Georg Friedrich Handel: Alessandro

Alessandro, opera, HWV 21
Composed by George Frideric Handel
Performed by Sinfonia Varsovia
with Perry Price, Phoebe Atkinson, Norman Anderson, Thomas Poole, Betty Jean Rieders, Lola Watson, Anita Terzian
Conducted by Mieczyslaw Nowakowski

Georg Friedrich Handel: Alessandro,Betty Jean Rieders,Norman Anderson,George Frideric Handel,Mieczyslaw Nowakowski,Anita Terzian,Sinfonia Varsovia,Lola Watson,Phoebe Atkinson,Perry Price,Thomas Poole,Koch Schwann (Germ.),Classical,Italian Baroque Opera,Opera,Opera / Operetta / Oratorio

Average customer rating:

poor sound quality
SUPERB
In this case: I'm baroque
Come to laugh and stay to cry
Great Introduction to Beautiful Music

25 Baroque Favorites

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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25 Vivaldi Favorites
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ASIN: B0000058I7
Release Date: 1996-08-20

Tracks:

Canon
Concerto In D Minor For 2 Oboes & Strings, Op. 42, No. 2: I. Largo
Water Music: VI. Minuet
Trumpet Concerto In D: II. Adagio
Sarabande
Oboe Concerto In D Minor: II. Adagio
Concerto In D For Trumpet & Strings: III. Grave
Air On The G String
Adagio For Strings In G Minor
The Four Seasons: Spring, II. Largo
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G, BWV 1049: II. Andante
Concerto In D For 2 Trumpets & Strings: II. Largo
Concerto Grosso In D Minor, Op.3 No. 11: I. Allegro
Concerto In D For 6 Trumpets & Strings: II. Adagio
Ombra mai fu: Handel's Largo
Trumpet Sonata No. 1 In F: II. Grave
Suite In F Major For Horn, 2 Oboes & Strings: III. Der Alster Echo
Concerto In C For Viola Pomposa & Strings: II. Andante
Concerto In D For Trumpet, 2 Violins, Viola, Basso & Continuo: I. Allegro
Hapsichord Concerto In G Minor, BWV 1058: First Mvt.
Sonata For Trumpet & Strings: I. Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 5 In D, Op. 6: I. Larghetto
Concerto in D for Trumpet, 2 Oboes, Strings & Continuo: I. Allegro
Concerto grosso In G Minor, Op. 6 No. 8: II. Allegro
Trumpet Voluntary

Customer Reviews:

poor sound quality.......2004-09-29

a great selection of baroque favorites, but the sound quality, especially on the pachelbel canon, not great at all. for that reason, i cannot recommend getting it. what do you expect for five dollars, right !>? i would suggest spending a little more money and getting something that you can't bear to part with, for continued listening enjoyment.

SUPERB.......2004-02-19

An introduction to the best baroque music by famous composers.
Great sound on this CD. There are over 10 CD's in this Farorites collection, and this by far is one of the best ones.

If you like the classical sounds of music, then you will like this. Check out the samples on this page that they provide, that's the best way to review.

In this case: I'm baroque.......2004-02-07

I'm not usually a classical listener kind of gal. The only reason I stumbled onto this cd is because my favorite tune from a movie is on it. Sarabande is also played on the movie Persuasion (author: Jane Austen). I wanted to have that tune. Followed the links and landed on the Baroque cd. Ordered it. Sarabande is my favorite, followed by Canon, four seasons: spring, etc. I love this cd! It feels happy and light. For me, as a writer and an animator, it adds extra emotional impact when creating as well as influencing my imagination more. I recommend this cd when people want to feel like spring.

Come to laugh and stay to cry.......2003-11-26

Circumspect at first about buying any CD with a "best of" title, this one really exceeds expectations. Also bought the Vivaldi disc in this series which is likewise exceptional. With the caveat that "Ombra mai fu" is repeated in various of the "25 favorites" collections, I recommend these recordings wholeheartedly, especially in terms of cost per track.

"Canon" is the flagship piece on this CD, a lush arrangement that will move a strong man to tears. Almost as powerful are Bach's "Air on the G String" and of course, Handel's "Ombra mai fu". The disc ends on an up note with "Trumpet Voluntaire".

At this price, you can send "Baroque favorites" to every Classical music lover you know. I would recommend sending this CD even to people who don't like Classical...you might just change their minds.

Great Introduction to Beautiful Music.......2000-07-08

The Baroque period (1600-1750) was one of the most important in the history of music because many of our modern musical forms come from this time. The baroque style is diverse, including such elements as contrast and a deep emotionalism. Although orchestras perform the songs, many individual instruments are highlighted. The baroque composers especially loved strings, the trumpet, and the oboe. The songs range from the vibrant and the lively to the slow and the sad. I have found this CD is excellent as background music for studying, reading, or driving in rush hour traffic, mainly because the music is calming and relaxing. Baroque masters such as Bach and Handel are still popular today and their songs are loved by many. Fans of popular music will recognize a few of the songs on this CD. "Air on the G String" (Bach) was used by Procol Harum in their song "A Whiter Shade of Pale." "Canon," one of the most popular baroque songs today, is often performed at weddings and has been incorporated into pop songs by artists such as the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Vitamin C, and Rod McKuen.

This CD is considered an introduction to baroque music. It includes some of the most famous composers and their best songs. For example, Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi each have three songs on this disc. The liner notes are sparse, but a brief history of baroque music is included. Because of the inexpensive price and the huge amount of music (25 songs, 74 minutes of music), I highly recommend this for anyone who already loves the baroque style or wants an excellent introduction to this beautiful music.

Sandrine Piau - Handel Opera Seria
Average customer rating:

Seriously incredible Handel

Stunning Work From One of the Top Handel Interpreters

Outstanding!

Don't overlook this special gem!

Sandrine Piau - Handel Opera Seria
Sandrine Piau , Christophe Rousset , Les Talens Lyriques , and Georg Friedrich Handel
Manufacturer: Astree
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000678KLI
Release Date: 2005-01-18

Customer Reviews:

Seriously incredible Handel.......2005-11-15

If you don't like Handel recitals that come with a lot of hype, be warned that this album comes with a heavy load of uniform critical praise, plus raves and adoration of music aficionados. It may not be selling as well as it should, as there is a law in the music business that declares "Handel album without Ombra Mai Fu shall be treated with utmost suspicion" but just look at the reviews here. In the press, this CD has been called astonishing, amazing, peerless, superb, blah blah blah and also the "best Handel aria recording ever made by a soprano." Hyperbole aside, does it live up to the hype? It doesn't just live up to it, it walks all over it. I have had this album for months, but every time I try to write something about it, I end up listening to it over and over again, instead of writing about it.
Piau's voice is light, perfectly focused, like a bright laser beam, absolutely even from top to bottom and with incredible high notes. Her technique is perfect, same for breath control. Her speed and impossibly precise runs defy laws of nature. But of course just that would not be enough for stellar Handel performance of this calibre; she is also a gifted actress who is able to show dramatic colours in every single aria. There is not a single track here which is not a fascinating study of the character, and her interpretations are varied and very memorable: Berenice, fiery, defiant, Cleopatra in her mournful lament... To fully credit Piau's interpretive gifts, I would have to list every aria on this CD. And she chooses such great pieces, many seldom heard at all, all arranged in an imaginative, stimulating programme.
I usually have a bone to pick with Baroque ornamentations from the current singers, having been brought up on a steady diet of Emma Kirkby, Julianne Baird and Lorraine Hunt, who not only improvise their ornamentations, but do it so brilliantly. Sandrine Piau joins this illustrious club of the Ornamentators Par Excellence; her ornamentations are written in (largely by Rousset) but they are just glorious.
The Les Talens Lyriques orchestra under Christophe Rousset, Piau's frequent collaborator in live performances, plays great, though if I had one tiny complaint about this album, it would be that laws of physic do mar their performance a little bit: Piau's voice can move faster than these period instruments, and she sometimes whizzes by the orchestra very slightly ahead of them, in the fast arias. This is actually most evident in the fireworks of the opening aria, Scoglio d'immota, but that's only because she takes it at such superhuman speed, they have to play for their life just to stay with her.
Last but not least, I actually like the cover of this album, I think Piau looks cool, like a porcelain doll. Not that this album would be any less awe inspiring if it came wrapped in brown sandwich paper. This is some seriously amazing Opera Seria and if you love Handel's music, this album is an absolute must-have.

Stunning Work From One of the Top Handel Interpreters.......2005-02-20

French soprano Sandrine Piau is not as readily known as other Handelians, at least on this side of the pond, but she is certainly among the most gifted of interpreters as she proves on this wonderful recording of opera arias specifically written for the soprano voice. Even though mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson and soprano Renée Fleming have put out superb, higher profile recordings of Handel arias in the past few months, you can still confidently add this one to your collection thanks to Piau's thrilling, expressive vocalism, at once early-music in style with a powerful yet economical use of technique, well-balanced with a wide capacity for accurate coloratura and an immaculate technique sure to please Baroque purists.

Piau displays impeccable taste in her highly personalized program. Instead of going for the more familiar gems like "Ombra mai fú" from "Serse", she has pulled together an anthology of Handelian prime donne that features arias composed over more than two decades. Many are from operas that are relatively obscure but still quite stunning, for example, the defiant "Scoglio d'immota fronte" from "Scipione", the dynamic "Brilla nell' alma un non inteso ancor" from "Alessandro" and the angry, distressed "M'ai resa infelice" from "Deidamia". Even with the better known operas, she choose not the showpieces but the ones that are worthy of rediscovery, such as "Verdi piante, erbette liete" from "Orlando", "Se pieta" from "Giulio Cesare in Egritto", "L'amor ed il destin" from "Partenope" and "Ombre piante, une funeste" from "Rodelinda", in which her painful expressiveness of want certainly gives Fleming a run for her money. Even the order of the program is commendable, as it reflects a wide gamut of emotions that make the recording feel like one cohesive work, even with the variety of characters and dramatic situations and rich vocal demands for which Handel is known. Piau's long-time collaboration with Christophe Rousset, who leads the wondrous and period-authentic playing of Les Talens Lyriques, has produced a seamless rapport that makes this an essential recording. Strongly recommended.

Outstanding!.......2005-02-01

I received this CD a couple of days ago and it has not left my CD player. I was very impressed with her Mozart CD but this one has some fascinating ornamentation and very daring vocal acrobatics. I first heard her in Scipione under Christophe Rousset in 1993 and was very impressed by her contributions. Piau includes the aria "Scoglio d'immota fronte" from Scipione (also on Fleming's Handel disc), this time around showing off her coloratura skills and speed even more than on the complete recording. The rest of the CD is a real treasure of vocal fireworks and beautiful plaintive arias. Highly recommended!

Don't overlook this special gem!.......2005-02-01

It doesn't often happen that a release gets so much unanimous enthusiastic praise from both critics and audiences alike, particularly if the release is from an independent company and the singer is not a heavily promoted "star". But here it is - Sandrine Piau's Handel recital on Naive seems to be outshining many vocal releases of the past year (it was released in 2004) and the reason for this stir is simple: it is a stupendous disc from a great singer who deserves a wider recognition.

Everything is special here, even the cover. In an era when so many solo recitals try to attract us through flashy covers (and often not much more inside), Piau is courageous enough to appear in what may well be one of the most unflattering cover photos ever made. Through this photo, Piau seems to be making a bold statement: "I am not a cover girl, I am an artist".

And what an artist! Every phrase in this recital is delivered with utmost honesty and spectacular technical assurance, nothing is calculated or contrived. What is even more important, every Handelian heroine portrayed here is vividly brought to life. There is not a moment of monotony or routine - the selections cover a variety of moods and allow the artist to display not only her stupendous technique but also phenomenal interpretative gifts.

It is impossible to get tired of Piau's singing! Her voice and singing style should appeal to both camps of opera lovers: devotees of the HIP movement and those who are afraid of HIP because of the stigma of "white, bland voices" that became a trademark of the movement. Piau's voice is small and delicate, but there is nothing "white" or bland about it. It is a gorgeous instrument, flexible and colourful, able to convey a wide range of emotions without resorting to "special effects".

It is of course tempting to compare Piau's recital with the other highly popular Handel discs of 2004 (by Lorraine Hunt, Sarah Connolly, Renee Fleming) but comparisons don't really make much sense here for each of those recitals has its own virtues and each singer her own faithful audience. Yet Piau's disc risks being overlooked in the USA since the French soprano is not quite a household name here (in spite of some marvellous solo recitals in her discography). Let's hope this fantastic new disc will change this. (Kicek)

Average customer rating:

The Virtuoso Trumpet

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Concerto In D For Trumpet, 2 Oboes & Basso Continuo: I. Largo
Concerto In D For Trumpet, 2 Oboes & Basso Continuo: II. Vivace
Concerto In D For Trumpet, 2 Oboes & Basso Continuo: III. Siciliano
Concerto In D For Trumpet, 2 Oboes & Basso Continuo: IV. Vivace
Concerto In D For Trumpet & Strings: I. Adagio
Concerto In D For Trumpet & Strings: II. Allegro
Concerto In D For Trumpet & Strings: III. Grave
Concerto In D For Trumpet & Strings: IV. Allegro
Suite For Trumpet, 2 Oboes & Strings: I. Allegro
Suite For Trumpet, 2 Oboes & Strings: II. Rigandon I-II
Suite For Trumpet, 2 Oboes & Strings: III. Aria anglese I-II
Suite For Trumpet, 2 Oboes & Strings: IV. Sarabande
Suite For Trumpet, 2 Oboes & Strings: V. Hornpipe I-II
Suite For Trumpet, 2 Oboes & Strings: VI. Menuet I-II
Suite For Trumpet, 2 Oboes & Strings: VII. Gigue
Concerto In D For 6 Trumpets & Strings: I. Allegro moderato
Concerto In D For 6 Trumpets & Strings: II. Adagio
Concerto In D For 6 Trumpets & Strings: III. Vivace
Sonata a cinque For Trumpet, Violin, 3 Violas & Continuo
Trumpet Concerto In E Flat: I. Allegro
Trumpet Concerto In E Flat: II. Andante
Trumpet Concerto In E Flat: III. Allegro

Tracks:

Trumpet Concerto In D: I. Pomposo
Trumpet Concerto In D: II. Adagio
Trumpet Concerto In D: III. Presto
Sonata For Trumpet & Strings: I. Allegro
Sonata For Trumpet & Strings: II. Aria: Andante
Sonata For Trumpet & Strings: III. Allegro
Sonata For Trumpet & Strings: IV. Aria: Andante
Trumpet Concerto In D: I. Adagio
Trumpet Concerto In D: II. Allegro moderato
Concerto In D For 2 Trumpets & Strings: I. Allegro
Concerto In D For 2 Trumpets & Strings: II. Largo
Concerto In D For 2 Trumpets & Strings: III. Allegro
Concerto In C For 2 Trumpets & Strings: I. Allegro
Concerto In C For 2 Trumpets & Strings: II. Largo
Concerto In C For 2 Trumpets & Strings: III. Allegro
Trumpet Concerto In D: I. Vivace - II. Grave
Trumpet Concerto In D: III. Allegro
Concerto In D For Trumpet, 2 Oboes & 2 Bassoons: I. Allegro
Concerto In D For Trumpet, 2 Oboes & 2 Bassoons: II. Cantabile
Concerto In D For Trumpet, 2 Oboes & 2 Bassoons: III. Plaisanterie - Duetto
Concerto In D For Trumpet, 2 Oboes & 2 Bassoons: IV. Menuetto
Concerto in D for Trumpet, 2 Oboes, Strings & Continuo: I. Allegro
Concerto in D for Trumpet, 2 Oboes, Strings & Continuo: II. Largo
Concerto in D for Trumpet, 2 Oboes, Strings & Continuo: III. Allegro
Concerto For Trumpet In D, 2 Violins, Viola, Basso & Continuo: I. Allegro - II. Adagio - III. Presto
Concerto For Trumpet In D, 2 Violins, Viola, Basso & Continuo: IV. Adagio
Concerto For Trumpet In D, 2 Violins, Viola, Basso & Continuo: V. Allegro
Trumpet Concerto in C: I. Grave
Trumpet Concerto in C: II. Allegro
Trumpet Concerto in C: III. Grave
Trumpet Concerto in C: IV. Allegro