{"product_id":"handel-g-f-english-cantatas-1","title":"Handel, G.F.: English Cantatas","description":"\u003cb\u003eIt is interesting to see what uses musical amateurs of Handel’s day made of his scores, and the singing by Nicki Kennedy is excellent.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan class=\"COMPOSER12\"\u003eHANDEL \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12b\"\u003eCantatas: \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eSo Pleasing the Pain Is.\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e1,2\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003e With Roving and with Ranging.\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e1,2\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003e To Lonely Shades\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e1,2 \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"EXTRAS12\"\u003e\u0026amp; \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12b\"\u003e• \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003eNicki Kennedy (sop);\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e1\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e Sally Bruce-Payne (alt);\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e2\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e The Brook Street Band (period instruments) \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12b\"\u003e•\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e AVIE 2153 (2 CDs: 118:57 \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003eText and Translation) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan class=\"EXTRAS12\"\u003e\u0026amp; \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"COMPOSER12\"\u003eHANDEL \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003eSongs: \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"SUPER12\"\u003e1 \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eAn answer to Collin’s complaint. Dear Adonis, beauty’s treasure. The forsaken nymph. I like the am’rous youth. Love’s but the frailty of the mind. ’Twas when the seas were roaring. Transporting joy \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eThis recording is titled “Handel’s English Cantatas.” The three works consist of 13 arias and three duets from three Handel operas, \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eGiulio Cesare, Ottone\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e, and \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eFlavio\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e, with new English texts and arranged for two violins and \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003ebasso continuo\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e. The arrangements have been attributed to Handel, but this claim is very doubtful. The form of each work, a series of arias ending with a duet, without linking recitative, is otherwise unknown in Handel, and there is no evidence that Handel had any part in putting these works together. The notes to this recording make as good a case as can be made for Handel’s involvement, but I remain unconvinced. The works themselves make enjoyable listening, since the music is taken from three of Handel’s best operas, and it is interesting to see what uses musical amateurs of Handel’s day made of his scores. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eThe performances are generally enjoyable. Nicki Kennedy is the more pleasing of the two soloists. Sally Bruce-Payne has a large voice that does not sound like it is always completely under her control, and she has an annoying habit of giving a very strong accent to some words; for example, in \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eSo Pleasing the Pain Is\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e her overstress produces too strong an emphasis on some syllables. Fortunately, she manages to control this tendency most of the time. The Brook Street Band, consisting of two violins, cello, and harpsichord, plays expertly, and one hardly misses the full orchestra for which these works were originally written. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eAccording to the catalog of Handel’s works in the \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eNew Grove\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e, these three cantatas were arranged for different voices than those assigned to them here: \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eSo Pleasing the Pain Is\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e for tenor and baritone, \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eWith Roving and with Ranging\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e for soprano and baritone, and \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eTo Lonely Shades\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e for soprano and tenor. The notes are silent on the arrangements made for this recording. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eThere are two English cantatas that are accepted as legitimate. \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eLook Down, Harmonious Saint\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e, a single recitative and aria, is not included here but can be found as a supplement to Robert King’s recording of \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eAcis and Galatea\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e. The second, \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eVenus and Adonis\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e, survives in fragmentary form as two arias with harpsichord accompaniment. Those two arias, \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eDear Adonis, beauty’s treasure\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eTransporting joy\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e, are included here in a group of seven songs. Many songs have been attributed to Handel. A few years ago, Somm released a recording of all of the songs of unquestioned attribution. Four of them are included here, though one (\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eAn answer to Collin’s complaint\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e) is performed in a harpsichord arrangement. \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eThe forsaken nymph\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e and the two arias from \u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eVenus and Adonis\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan\u003e are recording premieres. All are excellently sung by Nicki Kennedy. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan\u003eThe three newly recorded items make this recording a must for dedicated Handelians, and the three English cantatas make interesting listening. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e   \u003cspan style=\"font-weight:bold\"\u003eFANFARE: Ron Salemi \u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"Avie Records","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49711355494680,"sku":"822252215328","price":22.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/1431398.jpg?v=1777743040","url":"https:\/\/hbdirect.com\/products\/handel-g-f-english-cantatas-1","provider":"HBDirect","version":"1.0","type":"link"}