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loving the kings consort in particular, and Hyperion in general, I am using this "sampler" as menu to choose some new ( to me!) music for the coming winter....

jaybee wrote:


loving the kings consort in particular, and Hyperion in general, I am using this "sampler" as menu to choose some new ( to me!) music for the coming winter....

My favourite King´s Consort recording is their version of Handel´s L´Allegro, Il Penseroso ed Il Moderato on the beautiful Milton poem. This cantata (it´s not really an oratorio because it´s subject is not religious) is one of Handel´s most unique and original works, but it´s not surprising that it´s not one of his most popular because it´s also one of his most difficult. Therefore there are not many recordings, Gardiner recorded it for ERATO in his early days, but it´s not complete, and John Nelson recorded it with modern instruments for Virgin, so Robert King has the one good recordings and it also happens to be one of his best.

Symphony No.6

Coincidence....

DaveF wrote:

That's a really lovely record! And the people on the cover are so 1970s!

Vivaldi composed originally L´ Oracolo in Messenia in 1738 for the Teatro S. Angelo in Venice, but what we have here is a pasticcio Vivaldi concocted several years later for the Kärntnertortheater in Vienna using arias not only composed by himself, but also from Neapolitan composer Geminiano Giacomelli whose opera La Merope served as basis for L´ Oracolo di Messenia. Giacomelli´s style was very different from Vivaldi´s, and you can immediately tell the difference. His "contribution" to the revised edition of L´ Oracolo is considerable, about half of what´s heard in the recording, so he should have had equal billing as Vivaldi. Besides them, hit arias by Broschi and Hasse also turn up, making this indeed a pasticcio.
The recording needless to say is magnificent. Vivica Genaux who has been rather neglected of late in the studio, is glorious, and so is the young Russian soprano Julia Lezhneva originally discovered by Minkowski, and now already a star.
But the greatest hero is of course Biondi, who secures a vibrant, absorbing performance with incomparable playing by Europa Galante.

Next weekend I´ll be hearing 2 concerts with him and his ensemble, am I lucky or what!

The Planets arranged for organ, in spectacular sound. A lot of fun!