Immerse yourself in the timeless elegance of George Frideric Handel's masterpieces with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields' exquisite 2023 release on Warner Classics. This album is a celebration of Handel's unparalleled genius, featuring a meticulously curated selection of his most beloved works, spanning orchestral suites, choral masterpieces, and operatic arias.
The album opens with the serene beauty of the Sarabande from Handel's Keyboard Suite No. 4 in D Minor, setting the stage for a journey through the composer's diverse musical landscape. The iconic Water Music suites, with their lively Allegros, graceful Menuets, and majestic Hornpipes, showcase Handel's ability to blend elegance with vitality. The album also includes highlights from Handel's most famous oratorio, Messiah, featuring the triumphant "Hallelujah" chorus and the tender "The People That Walked in Darkness" aria.
For those who appreciate the grandeur of Baroque orchestral music, the album offers the Trumpet Concerto No. 3 in G Minor, a work that highlights the brilliance of the trumpet amidst a rich orchestral backdrop. The operatic excerpts from Solomon and The Choice of Hercules add a dramatic flair, with arias and choruses that range from the regal "The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" to the contemplative "Yet Can I Hear That Dulcet Lay."
With a total runtime of 1 hour and 37 minutes, this album is a comprehensive exploration of Handel's musical legacy, performed with the precision and passion that the Academy of St Martin in the Fields is renowned for. Whether you're a seasoned classical enthusiast or a newcomer to Handel's music, this album is a captivating introduction to the composer's enduring appeal.
Handel / Orch. Hale: Keyboard Suite No. 4 in D Minor, HWV 437: III. SarabandeGeorge Frideric Handel, Alexander Briger, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 2 in D Major, HWV 349: I. AllegroGeorge Frideric Handel, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 2 in D Major, HWV 349: II. Alla HornpipeGeorge Frideric Handel, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 2 in D Major, HWV 349: III. MenuetGeorge Frideric Handel, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 2 in D Major, HWV 349: IV. LentementGeorge Frideric Handel, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 2 in D Major, HWV 349: V. BourréeGeorge Frideric Handel, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1: SinfoniaGeorge Frideric Handel, Sir David Willcocks, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1, Scene 3: Aria. "The People That Walked in Darkness"George Frideric Handel, Sir David Willcocks, Benjamin Luxon, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 1, Scene 3: Chorus. "For Unto Us a Child Is Born"George Frideric Handel, Sir David Willcocks, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2, Scene 7: Chorus. "Hallelujah"George Frideric Handel, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Sir David Willcocks, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 3, Scene 4: Chorus. "Worthy Is the Lamb"George Frideric Handel, Sir David Willcocks, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Trumpet Concerto No. 3 in G Minor, HWV 287: I. Grave (Transcr. of Oboe Concerto)George Frideric Handel, Maurice André, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Trumpet Concerto No. 3 in G Minor, HWV 287: II. Allegro (Transcr. of Oboe Concerto)George Frideric Handel, Maurice André, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Trumpet Concerto No. 3 in G Minor, HWV 287: III. Sarabande. Largo (Transcr. of Oboe Concerto)George Frideric Handel, Maurice André, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Trumpet Concerto No. 3 in G Minor, HWV 287: IV. Allegro (Transcr. of Oboe Concerto)George Frideric Handel, Maurice André, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Solomon, HWV 67, Act 3: Sinfonia "The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba"George Frideric Handel, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: I. OvertureGeorge Frideric Handel, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: II. Adagio e staccatoGeorge Frideric Handel, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: III. AllegroGeorge Frideric Handel, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: IV. AndanteGeorge Frideric Handel, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: V. Allegro da capoGeorge Frideric Handel, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: VI. MinuetGeorge Frideric Handel, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: VII. AirGeorge Frideric Handel, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: VIII. MinuetGeorge Frideric Handel, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: IX. BourréeGeorge Frideric Handel, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: X. HornpipeGeorge Frideric Handel, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: Water Music, Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348: XI. AllegroGeorge Frideric Handel, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: The Choice of Hercules, HWV 69: Air. "Come, Blooming Boy" (Pleasure)George Frideric Handel, Philip Ledger, Heather Harper, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: The Choice of Hercules, HWV 69: Solo and Chorus. "So Shalt Thou Gain Immortal Praise" (Virtue, Chorus)George Frideric Handel, Philip Ledger, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Helen Watts
Handel: The Choice of Hercules, HWV 69: Air. "Yet Can I Hear That Dulcet Lay" (Hercules)George Frideric Handel, Philip Ledger, James Bowman, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: The Choice of Hercules, HWV 69: Chorus. "Arise, Arise" (Chorus)George Frideric Handel, Philip Ledger, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Handel: The Choice of Hercules, HWV 69: Air. "Lead, Goddess, Lead the Way" (Hercules)George Frideric Handel, Philip Ledger, James Bowman, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
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