Customer Reviews

Handel: Saul; Alexander's Feast; The Choice of Hercules [Box Set]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I find Ledger very liveable-with as an exponent of Handel - authentic ma non troppo, using small forces, countertenors, boy trebles in the chorus and a full continuo, but also instruments that 20th/21st century ears are comfortable with and not afraid to take a slow tempo where that serves expressiveness in the modern sense. Handel does not need any `selling' to me - I find him endlessly fascinating - but I can't imagine better advocates for him than Ledger or Mackerras to music-lovers who may still balk at `all-the-way' authenticity as offered by, say, McCreesh.

For my own part, I would have bought these 5 discs at almost any price just to hear `Revenge Timotheus cries' in Alexander's Feast sung by Thomas Allen. It is my very favourite bit of Handelian swashbuckle, in one of my very favourite Handel works. I can never get over the matchless art of Handel's word-setting, and that in a language that he himself never learned to speak perfectly. Nobody ever came near his instinct for when and how to repeat words and phrases. His solos are often difficult, but he never gives his vocalists instrumental music to sing as Bach regularly does, still less does he subject voices to brutal strain as Verdi would later do. His choral writing was described by Beecham as unapproached since his time. Full texts are not provided here or in the other works, but I doubt you will need to visit the website mentioned - composer and interpreters both ensure that the words can be heard without effort. In Alexander's Feast there is some slightly dubious intonation by the sopranos (where was the superb Jill Gomez who worked with them in the Ode for St Cecilia's Day?) but the trumpet-voiced Robert Tear (a born Handel singer) and the great Tom Allen are superb throughout. I commend in particular the marvellous soprano aria `The prince unable', and you should be prepared for a minor confusion at tracks 21-22. These would make more sense as described in the liner-note, but what has happened is that the first section of `Revenge Timotheus cries' and its extraordinary middle section `Behold a ghastly band' have found their way into track 21 leaving only the da capo of `Revenge Timotheus cries' on track 22. Also, without a score to hand I can't be sure whether some opening notes have dropped out of the first number on cd5 `Thais led the way'.

The Choice of Hercules was put together as a perfunctory framework to accommodate some music Handel had done for an opera that never made it to production. The individual numbers are good quality, but it all hardly amounts to more than a recital. However the women soloists are on more reliable form than in the far superior Alexander's Feast.

With this new Saul I have an alternative to my cherished LP set from Mackerras, and I immediately made the startling discovery that the small part for the High Priest has vanished without comment in Ledger's version, although his final recitative is allocated to Abner. Neither the Oxford Companion to Music nor the lavishly-produced Mackerras set sheds any light on this, and the Flower biography only makes a fleeting reference to alternative versions of the work, but in truth there is hardly any such thing as a definitive Handel score. Saul contains two famous `effects' - the raising of the ghost of Samuel by the witch of Endor and the Dead March. I would add a third, the hair-raising chorus `Envy eldest born of hell' that starts part 2. The notes in this are easy to sing somehow, but the low pitch makes fullness of tone difficult in the octave plunges on `envy' and the downward marching scales. I still await the performance of my dreams here, but for now Mackerras has the edge. At Endor Mackerras's John Winfield sings more witchily, but the bassoons in both versions rise to the occasion, and if you are expecting something spectacular from the 3-time in the voices against 4-time in the orchestra, be aware you will have to listen hard to catch the effect. I am not in my element in the dismal genre of funeral marches, but all my life Handel's Dead March, in its major key, has filled me with awe where Beethoven's, Chopin's and Wagner's efforts leave me cold, and this time it is Ledger who wins hands-down. In general I am grateful to have either version let alone both. The approach is very similar and the recording is excellent in both, Mackerras has better sopranos, Ledger an outstanding tenor and bass. If it were just a matter of Saul, the inclusion of the High Priest in Mackerras would shade it for me - I'm not bothered whether he `detracts from the dramatic flow' etc, as Saul seems to me animated narrative rather than drama as such. More music by Handel is what counts with me, but this 5-disc set is an outstanding collection, which I got mainly for the glorious Alexander's Feast anyhow. Competent musicologists will no doubt know why Ledger's pitch is a semitone lower than either Mackerras's or my piano's.

...in a bargain box of 5 CDs for only $19.98! Wow! That was irresistable, even though I have other CDs and still playable LPs of both works. The good news is that these two performances by the English Chamber Orchestra, Philip Ledger, are not half bad, considering how long-in-the-tooth they are, recorded in 1975 and 1981. Baritone Thomas Allen (Saul) could sing with any current ensemble, but many of the other soloists learned their technique a little too early for "early music." Since 1975, a whole generation of gifted young singers have devoted themselves exclusively to the Baroque vocal repertoire, learning style from the trial-and-error of earlier performers. The recording of Alexander's Feast by 'The Sixteen,' led by Harry Christophers, is my current choice, and the CDs of Saul by 'The Gabrieli Consort,' led by Paul McCreesh, is spectacular. Together, however, they'll set you back four times the cost of this bargain release. Whatever you do, avoid the performance of Saul by Helmut Rilling with the Stuttgart Collegium; this inexpensive one is far better.

Alexander's Feast, written in 1736, was Handel's first great effort to accomodate English musicianship and English taste - his inauguration of what George Orwell called his "big bow-wow" style. Orwell detested Handel, and recordings by the warhorse choruses and symphonies of his era explain why, but to my ears, sung well, Alexander's Feast is stunning - sonorous, manly, stately. The text is Dryden's Cecilian Ode of 1697, which Handel set to be performed on St. Cecilia's Day at Covent Garden. It was triumphantly succesful with the German-Italian composer's new English audience - bluff, sturdy, slightly stuffy Georgian Londoners who'd lost track of music on the Continent during the Calvinist ascendancy. They were music lovers though! How many Americans today regard St. Cecilia's Day - she was the Patroness of Musick - as a more festive occasion than Christmas? Georgian Englishmen did.

Saul was composed two years later, and already Handel had progressed in his thoroughly English manner. The chorus in Saul plays a much bigger role, as dominating as it would be in the later oratorios like The Messiah. Saul was also Handel's first collaboration with Charles Jennens, the eventual librettist for The Messiah. Telling the tragic/triumphant story of the transfer of Jehovah's favor from King saul to the young man David, this oratorio is Handel's biggest Bow-Wow of all, full of military fanfares and marches, pealing bells, paeans of victory, declamations of majesty. Wonderful, stirring music, adored by wind instrumentalists.

These are two of Handel's most invigorating and entertaining compositions. Honestly, if you haven't heard them, you can't really claim to be much of an explorer in the range of Handel's peaks.

Handel is finally finding his free inspiration, his personal style. Do not expect any heroic action in this Ode, not any religious or even ethical morality. Cecilia is not even referred to as a saint. No martyrdom for her, no blood, suffering nor tears. She is only referred to as Cecilia, the « inventress of the vocal frame », the great woman who used « Nature's mother-wit and arts » to get music beyond all possible limits. This Ode is only concerned by music. Timotheus, the old patron, with the help of Bacchus, can do a lot, but not much nevertheless. He can use some intruments like the lyre, the flute or the harp, but that is limited when compared with the explosion of instruments after Cecilia invents the organ. He can use intonation and character in singing, but that remains still limited. It can sing war and victory, death and defeat, love and passion, but it cannot go yet as far as the sky, because, with Cecilia, the sky is the limit of music, and only the sky. That new music is an angel offered to us by Heaven to give our life the best experience we can ever imagine : « Music to Heaven and her we owe, the greatest blessing that's below. » And Handel manages to merge together the English tradition, especially after the renewing it went through with Purcell who recaptured the very popular and flexible polyphony of the numerous choirs of this country, the brilliance and lightness of the Italian tradition that makes every note, every instrument, every musical sentence a gem of their own that has to outshine all the others without ever succeeding except to always go higher into the light of the sky, the sun and the stars without ever reaching a final end in this search, and the formal and rich German way of constructing music like a cathedral, each stone having a function in the whole building. This Ode becomes a purely pleasant and entertaining moment and it does not seem to expect anything else : bring pleasure to the people, the pleasure any soldier of life deserves to rest their limbs and their minds, to bathe their souls in pure beauty. Just a few more years and Mozart will be with us.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

There are individual and even fleeting moments in this music that make me think they alone are worth the (originally very modest) asking price of this set. I am thinking of how Thomas Allen launches into "As great Jehovah lives", the eerie bassoon prelude to the appearance of the prophet Samuel or the sinuous beauty of Paul Esswood's aria "O Lord, whose mercies numberless". This five-disc bargain set offers an undoubted masterpiece in "Saul", an important breakthrough from Italian opera into English choral work in "Alexander's Feast" containing some glorious set pieces and at least one deathless highlight in "Revenge, revenge, Timotheus cries", and a very pleasing makeweight in "The Choice of Hercules", in which the ever frugal Handel utilised some discarded fragments of good music.

These are now venerable recordings in terms of authenticity, recorded between 1974 and 1980, yet I hear nothing jarring or risibly archaic in Ledger's direction or the orchestral playing: he strikes a nice balance between weight and transparency, maintains a properly urgent pulse as required but is unafraid to be flexible with his tempo when the drama of the occasion requires some space to make its effect. The choral singing from the King's College Choir is beautiful - robust as needs be, never falling into the preciousness that can afflict such choirs and while it is possible to carp about individual voices, the standard of solo singing is generally very high. Thomas Allen's heroic and velvety baritone is at its finest throughout; I have always thrilled to Margaret Marshall's liquid, bell-like tones; Esswood is as good as his counter-tenor peer James Bowman: plangent and tender; stalwart artists such as Heather Harper, Helen Watts and Helen Donath are always a blessing, and while I have never been a fan of Robert Tear's bleaty tenor he is on his best behaviour here and very committed -the same can be said of Sally Burgess, whose slightly acidic soprano is nonetheless exciting (in which regard, she is vocally and temperamentally very similar to Felicity Palmer). Ledger's Witch of Endor, Martyn Hill, is rather bland but well sung: I could have done with a touch more Grand Guignol.

Those who require more overtly HIP and supposedly authentic treatment of this music may turn to McCreesh, but I think Ledger's cast and approach serves it best.

There is absolutly nothing wrong with these excellent recordings from the 70's and very early 80's. In fact, many of us grew up with these fine performances conducted by the always reliable Philip Ledger. The only reason I have given this set four stars instead of five is that we have moved on in Historic Informed Practice and SAUL as conducted by Ledger seems to my ears very tame when compared to the newer Harmonia Mundi set conducted by Rene Jacobs; my first reccomendation for those looking for an excellent and very dramatic rendition of SAUL. I prefer Jacob's tempi compared to Ledger's speeds and cast. The sound on these performances is excellent and I have always loved both the English Chamber Orchestra and Academy Of St. Martin-In-The-Fields; both play beautifully and in tune. In my humble opinion they now seem tame and smooth when compared with Jacob's Concerto Koln with their drive, accents and articulation. In fact, Ledger seems too sleek, smooth and legato at times when compared to Jacobs hyper dramatic accents, tempi and more detached articulations. I do very much enjoy Ledger's cast; especially Thomas Allen as Saul; yet I find myself truly loving Rosemary Joshua and Lawrence Zazzo in the Jacobs set. Gidon Saks and Jeremy Ovenden are also quite fine.
Now where I really love this set is in a truly great performance of ALEXANDER'S FEAST! The entire cast and Ledger outdo themselves and give us a truly classic account of this lovely work. Donath, Tear and especially Allen are perfect. This performance under Ledger has plenty of energy and drive which seems missing in Saul.
I like the performance of THE CHOICE OF HERCULES; however, the less than understandable diction of the women soloists at times mars this very good performance.
At these Virgin Classics prices many of us confrmed Handelians can easily fill in any gaps in our collection at bargain prices and even pick up alternate performances.

LEDGER PRESENTS: AN IMPRESSIVELY DRAMATIC 'SAUL', A TASTY 'FEAST' AND A SPARKLING 'CHOICE'. These three works were recorded between the years 1974 and 1980.

This is a tremendous bargain financially and musically as well! Ledger, as an interpreter of Handel, does it for me. I realize that if you are a'stickler' for total instrumental authenticity (as I am), you may decide that this doesn't satisfy your listening needs, but it is truly a musical gem and I found the instrumental accompaniment most pleasing.

Handel's oratorio 'Saul' contains some of his most vivid writing, set to a theatrical libretto by Charles Jennens. Characters are sharply, realistically drawn. Handel added to his orchestra, trombones, organ and carillon to produce sounds that match the work's subject in color and breadth.

The performance of this by the King's College Choir and soloists more than did justice to the score. Sixteenth note runs sparkled, slurs lilted, dotted rhythms skipped briskly along.

The Chorus, which in the oratorio acts as the conscience of the Israelites, was guided skillfully by Ledger. He allowed time and weight to the slower passages and pushed the tempo forward without rushing or letting the texture get muddled. They were really very impressive in their delivery: clear diction, boy sopranos with crystalline sound, male altos lush sounding, resonant tenors and 'light' basses. All typical of most King's College Choirs.

Saul (Thomas Allen, baritone) cut a dramatic figure in his role: his resonant voice brought anger, outrage, disppointment and finally resignation to the lines "Oh perverse! rebellious!" addressing his son Jonathan (Robert Tear, tenor) when he refused to kill David. Allen and Tear were no less than magnificent both dramatically and vocally!!!!

Michel (Margaret Marshall, soprano) rendered her arias with great skill and much emotion. As for Merab (Sally Burgess, soprano), I found it very difficult to understand her words, although her voice was quite good she had a few pitch problems.

Countertenors are my favorite singers, but Paul Esswood is not one of them. He has a 'pretty' voice with good diction and a pleasant sound, but the role of David who is a virtuous, but VIRILE man certainly did not play out.

Overall this is quite a good performance. I give it FOUR STARS.

'Alexander's Feast' or 'The Power of Music' is based on an ode by John Dryden to celebrate St. Cecelia, the patron of music, in 1697. The 'entertainment',as it was described, is set at the famous feast of Alexander held to celebrate the conquest of Persepolis. The musical allegory is enhanced by the inclusion at the feast, of the legendary singer, Timotheus, and the comparison between him and Cecelia form the climax of the work.

Although there is little dramatic development, Dryden's picturesque imagery allowed Handel to produce a superbly varied score that includes such famous numbers as 'Bacchus ever fair' (Thomas Allen, baritone) and Chorus, AND 'Revenge,Timotheus Cries' (Thomas Allen). The work is scored for five soloists (SAATB), chorus and a large orchestra.

The soloists Tear (tenor) and Allen (baritone) magnificent as always. The soprano Helen Donath sang beautifully with clear crisp diction as did Sally Burgess, who did not sing as well in 'Saul'. Who knows why?

The Choir did their thing as usual under Ledger's capable direction. FIVE STARS.

In the Summer of 1750 Handel converted some previously unused music in the 'Musical Interlude' THE CHOICE OF HERCULES. It is an allegorical tale in which the young Hercules, on the brink of manhood, is obliged to choose between competing personifications of Pleasure and Virtue, eventually opting, of course, for the latter, although one must assume this because the outcome is not stated in the libretto.

'The Choice of Hercules' is in effect a one-act dramatic cantata in English, and as such, it is unique in Handel's output.

The performance of this work is truly entertaining and well-done. Heather Harper (soprano) and Helen Watts (mezzo) provide some very outstanding offerings in arias such as: 'There the brisk sparkling nectar drain' (Harper) and 'Mount, mount the steep ascent' (Watts). Their singing was buoyant and exciting. James Bowman (countertenor) gave his usual sterling and stirring performance. I couldn't help comparing him to Robin Blaze's performance in the Robert King recording , which I like very much, but Blaze,although very skilled is again not all that dramatic. Robert Tear has only one aria 'Enjoy the sweet Elysian grove' and he convinced me; I'm leaving tomorrow.
FIVE STARS

SIR PHILLIP LEDGER,YOU HAVE LEFT US WITH SOME VERY FINE RECORDINGS!