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Donald Macleod looks on as Handel reinvents himself as a composer of English oratorio and introduces the work widely regarded as Handel's most fundamentally English creation.

With income from opera drying up, Handel turned to other means of making a living. He realised there was money to be made with his new English oratorio, and the publication of his instrumental works provided him with another source of income.
Donald Macleod introduces one of Handel's last operas, full of light-hearted, amorous intrigue, the first of a set of twelve concerti grossi which are the finest things of their kind he ever composed, and part of the oratorio widely regarded as Handel's most fundamentally English creation.

Serse (excerpts)
Anna Stéphany, mezzo-soprano (Serse)
Hilary Summers, alto (Amasatre)
Brindley Sherratt, bass (Ariodate)
Early Opera Company
Conductor, Christian Curnyn

Concerto grosso in G, Op 6 No 1
Gabrieli Players
Conductor Paul McMcreesh

L'Allegro, Il Penseroso ed Il Moderato (Part 3: Il Moderato)
Gillian Webster (soprano)
Jeremy Ovenden (tenor)
Peter Harvey (baritone)
Gabrieli Consort and Players
Conductor Paul McMcreesh.

1 hour

Last on

Fri 2 Feb 2018 12:00

Music Played

  • George Frideric Handel

    Serse, Act 1: Ombra mai fu

    Singer: Anna Stéphany. Orchestra: Early Opera Company. Conductor: Christian Curnyn.
    • CHANDOS : CHAN-0797.
    • CHANDOS.
    • 3.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Serse, Act 1: Sc 8-11

    Singer: Hilary Summers. Singer: Brindley Sherratt. Singer: Anna Stéphany. Orchestra: Early Opera Company. Conductor: Christian Curnyn.
    • CHACONNE CHAN 0797.
    • Chaconne.
    • 19.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Concerto Grosso in G major, Op 6 No 1

    Ensemble: Gabrieli Consort. Ensemble: Gabrieli Players. Director: Paul McCreesh.
    • Winged Lion/Signum SIGCD 392.
    • Winged Lion/Signum.
    • 1.
  • George Frideric Handel

    L'Allegro Il Penseroso ed Il Moderato: Part 3

    Singer: Gillian Webster. Singer: Jeremy Ovenden. Singer: Peter Harvey. Ensemble: Gabrieli Consort. Ensemble: Gabrieli Players. Director: Paul McCreesh.
    • Signum SIGCD392.
    • Signum.
    • 16.

Broadcast

  • Fri 2 Feb 2018 12:00

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