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Author Topic: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios  (Read 167035 times)

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Offline The new erato

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #200 on: June 06, 2009, 08:09:11 AM »
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Drasko

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #201 on: June 06, 2009, 08:22:49 AM »
Mdt has currently on offer few Curtis/Archiv Handel operas. Are they any good? If are which one would be first pick?

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Offline Coopmv

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #202 on: June 06, 2009, 08:33:36 AM »
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Offline Coopmv

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #203 on: June 06, 2009, 08:45:34 AM »
Quote from: Drasko on June 06, 2009, 08:22:49 AM
Mdt has currently on offer few Curtis/Archiv Handel operas. Are they any good? If are which one would be first pick?



I know Alan Curtis as a harpsichordist and know nothing about his conducting.  I will soon find out about Marc Minkowski when I order my first CD by him.
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Offline Dancing Divertimentian

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #204 on: June 06, 2009, 09:40:13 AM »
Quote from: Drasko on June 06, 2009, 08:22:49 AM
Mdt has currently on offer few Curtis/Archiv Handel operas. Are they any good? If are which one would be first pick?


For the Handel completist these are probably worthwhile releases. For myself I find there are Handel stage works of greater import than anything on this list. Not that I'm damning them (certainly not) but the bar is set pretty high in Handel and for the uninitiated there are other works vying for position that perhaps should be approached first - lest the picture of Handel be unfavorably skewed.

IOW, to me these works suffer in comparison when balanced against the lofty standards Handel set in his stage works.

I prefer works like:

Imeneo
Aggripina
Saul
Israel In Egypt
Ariodante
Solomon
Theodora
Orlando
Rinaldo
Esther
La Resurrezione
Almira
Alexander's Feast
Belshazzar

Not to mention I've yet to warm to Curtis as a Handel conductor. I prefer stronger contrasts from the likes of Minkowski, Hogwood, Gardiner, Spering...
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Offline The new erato

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #205 on: June 06, 2009, 09:41:03 AM »
Quote from: Drasko on June 06, 2009, 08:22:49 AM
Mdt has currently on offer few Curtis/Archiv Handel operas. Are they any good? If are which one would be first pick?


I have all three and love them. All these releases have gatheres rave reviews. Some googling should provide you with plenty of reviews. Operawise, I think Rodelinda is the strongest.

You could try this link also:

http://www.newolde.com/handel_operas_directory.htm

and particularly, this:

http://www.newolde.com/early_music_cd_awards_2005.htm
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Drasko

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #206 on: June 06, 2009, 10:17:29 AM »
Thanks, I'll probably pick up Rodelinda this time.
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Offline Coopmv

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #207 on: June 06, 2009, 10:46:04 AM »
Quote from: erato on June 06, 2009, 09:41:03 AM
I have all three and love them. All these releases have gatheres rave reviews. Some googling should provide you with plenty of reviews. Operawise, I think Rodelinda is the strongest.

You could try this link also:

http://www.newolde.com/handel_operas_directory.htm

and particularly, this:

http://www.newolde.com/early_music_cd_awards_2005.htm

Rodelinda is also the best known of the three.  I have a good number of Handel's operas, though my focus has always been on his oratorios ...
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Henk

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #208 on: June 06, 2009, 11:06:36 AM »
I think this is Curtis' latest:

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Offline Coopmv

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #209 on: June 06, 2009, 11:11:48 AM »
Quote from: Henk on June 06, 2009, 11:06:36 AM
I think this is Curtis' latest:



Why all this big push of Handel's operas by a major classical label all of a sudden?  The 300th anniversary of Handel's death is still 50 years away and the 400th anniversary of his birth is 76 years away.     ???
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Elgarian

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #210 on: June 06, 2009, 11:33:38 AM »
Quote from: Drasko on June 06, 2009, 08:22:49 AM
Mdt has currently on offer few Curtis/Archiv Handel operas. Are they any good? If are which one would be first pick?

I have all three, but haven't listened to Tolomeo yet. I first listened to Floridante on headphones on a sunny day last Easter, sitting on a balcony overlooking the sea, and thought it was a delicious way of spending an afternoon. There's a wonderful highlight with the duet 'Fuor di periglio', which is so spine-tinglingly beautiful and so perfectly sung that I went on playing it for days afterwards. I couldn't be without it.

I've just made a start on Rodelinda this very day, in fact - and my feeling so far is that this may be a notch or two higher up the ladder - the overture is so good I played it twice over. Frankly, I don't think you can go far wrong whichever you get.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2009, 11:37:34 AM by Elgarian »
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Elgarian

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #211 on: June 06, 2009, 11:35:39 AM »
Quote from: Coopmv on June 06, 2009, 11:11:48 AM
Why all this big push of Handel's operas by a major classical label all of a sudden?  The 300th anniversary of Handel's death is still 50 years away and the 400th anniversary of his birth is 76 years away.     ???

But that is why: 300-50 = 250, and the big Handel push this year is all about the 250th anniversary. That's why there have been these special deals at Hyperion, PrestoClassical, etc, as well as all the new and re-releases.
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Offline Coopmv

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #212 on: June 06, 2009, 11:45:46 AM »
Quote from: Elgarian on June 06, 2009, 11:35:39 AM
But that is why: 300-50 = 250, and the big Handel push this year is all about the 250th anniversary. That's why there have been these special deals at Hyperion, PrestoClassical, etc, as well as all the new and re-releases.

Merchants always find ways (or excuses) to get people to spend their money.  I guess 250 is a big enough reason.  I still have a VHS tape made in 1985 by a lady friend from Germany on the German celebration of the 300th anniversary of the births of Bach and Handel.  Unfortunately, due to different TV transmission standard, I have yet to be able to play that tape until it has been converted ...
« Last Edit: June 06, 2009, 04:54:46 PM by Coopmv »
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Offline Coopmv

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #213 on: June 06, 2009, 12:23:13 PM »
Here is another excellent Handel's opera I have owned for some 15 years.

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Offline 71 dB

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #214 on: June 07, 2009, 01:59:08 AM »
This week I have watched Handel's Giulio Cesare on DVD (Glyndebourne/Christine/Opus Arte) twice. This kind of entertainment is so good my faith in life is restored. Life is worth living thanks to these Opera DVDs!

Quote from: Coopmv on June 06, 2009, 11:11:48 AM
Why all this big push of Handel's operas by a major classical label all of a sudden?  The 300th anniversary of Handel's death is still 50 years away and the 400th anniversary of his birth is 76 years away.     ???

Are we even alive 50 or 76 years from now? Why not enjoy Handel HERE AND NOW!  0:)
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Offline The new erato

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #215 on: June 07, 2009, 02:04:44 AM »
Quote from: 71 dB on June 07, 2009, 01:59:08 AM
This week I have watched Handel's Giulio Cesare on DVD (Glyndebourne/Christine/Opus Arte) twice. This kind of entertainment is so good my faith in life is restored. Life is worth living thanks to these Opera DVDs!

Are we even alive 50 or 76 years from now? Why not enjoy Handel HERE AND NOW!  0:)
;D

Yes, why look a gifthorse in the mouth.
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Offline Coopmv

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #216 on: June 07, 2009, 03:24:22 AM »
Quote from: 71 dB on June 07, 2009, 01:59:08 AM
This week I have watched Handel's Giulio Cesare on DVD (Glyndebourne/Christine/Opus Arte) twice. This kind of entertainment is so good my faith in life is restored. Life is worth living thanks to these Opera DVDs!

Are we even alive 50 or 76 years from now? Why not enjoy Handel HERE AND NOW!  0:)

I get very cynical with merchants that pull out all the stops to promote extreme consumerism.  Here in the States, they start to promote Christmas sales in September.  
« Last Edit: June 07, 2009, 09:14:28 AM by Coopmv »
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Elgarian

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #217 on: June 07, 2009, 07:02:55 AM »
Quote from: 71 dB on June 07, 2009, 01:59:08 AM
This week I have watched Handel's Giulio Cesare on DVD (Glyndebourne/Christine/Opus Arte) twice. This kind of entertainment is so good my faith in life is restored. Life is worth living thanks to these Opera DVDs!

It is indeed. It is so good. I would love to shake the hand of, and personally thank, everyone concerned in making that production.
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Offline The new erato

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #218 on: June 07, 2009, 07:04:49 AM »
Quote from: Coopmv on June 07, 2009, 03:24:22 AM
I get many cynical with merchants that pull out all the stops to promote extreme consumerism. 
Did you buy 600 CDs the first quarter?  ;D

We're all part of extreme consumerism. I could do without Christmas i August though.
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Offline Coopmv

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Re: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios
« Reply #219 on: June 07, 2009, 09:16:50 AM »
Quote from: erato on June 07, 2009, 07:04:49 AM
Did you buy 600 CDs the first quarter?  ;D

We're all part of extreme consumerism. I could do without Christmas i August though.

Maybe 500 through May.  I actually do only light shopping at Christmas out of my respect for the holiday itself ...
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