Handel: Acis and Galatea

George Frideric Handel (Composer), William Christie (Conductor), Sophie Daneman (Performer), Les Arts Florissants (Performer), Patricia Petibon (Performer), Paul Agnew (Performer), Joseph Cornwell (Performer), Alan Ewing (Performer), Andrew Sinclair (Performer), François Piolino (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Sophie Daneman, Les Arts Florissants, Patricia Petibon, Paul Agnew, Joseph Cornwell, et al.
• Conductor: William Christie
• Composer: George Frideric Handel
• Audio CD (September 21, 1999)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Erato
• ASIN: B00001SIBI
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #166,149 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Acis And Galatea: Act I: Sinfonia - Presto - William Christie

2. Acis And Galatea: Act I: Chorus:' Oh, the pleasure of the plains' - William Christie

3. Acis And Galatea: Act I: Recitativo: 'Ye verdant plains and woody mountains' (Galatea) - William Christie

4. Acis And Galatea: Act 1: (Air) Andante 'Hush, ye pretty warbling quire!' (Galatea) - William Christie

5. Acis And Galatea: Act I: (Air)Larghetto: 'Where shall I seek the charming fair?' (Acis) - William Christie

6. Acis And Galatea: Act 1: Recitativo: 'Stay, sherpherd, stay!' (Damon) - William Christie

7. Acis And Galatea: Act 1: (Air) Andante: 'Shepherd, what art though pursuing?' (Damon) - William Christie

8. Acis And Galatea: Act 1: Recitativo: 'Lo! Here is my love' (Acis) - William Christie

9. Acis And Galatea: Act 1: (Air) Larghetto: 'Love in her eyes sits playing' (Acis) - William Christie

10. Acis And Galatea: Recitativo: 'Oh! Didst thou know the pains' (Galatea) - William Christie

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Acis And Galatea: Act II: A tempo ordinario: 'Wretched Lovers' - G.F. Handel

2. Acis And Galatea: Act II: Recitativo accompangnato-furioso: 'I Rage, I Melt, I Burn' (Polyphemus) - G.F. Handel

3. Acis And Galatea: Act II: Air-Allegro: 'O Ruddier Than The Cherry' (Polyphemus) - G.F. Handel

4. Acis And Galatea: Act II: Recitativo: 'Whither, Fairest, Art Thou Running' (Polyphemus, Galatea) - G.F. Handel

5. Acis And Galatea: Act II: Air-Allegro e staccato: 'Cease To Beauty To Be Suing' - G.F. Handel

6. Acis And Galatea: Act II: Air-Allegro: 'Would You Gain The Tender Creature' (Damon) - G.F. Handel

7. Acis And Galatea: Act II: Recitativo: 'His Hideous Love Provokes My Rage' (Acis) - G.F. Handel

8. Acis And Galatea: Act II: Air-Allegro: 'Love Sounds Th' Alarm' (Acis) - G.F. Handel

9. Acis And Galatea: Act II: Air-Larghetto: 'Cosndier, Fond Shepherd' (Coridon) - G.F. Handel

10. Acis And Galatea: Act II: Recitativo: 'Cease, Oh Cease, Thou Gentle Youth' - G.F. Handel

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another William Christie winner, October 13, 1999

By 

Gerardo Cabrera Munoz (México) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Handel: Acis and Galatea (Audio CD)

This delightful pastoral cantata has not been as lucky on record as one would wish. The old Gardiner recording has been the general recommendation for over 20 years, but now comes this new ERATO recording and easily swipes the board. The singers are marvelous, especially the full voiced tenor Paul Agnew, but it is the conducting of William Christie that makes this set so very special. Don't miss it, it's delightful.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Will Charm You, December 8, 2005

By 

M. C. Passarella "lpassarella" (Lawrenceville, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Handel: Acis and Galatea (Audio CD)

Wonderfully entertaining, both Handel's delicious music and William Christie's equally delicious performance. Christie's expert orchestra is in especially fine form and captured in an acoustical setting that permits the delicacies of this intimate entertainment to shine but never overwhelm. It is like hearing the work in the hall of one of the great houses of England, which it indeed was in its day.

The soloists are all top-notch, but special praise must be accorded Bass Alan Ewing. His air "O ruddier than the cherry" is delightfully ardent, straying to just this side of the outright randy, if that's an appropriate adjective for a character from a Handel entertainment. It is--just listen to "Semele" sometime! Fine work as well in this air from Sebastien Marq playing the sopranino recorder, a fey little touch by Handel that is just one of many wonderful instrumental flourishes given the royal treatment by Les Arts Florissants.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful, January 5, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Handel: Acis and Galatea (Audio CD)

In this recording by William Christie's crack band of players, the scale is very intimate so one can feel the textures of each individual instrument. No, you will not get the power of a large-scale Messiah, but this piece of art is of a different nature. It is about the open air, the deep love between a shepherd and a nymph, and the tragedy caused by a jealous cyclops. The vocal soloists are all in top form, especially the ladies Daneman and Petibon who seem to be singing sweetly right there in the room with you. A triumph!