The Best Of Handel

George Frederick Handel (Composer), Raymond Leppard (Conductor), Bernard Haitink (Conductor), Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (Performer), I Musici (Performer), English Baroque Soloists (Performer), Concerto Amsterdam (Performer), Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra (Performer), RSO Berlin (Performer), Janet Baker (Performer), Daniel Chorzempa (Performer), Peter Gallion (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, I Musici, English Baroque Soloists, Concerto Amsterdam, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, et al.
• Conductor: Raymond Leppard, Bernard Haitink
• Composer: George Frederick Handel
• Audio CD (April 9, 1996)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Philips
• ASIN: B0000041EM
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #85,136 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #26 in Music > Classical > Instruments > Strings > Harp
  • #89 in Music > Classical > Instruments > Reeds & Winds > Oboe

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, comprehensive overview of Handel's works, January 7, 2005

By 

Eddie Konczal - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best Of Handel (Audio CD)

Philips offers a comprehensive overview of the works of George Frideric Handel, featuring a variety of conductors (Marriner, Maazel, Colin Davis, etc.) This 2-CD set includes 43 tracks spanning over 2.5 hours, and provides an excellent introduction to Handel. The "hits" are here: "Solomon - Arrival of the Queen of Sheba," "Water Music," "Messiah," and "Music for the Royal Fireworks." Equally impressive are (relatively) lesser known works such as "Chaconne in G," "Zadok the Priest - Coronation Anthem," and "Serse - Largo."

Handel's versatility will astound the novice listener. His compositional virtuosity and ingenuity transcend a variety of arrangements and tone colors, including works for full orchestra, chamber pieces, oratorios, and music for harp, piano, organ and guitar.

The recordings are top-notch and the performances are consistently excellent. Despite spanning nearly three decades of recorded works, the production values are remarkably cohesive; this compilation is a masterpiece of digital mastering.

If you're willing to invest a little extra money and time to familiarize yourself with one of the all-time great composers, "The Best of Handel" will reward you with years of enjoyment. I was a casual fan of Handel before receiving this CD as a gift nearly four years ago. Now, Handel ranks as one of my favorites (along with Beethoven, Bach and Chopin) - thanks largely to this brilliant compilation.

7 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply beautiful, September 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Best Of Handel (Audio CD)

This is the collection of Handels best works. I highly recomend the CD.