, with an enormous range, but in the end one has the feeling that he was scarcely challenged; just listen to Track 2 on CD 2, the aria 'Fra l'ombre e gl'orrori', it is balm for the ears (despite reaching down to D below the bass stave) and gives even this murderous, lustful giant a pensive side that blocks any black-and-white thinking that may occur. But the two female singers are equally wonderful; I found that Sara Mingardo's performance grew on me the more often I listened to these discs, whereas Sandrine Piau's convinced me right from the word 'go'.

The recording quality is A 1, and I have not had any problems with the discs being copy-controlled; I tried them out on my car's CD player and they worked there perfectly well (although this delightful music is really too beautiful to be heard with traffic noise in the background; I recommend a quiet evening at home in front of top-class speakers). The accompanying booklet contains the usual essay, the sung text in four languages and black and white photographs of the singers and Ms. Haim; unfortunately there is no further information about the participants and no details are given as to the instruments played. However, this is absolute five-star material.

Average customer rating:

A voice teacher and early music fan
Best of the Best...Handelian Masters for the Uninitiated

Heavenly Handel: Arias and Duets

Manufacturer: Virgin Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Vivaldi Edition: Arie d'Opera

ASIN: B0001MQKS8
Release Date: 2005-04-12

Tracks:

Frondi Tenere... - David Daniels
Ombra Mai Fu - David Daniels
Pompe Vane Di MOrte!... - David Daniels
Dove Sei, Amato Bene - David Daniels
Ma Che Parlo, Che Dico... - Veronique Gens
In Tanti Affanni Miei - Veronique Gens
Fra L'ombre E Gl'orrori - Laurent Naouri
Sorge Il Di - Laurent Naouri
Amor, Qual Nuova Fiamma... - Jill Gomez
La Tigre Arde Di Sdegno - Jill Gomez
Per Me Si Strugge Trasimede... - Jill Gomez
E Per Monti, E Per Piani, E Per Selve - Jill Gomez
Where Shall I Fly - Stephanie Blythe
Cantata HWV 166 - Gerard Lesne
As Steals The Morn Upon The Night - Lynne Dawson
How Silently, How Slyly - James Bowman
Upstart, Barbarian And Traitor - James Bowman
Flow My Tears - James Bowman

Tracks:

Fatto Scorta Al Sentier Della Gloria - Vivica Genaux
Fiacchero Quel Fiero Orgoglio - Vivica Genaux
Verdi Prati - Arleen Auger
Ombre Pallide - Arleen Auger
Venti, Turbini - David Daniels
Dolcissima Esilena... - Sandrine Piau
Prendi L'alma E Prendi Il Core - Sandrine Piau
Nasconde L'usignol - Antonio Abete
Nel Riposo E Nel Contento - Antonio Abete
Della Guerra La Caccia Ha Sembianza - Antonio Abete
Tanti Strali Al Sen, Duet HWV 197 - Derek Lee Ragin
Se 'L Mio Duol Non E Si Forte - Sophie Daneman
Caro Autor Di Mia Doglia - Paul Agnew
No, Che D'altrui Che Di Te - Paul Agnew
Dagli Amori Flagellata - Paul Agnew
Madre...Son Nata A Lagrimar - David Daniels

Customer Reviews:

A voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-02-07

This is an excellent sampling of Handel's music and it is indeed "heavenly". Much of the music in Handel's operas, cantatas and oratorios are wonderfully vivid pieces of musical painting, and show Handel's genius in a light that is somewhat unfamiliar to modern musicians. Such passages as the sleep of Somnus in 'Semele' and the moonrise in 'Ariodante', to name but two instances out of many,form an important link in the history of programme music. But to those who understand and enjoy the Handelian idiom its beauty appear eternally new, and its unfailing dignity and loftiness of style recall the words in which Edward FitzGerald summed up his opinion of Handel: "His is the music for a great active people." I have many of the discs already, but some of the songs were new to me for which I am grateful! Some of the high points for me: the duet from Guilio Cesare sung by contralto(Stephanie Blythe) and countertenor (Derek Ragin); the solo from Alcina sung by Arleen Auger(soprano)and David Daniel's rendition of "Ombra mai fu" from Serse. I have Andreas Scholl singing "Ombra" and I never realized how much more there is to that song till I heard Daniels sing it. Anyway this record is a great buy for Handelians.

Best of the Best...Handelian Masters for the Uninitiated.......2005-04-21

For those who would prefer their Handel in bite-size portions, this excellent two-disc set may do the trick. Virgin Classics has chosen stellar aria and duet selections from their extensive Handel discography (1978-2003) and in the process, come up with as definitive a collection of the prolific composer's work as any on the market now. With a running time of well over 2 ½ hours, this compilation covers a broad canvas drawn from some of Handel's finest Italian operas, such as "Rodelinda", "Giulio Cesare", "Rinaldo" and "Deidamia". Even more, there are selections from his English works ("Hercules" and "L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato"), as well as miscellaneous vocal Italianate selections.

You know you're in for a world-class set when you have the amazing countertenor David Daniels book-ending the collection, beginning with his platinum-standard version of the much-covered "Frondi tenere...Ombra mai fù" from "Serse" and Bertarido's mournful "Pompe vane di morte!...Dove sei, amato bene" from "Rodelinda". And the set ends in a dream-like state with his wondrous Sesto/Cornelia duet with contralto Stephanie Blythe on the heartbreaking "Madre...Son nata a lagrimar" from "Giulio Cesare". In between is a veritable feast provided by a who's who among the world's leading Handelians. Highlights on disc one include soprano Sandrine Piau and alto Sara Mingardo melding effortlessly on the graceful and vocally challenging "Sorge il di" from the Neapolitan serenata, "Aci, Galatea e Polifemo". Blythe captures Dejanira's requisite madness beautifully in the air, "Where shall I fly?" from "Hercules". Countertenor Gérard Lesne does several thrilling turns on an entire Handel cantata, "Splenda l'alba in oriente". From "Giulio Cesare", legendary contralto Janet Baker contributes a heroically measured "How silently, how slyly", equally revered countertenor James Bowman glides over "Upstart, barbarian and traitor" with true panache, and soprano Valerie Masterson holds her own among these giants showing a diverse range of emotion on "Flow my tears" alternating easily between sonorous and vibrant.

Disc two starts with mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux displaying some genuinely impressive runs on two arias from "Arminio", "Fatto scorta al sentier della gloria" and "Fiaccherò qul fiero orgoglio". Soprano Arleen Auger does a defiantly passionate turn on "Ombre pallide" from "Alcina", which compares favorably with Renée Fleming's more familiar version on Elektra. Daniels has yet another powerful vocal turn on the victorious "Venti, turbini" aria from "Rinaldo". Piau returns as well, this time intertwining atmospherically with mezzo-soprano Gloria Banditelli on the splendid "Prendi l'alma e prendi il core" from "Rodrigo". Operas are not the only source here. There is a charming duet between soprano Suzie LeBlanc and countertenor Derek Lee Ragin on the effusively Italianate "Tanti strali al sen", and a more dramatically diverse one between tenor Paul Agnew and soprano Patricia Petibon on "Caro autor do mia doglia" - both showcase yet another dimension of Handel to which I have not been exposed. Truth be told, if you enjoy these selections, you should purchase the original recordings, for example, Daniels' wonderful 1998 "Handel: Operatic Arias". But this will do in a pinch for the uninitiated who want an overview of Handel's musical genius. Trust me, with this stellar group of Handelians, you will beg for more.

Love Lost and Found - Handel Arias & Cantatas (with Bonus DVD)

Average customer rating:

Wow!!! This girl can sing!!

Love Lost and Found - Handel Arias & Cantatas (with Bonus DVD)
George Frideric Handel , English Chamber Orchestra , and Patrice Djerejian
Manufacturer: MSR Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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Natalie Dessay ~ Delirio (Handel Italian Cantatas)

ASIN: B0000WZY5Y
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

Fammi Combattere (from Orlando)/Cantata: Lungi da voi, che siete poli
Lungi da voi
Un affanno piu tiranno
Ah! languide pupille
Chi sa? vi rivedro, chi sa?/Qui l'augel di pianta in pianta
Ah! crude stelle
Qui l'augel di pianta in pianta/Cantata: Figli del mesto cor
Figli del mesto cor
Son pur le lacrime
Cosi mia dura sorte
Cruda legge d'un alma costante
Volea seguir, quand'ecco/Cantata: Fra pensieri quel pensiero
Fra pensieri quel pensiero
E se fia che volando
Pronti l'ale dispiegate/Cantata: Mi palpita il cor
Mi palpita il cor
Agitata e l'alma mia
Tormento e gelosia
Ho tanti affanni in petto
Clori di te mi lagno
Se ud di m'adora la mia crudele
Verdi prati (from Alcina)

Album Description

Patrice Djerejian, a gifted contralto who performs regularly in the United States and Europe, is gaining international recognition for her captivating voice and radiant stage presence. Ms. Djerejian's passionate spirit, open heart and natural presence are irresistably communicated to her audiences.

Recent and upcoming performances include her Carnegie Hall debut with the American Composers Orchestra, performing music of Leonard Bernstein; her Weill Recital Hall debut; appearances as soloist in performances of Mahler's Symphony No.2; and soloist with CAMI's Community Concerts series.

Ms. Djerejian has performed many operatic roles, including Maddalena in Rigoletto, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, Nancy in Albert Herring, and Meg in Falstaff.

Customer Reviews:

Wow!!! This girl can sing!! .......2004-10-21

What an unusually rich and extraordinarily versatile voice! Supported by the English Chamber Orchestra really accentuates the exportation to a time past when music truly would leave the soul bare and unprotected. Djerejian masterfully communicates the essence of love lost and the anguish the heart feels tied to the yearning soul and the inexplicable joy the heart leaps for to raise the soul to the heights of angels. Brava!! I highly recommend this recording for all.

Handel - Aci, Galatea e Polifemo / Kirkby · Watkinson · D. Thomas · London Baroque · Medlam

Average customer rating:

Delectable Early Handel - A Must for Kirkby Fans ... Choose This over the Haïm Recording
Reissue of 1987 recording

Handel - Aci, Galatea e Polifemo / Kirkby · Watkinson · D. Thomas · London Baroque · Medlam
George Frideric Handel , Charles Medlam , Emma Kirkby , Carolyn Watkinson , London Baroque , David Thomas , Michel Piguet , and John Toll
Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000005Z3M
Release Date: 1998-03-10

Tracks:

Duetto: 'Sorge Il Di' - Emma Kirkby/Carolyn Watkinson
Recit.: 'Vanti, O Cara'/Aria: 'Sforzano A Piangere' - Carolyn Watkinson
Recit.: 'E Qual Nova Sventura'/Aria: 'Che Non Puo La Gelosia' - Emma Kirkby
Recit.: 'Ma Qual Orrido Suono' - London Baroque/Charles Medlam
'Sibilar L'Angui D'Aletto' - David Thomas
Recit.: 'Deh Lascia, Oh Polifemo'/Aria: 'Benche Tuoni E L'Etra Avampi' - Carolyn Watkinson
Recit.: 'Cadrai Depressa'/Aria: 'Non Sempre, No, Crudele' - David Thomas
Recit.: 'Folle Quanto Mi Rido'/Aria: 'Dell' Aquila L'Artigli' - Emma Kirkby
Recit.: 'Meglio Spiega'/Aria: 'Precipitoso Nel Mar' - David Thomas
Recit.: 'Si, T'Intendo Inumano'/Aria: 'S'Agita' - Carolyn Watkinson
'Recit.: So Che Le Cinosure'/Aria: 'Provera' - Emma Kirkby/Carolyn Watkinson/David Thomas
Recit.: 'Ingrata, Se Mi Nieghi'/Aria: 'Fra L'Ombre E Gl'Orrori' - David Thomas
Recit.: 'Ma Che?'/'Aria: Que L'Augel' - Emma Kirkby
Recit.: 'Giunsi Al Fin Mio Tesoro'/Aria: 'Se M'Ami, Oh Caro' - Carolyn Watkinson

Tracks:

Recit.: 'Qui Su L'Alto Del Monte'/(A3): 'Dolce Amico' - Emma Kirkby/Carolyn Watkinson/David Thomas
Recit.: 'Or Poiche Sordi Sono/'Gia Va Da Balza In Balza' - David Thomas
Recit. & Aria: 'Oh Dio, Mio Ben, Soccorso!' - Emma Kirkby
Recit.: 'Misera, E Dove Sono?'/'Impara, Ingrata' - David Thomas
Recit.: 'Ah Tiranno, Inumano!'/Aria: 'Del Mar Fra L'Onde' - Carolyn Watkinson
Recit.: 'Ferma! Ma Gia Nel Mare' - London Baroque/Charles Medlam
Aria (A3): 'Chi Ben Ama Ha Per Oggetti' - Emma Kirkby/Carolyn Watkinson/David Thomas
Son in F, Op.1 No.11: Larghetto/Allegro/Siciliana/Allegro - Michel Piguet/Charles Medlam/John Toll
Son in C, Op.1 No.7: Larghetto/Allegro/Larghetto/A Tempo Di Gavotti/Allegro - Michel Piguet/Charles Medlam/John Toll
Son in G Transposse in F: Allegro/Adagio/Allegro - Michel Piguet/Charles Medlam/John Toll

Customer Reviews:

Delectable Early Handel - A Must for Kirkby Fans ... Choose This over the Haïm Recording.......2002-07-29

This is not the English masque _Acis and Galathea_ but an earlier effort on the same story composed during the composer's youthful tour of Italy, described as a "serenade for three voices." It is deliciously scored, a perfect gem. All the parts work well--duets, ensembles, solos, and recitatives. It doesn't hold the stature of his later oratorio and operatic output, but it deserves equal renown for its pleasures are indisputable. With such refined yet expressive singing, you won't be disappointed to hear, in earlier guises, passages more familiar from Rinaldo and elsewhere.

Curiously, the higher of the women's parts is the "trousers" role here, and this is one of my all-time favorite performances from Emma Kirkby. More curiously still, Watkinson sometimes sounds countertenorish in the female role of Galatea. David Thomas tackles the role of the monstrous Polfemo and is utterly secure with all the fiendish coloratura and rock-bottom low notes! (There is some added resonance, but it doesn't detract and it doesn't blur his technique in the least.)

The opening duet between Aci and Galatea, "Sorge il Di," is one of those impossibly delectable blending of women's voices that just lather you up in a bath of sensuous sound. There is a solo ("Que l'augel") where Kirkby's voice and oboe echo each other so perfectly that you can't tell where one begins and the other leaves off. Watkinson's solo at the end of disk 1, "Se m'ami, o caro," is plangent with heartache. The piece continues onto the second disk with Kirkby delivering one of my favorite of all death scenes on track 3, with her da capo restatement so subtly embellished, and such telling vibrato on the word "palpita" ("beats" [my heart]) that, if you're as raptly attentive as I was, it takes your breath away. The Polifemo parts could easily sound uniformly blustery, but David Thomas actually manages to give the character emotional and vocal shading! The "serenade" concludes with something of a "curtain call" number where the three soloists (including the lamented Aci) reprise the moral of the story jubilantly! In the economy of scale, melodic invention, deployment of voices, and unusual place in the composers' output, it is somewhat reminiscent of Bach's Coffee Cantata.

The sound is perfectly judged and the instrumentalists flawlessly characterful and supportive. The second disk is rounded out with three recorder (flute à bec) sonatas that are delivered with sinuous elegance and infectious panache.

This recording is far more elegant and cohesive than the more recent and much-lauded Emmanuelle Haïm recording. Haïm has interesting things to say and elicits exciting sounds from her instrumentalists, but I have yet to hear a recording of hers that makes a convincing case for her vocal choices. This recording is much better, and one should not be swayed by the more recent vintage of the Haïm.

Reissue of 1987 recording.......1999-06-30

This set got mixed reviews when it came out in 1987 but I can't see why. I can't think of a better cast list than Emma Kirkby as the shepherd Acis, Carolyn Watkinson as the nymph, and David Thomas as the bad guy cyclops.

This 1708 Italian serenata has been overshadowed by the 1716 English masque Acis and Galatea but in fact there is only one aria shared between the two - they are two separate works with different atmospheres. From memory some more material from the 1708 version was added to the London revival of Acis, and this version was later picked up for Mozart's German realisation (as recorded by Pinnock for Archiv in the 1980s). Full texts and translations. Timing 106'10".