Topic: Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios

[Coopmv]

Although there is huge body of work not much available choice of CD set for each one   

I don't understand your last statement.  Can you be more specific or give an example?

[DarkAngel]

I don't understand your last statement.  Can you be more specific or give an example?

There is literally very little choice for purchasing many Handel oratorios............

If I wanted to buy Jeptha from Amazon only two CD versions available 
-Gardiner
-Creed

The Creed is very expensive so really Gardiner is only reasonable option

Now if I wanted to buy Messiah there are at least 30+ versions currently available

[Coopmv]

There is literally very little choice for purchasing many Handel oratorios............

If I wanted to buy Jeptha from Amazon only two CD versions available 
-Gardiner
-Creed

The Creed is very expensive so really Gardiner is only reasonable option

Now if I wanted to buy Messiah there are at least 30+ versions currently available

Both Marriner and Harnoncourt recorded Jeptha in the 70's.  You may want to check out those two recordings.   

[Elgarian]

The anguishing is over. I decided to buy the Curtis 6-opera box, and ordered one today.

[DarkAngel]

The anguishing is over. I decided to buy the Curtis 6-opera box, and ordered one today.

Great news.............that will supress the urge to buy more Handel for at least a couple days 

[Elgarian]

Great news.............that will supress the urge to buy more Handel for at least a couple days 

Ha! Some chance! I didn't mention that I couldn't resist buying the new Piau/Mingardo Handel duets CD as well.

[Coopmv]

Ha! Some chance! I didn't mention that I couldn't resist buying the new Piau/Mingardo Handel duets CD as well.

Is that on Hyperion as well?  I have never heard of the artists.  Mind you I have grown up with Christopher Hogwood, Emma Kirkby, etc., conductor and soloists from another generation.  Robert King is already a generation younger than Hogwood ...

[Coopmv]

Now playing ...

[Coopmv]

I have a number of Handel's sets lined up for purchaes at MDT.  The dammned Dollar has been dropping against the Pound for the past month.  Not sure why since the US and UK are both up to their eyeballs with the recession ...   

[DarkAngel]

Ha! Some chance! I didn't mention that I couldn't resist buying the new Piau/Mingardo Handel duets CD as well.

Is that on Hyperion as well?  I have never heard of the artists.  Mind you I have grown up with Christopher Hogwood, Emma Kirkby, etc., conductor and soloists from another generation.  Robert King is already a generation younger than Hogwood ...

You probably have many baroque Cds with Sandrine Piau and don't realize it....... very active and one of the very best baroque specialists working today. Mingardo I recognize from the recent Vivaldi operas on Naive label.

I must confess to placing an order for 3 Handel sets yesterday to do my part to keep the Handel revival alive and well:

[Coopmv]

You probably have many baroque Cds with Sandrine Piau and don't realize it....... very active and one of the very best baroque specialists working today
Mingardo I recognize from the recent Vivaldi operas on Naive label.

I must confess to placing an order for 3 Handel sets yesterday to do my part to keep the Handel revival alive and well:

 

I know all my baroque recordings quite well and am pretty sure I do not have Sandrine Piau in my collection.  If Mingardo records with the Naive label, then I almost certainly do not have her CD's since my recordings from the Naive Label are all non-baroque.  I have Jeptha by Marriner and Harnoncourt on LP (no CD version).  My Rinaldo is by Hogwood and I have the same Joshua.

[Coopmv]

Ha! Some chance! I didn't mention that I couldn't resist buying the new Piau/Mingardo Handel duets CD as well.

 

Just out of curiosity, did Edward Elgar actually like GF Handel's works? 

[Elgarian]

Just out of curiosity, did Edward Elgar actually like GF Handel's works? 

I think it was a work by Handel being performed at Worcester cathedral that inspired him to take up the violin initially. I've just been looking through a few collections of his letters to try to find more - and came across a 'dear old Handel' comment; and a recommendation to someone who asked advice about strings: 'Study Handel. I went to him for help ages ago.' So I think the short answer is yes.

[Elgarian]

Is that on Hyperion as well?  I have never heard of the artists.

No, it's on the Naive label, and is 'Disc of the month' in the forthcoming issue of Gramophone. There's some information here about the singers and extracts from the review at Presto Classical:
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/newreleases.php?composer=handel&work=&performer=&medium=all&label=&cat=&age=1

Piau released a very highly regarded collection of Handel arias a few years ago.

[The new erato]

 If Mingardo records with the Naive label, then I almost certainly do not have her CD's since my recordings from the Naive Label are all non-baroque.  

Mingardo on Naive/Opus 11 is a stalwart of my baroque collection. The Vivaldi series, Florios superb series of Neapolitan oratorios, I don't have time to do a inventury, but just as essential as Harmonia Mundi or Archiv......

[71 dB]

Just out of curiosity, did Edward Elgar actually like GF Handel's works? 

12 years old Elgar heard Handel's Messiah and was blown away. That experience made him start violin lessons.

[Coopmv]

No, it's on the Naive label, and is 'Disc of the month' in the forthcoming issue of Gramophone. There's some information here about the singers and extracts from the review at Presto Classical:
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/newreleases.php?composer=handel&work=&performer=&medium=all&label=&cat=&age=1

Piau released a very highly regarded collection of Handel arias a few years ago.

Thanks for the link.  I will check out the CD.

[Coopmv]

Mingardo on Naive/Opus 11 is a stalwart of my baroque collection. The Vivaldi series, Florios superb series of Neapolitan oratorios, I don't have time to do a inventury, but just as essential as Harmonia Mundi or Archiv......

I have two sets of CD's on Naïve.  A set of works by Corelli performed by Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante and the 5-CD set by Sokolov.  Not very impressive in terms of quantity. 

[Coopmv]

12 years old Elgar heard Handel's Messiah and was blown away. That experience made him start violin lessons.

I imagine in the 1870's, Handel was still overwhelmingly admired in England. 

[Elgarian]

In case anyone's missed it, the Hyperion half-price Handel sale has returned, see below:

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/o.asp?o=1019

£13.49 for 2CD sets, £17.47 for 3 CD sets, post free.

I put in an order for Alexander Balus and Deborah yesterday just before lunchtime, and they arrived this morning. I am excited about the prospect of further improvements in their system, so that CDs arrive before I order them.