Whose music do you prefer: Handel's or Vivaldi's?

[Mark]

Without wishing to start a ridiculous 'war' a la The Corkster in his infamous 'Because I like Handel he's automatically better than Bach' thread of recent times, I'd be interested to know whether Baroque lovers here have a preference for either Handel or Vivaldi.

Personally, I find Vivaldi's music very pretty, and sometimes quite exciting. But I doubt whether I could listen to it for as long as I could that of Handel. Handel's music really switches me on to a period which, broadly speaking, holds little appeal for me most of the time. I hear his wonderful choral compositions, or his beautifully crafted concerti, and I could happily play nothing else all day. Whereas with Vivaldi, the length of one CD is usually quite enough.

Why this should be I've no idea. I don't claim to have heard a wealth of material by either composer. All I know is that, of what I've heard, Handel 'speaks' to me far more vividly than Vivaldi.

How about you?

[Harry]

Both composers speak for me in equal tones. I find that I can listen as long or short to both composers, without fatigue.
Both vocally and instrumental, they are more than a match for each other. My two cents anyway.

[karlhenning]

No question of War, since at the outset you speak of preference, Mark! (Shrewd doing of words, that.)

I find it sort of a toss-up, but I will 'vote with my ears', that is, I vote by answering the question, Which composer's music have I most recently and/or most often deliberately popped into the player?

And the 'winner' is: Il prete rosso

[springrite]

I don't have much of either (2 Vivaldi CDs and Handels Messiah, Concerti Grossi, Water Music), but I prefer Handel by a country mile and a half!

[Harry]

I don't have much of either (2 Vivaldi CDs and Handels Messiah, Concerti Grossi, Water Music), but I prefer Handel by a country mile and a half!

That's rather a lot of miles Paul!

[Harry]

No question of War, since at the outset you speak of preference, Mark! (Shrewd doing of words, that.)

I find it sort of a toss-up, but I will 'vote with my ears', that is, I vote by answering the question, Which composer's music have I most recently and/or most often deliberately popped into the player?

And the 'winner' is: Il prete rosso

I read that he coloured his hair with hennep......

[Mark]

So, the Harmonious Blacksmith and the Red Priest currently neck and neck. Interesting ...

[ChamberNut]

I have very little of both composer's music.  I prefer Vivaldi.

[Mark]

One of the works which swung it for me towards the Handel camp is his breathtaking 'Carmelite Vespers'. The opening 'Dixit Dominus', with its criss-crossing vocal work and compelling energy, made a much greater impression on me than did Vivaldi's 'Gloria'. Many of Handel's concerti, too, sound as though more time was invested in them. Perhaps I'm less impressed by Vivaldi's outings in this genre because I know of his famous boast that he could write such works as fast as a copyist could take them down.

[karlhenning]

One of the works which swung it for me towards the Handel camp is his breathtaking 'Carmelite Vespers'.

This is why I love threads like this: I learn to my regret, that such a work has been entirely off my radar, and now I know to seek to amend that!

[springrite]

One of the works which swung it for me towards the Handel camp is his breathtaking 'Carmelite Vespers'. The opening 'Dixit Dominus', with its criss-crossing vocal work and compelling energy, made a much greater impression on me than did Vivaldi's 'Gloria'.

Are you sure Handel composed that work himself?

Many of Handel's concerti, too, sound as though more time was invested in them. Perhaps I'm less impressed by Vivaldi's outings in this genre because I know of his famous boast that he could write such works as fast as a copyist could take them down.

Well, here I know he did not compose all of them himself, for sure. Just ask Georg Muffat.

[Mark]

Are you sure Handel composed that work himself?

The 'Carmelite Vespers'? I've no idea. I have a version on Virgin which has parts of the liturgy interpolated to give the work greater context. That's all I know.

Well, here I know he did not compose all of them himself, for sure. Just ask Georg Muffat.

You mean Vivaldi, right?

This is why I love threads like this: I learn to my regret, that such a work has been entirely off my radar, and now I know to seek to amend that!

Seek it out, Karl. You will enjoy it, I'm certain of that.

[springrite]

You mean Vivaldi, right?

No, Handel. At least I know one of the Concerti Grossi was copied from Handel's own Ode to St. Sicilia's Day, which was copied from a Muffat Suite. Talk about multiple recycling jobs!

(Of course, that does not take away from Handel's genius. Besides, it was a generally acceptable practice at the time, and everyone's guilty to a certain degree.)

[Ephemerid]

When it comes down to the wire, I prefer Vivaldi myself, though I would hardly say I am VERY familiar with either.  What I have heard, I generally like both.  I tend to stick to the instrumental works in both cases though. 

I would also say that even though I *like* Vivaldi more, I would say Handel is *better*.  0:)

[karlhenning]

. . . Handel's own Ode to St. Sicilia's Day . . . .

That Sainted Isle! 

It is, of course, all too illustrative of the internecine squabbling traditional in Italy, that an expatriate German in England would sing the praises of Sicily, rather than a Venetian.

[marvinbrown]

 I really can't choose between these two Mark!!  I love Vivaldi's l'estro armonicos and Hadnel has fine moments as well (the Messiah, Italian cantatas and Water music). It's difficult to choose.


 marvin  

[Mark]

It is, of course, all too illustrative of the internecine squabbling traditional in Italy, that an expatriate German in England would sing the praises of Sicily, rather than a Venetian.

Karl, I rather think Paul meant to refer to Handel's marvellous Ode to St. Cecilia.

[karlhenning]

Tee hee!

(And a most understandable misspelling;  though the time was brief, I have been on the island of Sicily, and it is a beautiful place, well deserving on Ode of its own!)

[knight66]

I have a much greater amount of Handel that of Vivaldi; so that probably answers the question. I do really connect with Vivaldi's Stabat Mater, so, he is certainly writing the kind of work I want to hear. I have several of his operas, but I tend not to listen to them often.

The Handel of Theodora, Dixit Dominus and the organ concerti is my frequent companion.

Mike

[springrite]

Tee hee!

(And a most understandable misspelling;  though the time was brief, I have been on the island of Sicily, and it is a beautiful place, well deserving on Ode of its own!)

Your understanding is greatly appreciated! I try to spell as phonetically as possible to make the guess work easier.