Handel – Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (2009)

Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne (Eternal Source of Light Divine)HWV 74

1	1. Solo: Eternal source of light divine 	3:01
2 	2. Solo e Coro: The day that gave great Anna birth 	2:37
3 	3. Solo: Let all the winged race with joy 	2:36
4 	4. Soli e Coro: Let flocks and herds their fear forget 	2:29
5 	5. Duetto e Coro: Let rolling streams their gladness show 	2:47		play
6 	6. Duetto: Kind health descends on downy wings 	4:58
7 	7. Duetto e Coro: The day that gave great Anna birth 	1:45
8 	8. Solo e Coro: Let envy then conceal her head 	1:57
9 	9. Solo e Coro: United nations shall combine 	3:07

Dixit Dominus, hymn for soloists, chorus & orchestra in G minor, HWV 232
10 	1. Coro: Dixit Dominus 	5:11
11 	2. Aria: Virgam virtutis tuae 	3:10
12 	3. Aria: Tecum principium in die virtutis 	3:05
13	4. Coro: Juravit Dominus 	2:17										play
14 	5. Coro: Tu es sacerdos in aeternum 	1:35
15 	6. Soli e Coro: Dominus a dextris tuis 	6:18
16 	7. Soli e Coro: De torrente in via bibet 	3:32
17 	8. Coro: Gloria Patri, et Filio 	5:50

Hélène Guilmette - Soprano 
Sophie Klußmann - Soprano (Vocal)
Andreas Scholl 	- Counter Tenor 
Malcolm Bennett - Tenor 
Andreas Wolf - Bass

Vocalconsort Berlin (Choir)
Akademie für Alte Musik, Berlin 
Marcus Creed - Conductor

I had never heard of Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne, let alone heard it in the concert hall. It was written in Handel's first years in Britain and seems to have been unfairly eclipsed by his later work. In my view it is a superb piece and I see no reason for its neglect, I just hope this recording finds the large public it deserves as it is beautifully sung and the recording is of exceptionally high quality. The cast is led by that star of the baroque, Andreas Scholl, who gets to sing some of the most attractive passages, but the other two soloists, Guilmette and Wolf match Scholl's high standard effortlessly.

The second work is Handel's Dixit Dominus, thrillingly sung by the Vocal Consort of Berlin and making an ideal coupling with the main work. I thoroughly recommend this CD to all admirers of Handel and the baroque. --- Dance Veteran (London, UK)

Marcus Creed amply proves in this recording of the Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne and the Dixit Dominus that he has what it takes to conduct George Frederick Handel. He's got the big beat down, plus the muscular rhythms, vigorous tempos, and vivid textures, as well as the tight ensembles and the unstoppable drive so essential in making Handel come alive. And that's just in the fast choral movements. In the solos and duets, Creed creates poised, alert, and wholly sympathetic accompaniments that help shape the singers' performances as part of the total work. And what singers! Both sopranos are superlative, especially Sophie Kussmann, and countertenor Andreas Scholl is, as always, strong, yet supple and sensitive. With the expert period instrument skills of the Akademie für Alte Musik, Berlin, and the agile but robust singing of the Vocalconsort Berlin, Creed has delivered one of the great Handel discs, hopefully his first in what will be a long and distinguished engagement with the composer. Harmonia Mundi's digital sound is superbly modulated. --- James Leonard, allmusic.com

download: uploaded anonfiles yandex 4shared solidfiles mediafire mega filecloudio binge

back