Händel, where to start?

[rappy]

Hello,

since I've read that Beethoven was a great admirer of Händel, my interest has grown. I'm only familiar with very few pieces such as the Water and Fireworks music.
Which pieces should I get next? I prefer instrumental music.

Thank you

[71 dB]

Actually Händel really shines in the area of Oratorio (e.g. The Messiah) and Opera (e.g. Giulio Cesare) but if you want non-vocal stuff you could start with the 12 Concerti Grossi, Op. 6 (The Academy of Ancient Music/Andrew Manze).

[Que]

Hello,

since I've read that Beethoven was a great admirer of Händel, my interest has grown.

Finally a Händel thread!   Excellent.

Which pieces should I get next? I prefer instrumental music.

Now, that is somewhat unfortunate because not only did write Händel much more vocal music, it also includes generally his best music.

Q

[DavidW]

Hello,

since I've read that Beethoven was a great admirer of Händel, my interest has grown. I'm only familiar with very few pieces such as the Water and Fireworks music.
Which pieces should I get next? I prefer instrumental music.

Thank you

The concertos can be fun to listen to, but as Que said the vocal works are his greatest achievements.  You might consider the violin sonatas, and the harpsichord music, but then again not his best realm but they're pretty good nonetheless.

[Don]

The concertos can be fun to listen to, but as Que said the vocal works are his greatest achievements.  You might consider the violin sonatas, and the harpsichord music, but then again not his best realm but they're pretty good nonetheless.

I enjoy the keyboard suites as much as the vocal works.  Here's a list of recommended recordings:

van Asperen/Sony
Dantone/Arts
Nicholson/Hyperion
Remy/CPO
Richter/EMI
Verlet/Astree
Ross/Erato

[Josquin des Prez]

Actually Händel really shines in the area of Oratorio (e.g. The Messiah) and Opera (e.g. Giulio Cesare) but if you want non-vocal stuff you could start with the 12 Concerti Grossi, Op. 6 (The Academy of Ancient Music/Andrew Manze).

Agreed on all three, except for the Manze recommendation.

[71 dB]

Agreed on all three, except for the Manze recommendation.

I am not good with different performances but that Manze should be very good. If you know better please tell us.

[Expresso]

I'm currently exploring Handel too. As  already mentioned Handel really excels in vocal music... Messiah,Solomon and many other works.

You could also try his Violin sonatas (Manze).

[Josquin des Prez]

You could also try his Violin sonatas (Manze).

No, avoid his chamber music if you can help it, it's really bland.

[Josquin des Prez]

I am not good with different performances but that Manze should be very good. If you know better please tell us.

I think a classic version like Pinnock really serves those works well. Biondi if you need something more peculiar. I was never impressed with anything Manze has ever done so i really must object every time his name gets mentioned.

[Josquin des Prez]

I enjoy the keyboard suites as much as the vocal works.

People need to be careful though. Only the first 8 suites (published in 1720) are really good, the rest can get boring really fast.

[71 dB]

No, avoid his chamber music if you can help it, it's really bland.

Perhaps we others enjoy what you find bland? People do have different tastes, very different. I like Manze.

[BachQ]

Perhaps we others enjoy what you find bland? People do have different tastes, very different. I like Manze.

I like whatever 71 dB likes .........

[johnQpublic]

The Organ Concerti
Concerti Grossi, Op. 6 (as was already mentioned)
Flute Sonati

[The new erato]

Try Acis and Galatea. A very melodious work combining aspects of his English oratorio style with his Italian opera style. And not too long. Christies recording is fine, but there's lots to choose from. Any exploration of Handel should start with his vocal music, as it is there that his greatest claim to immortality is.

[Harry Collier]

Any exploration of Handel should start with his vocal music, as it is there that his greatest claim to immortality is.

I agree. Getting to Handel via his instrumental music is a bit like trying to get to Beethoven as an operatic composer, or liking Puccini for his instrumental bits and pieces. Handel wrote -- quite brilliantly -- for the voice. Last Saturday I went to a performance of Alcina, and I've never known three hours to go so quickly!

[Bonehelm]

I like whatever 71 dB likes .........

Right...

[Shrunk]

Perhaps we others enjoy what you find bland? People do have different tastes, very different. I like Manze.

I like the Manze, as well.  However, somewhat to my surprise, I also enjoy Marriner and the ASMF:



In any event, the Op. 6 concerto grossi are essential works to my ears, on a par with the much better-known Brandenburg concertos as some of the best orchestral music of the late baroque.

[FideLeo]

Another, more recent recording of Handel's greatest orchestral music that uses the same 1756 portrait by Thomas Hudson.

[Don]

People need to be careful though. Only the first 8 suites (published in 1720) are really good, the rest can get boring really fast.

How careful does one need to be?  It isn't like walking across an interstate highway.