Handel...The Harmonious Blacksmith Of Music

Started by Dancing Divertimentian, April 06, 2007, 06:36:56 PM

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Dancing Divertimentian

This one ought to be a sticky!

But until enough folks catch the Handel bug it will undoubtedly fluctuate.

My newest Handel arrival is a selection from the Concerti Grossi, Op.6 (Manze). Central works in Handel's oeuvre but until now overlooked by yours truly in favor of the operatic works, which, of course, are titans of the stage.

Fine works, the Op.6, and worth every inch of their popularity. Even so I feel the tug of the stage works at every turn. Something missing, I suppose, when 'endless' appoggiaturas (vocal, that is...) are left out of the picture. 8)

Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Dancing Divertimentian

Wouldn't want to forget D Minor's wonderful Handel link:


www.gfhandel.org/index.htm



Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

woodshedder

I have been feasting on the Messiah for the last month approx. I was astounded to read that Handel wrote it in only 24 days!

knight66

#3
Although Messiah was written quickly, it was not all fresh music. For instance the Halleluah Chorus was borrowed from an earlier work, as were several other very famous sections. Nevertheless, Messiah is so well crafted that they all fit together like a jigsaw and feel right in the new context.

Mike
DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

DavidW

A friend on this forum sent me a gift--

His Italian Cantatas, nice, light music! :)

knight66

They can also be seriously dramatic, such as 'Lucretia'. By no means are they fluff.

Mike
DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

DavidW

Quote from: knight on April 24, 2007, 12:26:59 AM
They can also be seriously dramatic, such as 'Lucretia'. By no means are they fluff.

Mike

I haven't heard that one.  I have the Kirkby cd, I think either she picked some lightweight music or she is a lightweight, one of the two.  But it's some nice listening. :)

knight66

Yes David, Kirkby is fine in her way, but it essentially has to be pretty pastoral. To hear what a dramatic interpretation can be like, I suggest Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson's Handel recital.



Mike
DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

Bogey

Here is your first true "fluctuation" Don!  ;D  My wife and I continue to enjoy Handel's music more and more.  This past Sunday we heard his Chaconne in G Major for solo harpsichord played live in a small church here in Denver.  Absolutely lovely stuff.  Also, my wife and I have worked through this set that Harry sent us a number of times:



Handel: Chamber Music (Complete) (though from the larger box set I believe)

And today, I had this playing:

Haendel Apollo e Dafne
Judith Nelson/David Thomas
McGegan/Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra
Harmonia Mundi

We also hope to attend this Handel celebration in May:
http://dcc1079.googlepages.com/

I will continue to post my Handel listening here and I am sure we will see more as we approach the 250th anniversary of his death in April of 2009.
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

Dancing Divertimentian

Quote from: Bogey on July 29, 2008, 09:30:59 AM
Here is your first true "fluctuation" Don!  ;D

;D

After a year! :o

Thanks for jump-starting this thread, Bill. It's great to read your impressions on Handel. 

I hope you and your wife can make it to that celebration. Keep us posted on whatever Handel subject tickles your fancy. :)


Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

val

One of the most powerful and impressive works of Händel is the funeral anthem "The ways of Zion do mourn", composed on the death of Queen Caroline. It is not as famous as the oratorios or some other anthems, but, in my opinion, it is one of Händel's supreme inspirations.

There is a remarkable version conducted by Gardiner.

Bogey

Doctor, we have a pulse:



Top shelf:



From the liner notes:

In Italy Handel was desired to furnish his quota of cantatas for the musical evenings held by patrons at their great houses.  Sometimes a complete cantata might be composed and performed in a single evening (now that is some "smithing"!), but the larger pieces with orchestral accompiament, usually produced for special occasions, were composed in advance and rehearsed in the usual way.  In Rome, cantatas were useful substitutes for opera, which could not be performed in the city.....

Anyone know why they were banned in Rome?
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

Dancing Divertimentian

Quote from: Bogey on February 23, 2011, 07:49:50 PM
Doctor, we have a pulse:


Bill to the rescue once again!


Quote
Top shelf:

In Italy Handel was desired to furnish his quota of cantatas for the musical evenings held by patrons at their great houses.  Sometimes a complete cantata might be composed and performed in a single evening (now that is some "smithing"!), but the larger pieces with orchestral accompiament, usually produced for special occasions, were composed in advance and rehearsed in the usual way.  In Rome, cantatas were useful substitutes for opera, which could not be performed in the city.....

Anyone know why they were banned in Rome?

"...now that is some smithing!..."  ;D


Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Bogey

There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

The new erato

Quote from: Bogey on February 23, 2011, 07:49:50 PM
  In Rome, cantatas were useful substitutes for opera, which could not be performed in the city.....[/i]

Anyone know why they were banned in Rome?
Isn't that rather obvious with operas regularly being banned during church holidays all over catholic Europe given Rome's particular position within catholicism? Gave growth to the oratorio as an alternative, more dramatic than the cantata.

Bogey

Thanks, Erato.

Today I snagged these four cds (thanks George for the look-ups at your end):

 


Already spun the Water Music.  Fascinating.  The Alla Hornpipe on this one is syrupy slow, but brilliant, light and beautiful.  My Pinnock recording takes this movement at a strong clip with force.  However, the Pinnock is 4:13 and the Scherchen is 4:01.  Not sure why this is.  Any thoughts?
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

PaulSC

Quote from: Bogey on February 24, 2011, 05:31:43 PM
Thanks, Erato.

Today I snagged these four cds (thanks George for the look-ups at your end):

 


Already spun the Water Music.  Fascinating.  The Alla Hornpipe on this one is syrupy slow, but brilliant, light and beautiful.  My Pinnock recording takes this movement at a strong clip with force.  However, the Pinnock is 4:13 and the Scherchen is 4:01.  Not sure why this is.  Any thoughts?
Well I haven't heard either, but one explanation would be if Pinnock takes repeats and Scherchen skips them.
Musik ist ein unerschöpfliches Meer. — Joseph Riepel

Bogey

Quote from: PaulSC on February 24, 2011, 05:58:15 PM
Well I haven't heard either, but one explanation would be if Pinnock takes repeats and Scherchen skips them.

Thanks, Paul.  Gurn PM'd me with the same info.  Not knowing the nuts and bolts of music, are repeats intended for this type of interpretation, that is, is it up to the conductor/performer to choose the amount, or does the composer usually note how many times something is to be repeated?
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

PaulSC

Taking the repeats is generally the right thing to do, from a "historically informed performance" (HIP) point of view. So it makes sense that Pinnock, who works in the HIP tradition, takes them, while Scherchen, coming from more of a romantic tradition, feels free to skip them.

My personal opinion is that great performances can come from both sides, although I love the sound of period instruments playing Baroque repertoire. I'd love to hear those Scherchen Handel recordings.
Musik ist ein unerschöpfliches Meer. — Joseph Riepel

FideLeo

#19
Quote from: PaulSC on February 24, 2011, 07:23:13 PM
Taking the repeats is generally the right thing to do, from a "historically informed performance" (HIP) point of view.

The question remains though even for HIPer's, in cases such as Bach's Brandenburg Concerto I.  Should both halves of the minuet be repeated each time it returns in the finale?  The music sounds interminable when all implied repeats are taken, and thus few (none?) on record actually do so, HIP or not.
HIP for all and all for HIP! Harpsichord for Bach, fortepiano for Beethoven and pianoforte for Brahms!