Customer Reviews

Handel - Arcadian Duets / Dessay, Gens, Petibon, Claycomb, Lascarro, Panzarella, Mijanovic, Mingardo, Asawa, Agnew, Le Concert d'Astrée, Haïm

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

 

 

I saw this CD with deep interest, and purchased it without a second thought. The singers listed on the recording included some strong favourites of mine, and since I may be recording some of the Handel duets on this album this year, I was looking forward to hearing other interpretations of the music.

I was... not entirely disappointed, but sadly not captivated.

I found some of the accompaniments to the duets to be heavy-handed and almost paternalistic in their approach, particularly when the organ was employed. And stylistically, some of the singing was just... wrong. In particular, the flights of Natalie Dessay (who has done some gorgeous things - her Lakmè is ravishing) jarred. On reflection, I do not consider Dessay to be an ideal singer for the repertoire - she does much better in the 19th century French works and in coloratura Strauss roles, where she shines like a cluster of diamonds.

Although some of the singing here with the various singers was beautiful, it was not uniformly good, and in particular the duet work seemed under-rehearsed. Tightness in ensemble singing, even when it's 2 voices as opposed to more, is a MUST. There was no true blend present with any of the duet singing, but this was a problem that occurred more in some of the tracks than in others.

I could recommend this disc for its rarity value - Handel's duets are splendid stuff! - but not for the performances in the main. I wish I could have been more positive. I can only say that at least this disc is mostly better than another recording of Handel duets which I possess. Perhaps this CD is worth having for the repertoire, and one can always skip the particularly "not very good" tracks...

You'll know them when you hear them. Just listen for the wobble.

Ten world-class singers have been assembled for this 2002 anthology of Handel's chamber duets, nine in all. The selections are sometimes in two movements but more often in three contrasted movements with various changes in tempo, as they tell sometimes disheartening, sometimes effusive tales of the effects of love. They all have the familiar pastoral feel that Handel often brings to his compositions, and these, in particular, are inspired by the Arcadian academies and courts of Italy at the end of the 17th century. Led by Emmanuelle Haïm, this recording intelligently uses many distinct voices to lend individuality to each of the selections, in contrast to, say, the recent 2004 Handel duets CD in which soprano Patrizia Ciofi and mezzo-soprano Joyce Di Donato ambitiously tackle an almost overwhelming variety of Italian opera duets just by themselves.

All the women here are excellent. The particular standouts are French sopranos Natalie Dessay and Véronique Gens on the opening duet, "Ahi, nelle sorte umane" with their bright voices intertwined with deep, intense feeling; the lightness of Laura Claycomb's soprano matched with the superb fullness of Sara Mingardo's contralto on "Tanti strali al sen mi scocci" and again on the concluding "Sono liete, fortunate"; and the similarly contrasting performances of soprano Patricia Petibon and contralto Marijana Mijanovic on "A mirarvi io son intento". The two men featured are somewhat disappointing but only by comparison - tenor Paul Agnew sounds a bit unctuous and lead-footed against Petibon's ethereal silvery tones on "Caro autor di mia doglia", and countertenor Brian Asawa, despite a purity in tone, sounds dramatically constrained on "Conservate, raddoppiate", his brief duet with soprano Juanita Lascarro. Regardless, the overall mood of the recording is appropriately sonorous and for the most part, period-authentic except for Haïm's organ which is used to sparing dramatic effect. As she has proven with her wondrous direction of an equally stellar cast on the 2003 Virgin Classics recording of Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas", Haïm provides intense musical leadership among a varied set of talents with the able accompaniment of her ensemble, Le Concert d'Astrée.

Emmanuelle Haim and Le Concert d'Astree's new disc "Arcadian Duets" is a gem. Lovers of Baroque music and G.F. Handel will definitely want to add this to their collections. Haim has assembled a cast of singers that are truly at the top of the game in historically-informed Baroque performance. Particular mention must be given to Natalie Dessay, Veronique Gens, Paul Agnew, Sara Mingardo, Brian Asawa and Patricia Petibon. These singers are all stalwarts in this repertoire- singing with style and impeccable coloratura. Young American soprano Laura Claycomb is well represented on 4 of the duets and she definitely lives up to the hype that she will be the next big break-out star. The booklet contains translations, a short musicological essay and head shots of the singers. "Messiah" aficionados will surely recognize several of the themes and real Handel nuts will recognize a few more. Haim (harpsichord, organ)and her ensemble (cello and lute) provide tasteful and unobtrusive support to the singers. Stand out tracks include Claycomb and Anna Maria Panzarella's "No, di voi non vo'fidarmi" and Agnew and Petibon's "Caro autor di mia doglia." Very highly reccommended.

HANDEL: ARCADIAN DUETS may not appeal to all listeners, whether they be devotees of Period Instruments and Period singing techniques or not. The works presented here were collected by the gifted Emmanuelle Haïm, surely the most beautiful of conductors of Baroque opera and cantatas and rapidly becoming the Gold Standard for accurate yet passion filled performances of Handel's works. Her she conducts (and performs on harpsichord and organ) the small chamber ensemble, Le Concert D`Astrée, and has gathered some of the very finest voices of the time to join her in this unique venture of a concert of duets from cantatas. Where else are we able to hear the combined voices of these great singers who bring life to forgotten music?

The glory of the recording is the wound and technical perfection of the pairing of singers: Natalie Dessay with Véronique Gens, Laura Claycomb with Anna Maria Panzarella and with Sara Mingardo, Patricia Petibon with Paul Agnew and with Anna Maria Panzarella and with Marijana Mijanovic, Juanita Lascarro with countertenor Brian Asawa - it would be difficult to match other voices as well as these splendid singers blend.

This is one of those recordings to put on the sound system when the holiday ear tires of the repeated carols of Muzak. The recording is terrific in every season, but is particularly bright during the current holidays. Grady Harp, December 11

There are two very good reasons not to bother with this CD:

1. The outstanding performances of Handel's Italian (Arcadian, pastoral, etc.) cantatas by the ensemble La Risonanza, currently being released and up to volume 4, which obviate the need for a CD of excerpted duets.

2. The singing, which ranges from okay to hideous. Emmanuelle Haim seems to be on her own voyage of discovery, or rather rediscovery, of how to sing Baroque music in the "Can Bellow" style of the 1950s! Some of the singers on this CD simply shouldn't venture earlier than Donizetti. Some of them - in fact the majority - should know better than to cooperate with such nonsense - wide and constant vibratos, forced tempi, strained voices, ham-handed keyboard accompaniment. Haim is a total mystery, unless we assume some special affliction of musical bi-polarity.

If you are not a great fan of Haendel, pass! It's interesting but not the best 'job' of Haim...

Much of Handel's work is borrowed into these pieces. This album is very well recored and beautifully sung. The many singers make this a real work of passion. Haim is musician and conductor is reaching new levels. This is one of the truly artistic albums of 2003. One could spend serious time studying the phrasing and note so many of the endings have a Handel's signature. This is the definitive Arcadian Deuts album.

I note it is diffucult for me to randomly select pieces from this album. It is best taken like a good meal, from beginning to end.

The most famous male conductor of the moment offers, in her new recording, a selection of Handel's religious duets. With a chamber formation of her ensemble, Le concert d' Astrée (here wiyh only 3 musics, and Haim sit at the harpsichord and the organ) and with a very big formation of 10 famous solists: 6 sopranos, 2 altos, 1 countertenor and 1 tenor (all of them very experts in the barroque repertory) Haim makes a great recording, and she wins a lot of congratulations by me. A great disc tath all barroque lovers must have.