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Editorial Reviews
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Handel made the headlines in March 2001, when London's Royal Academy of Music publicized the rediscovery in its own collection--under the musical world's collective nose, as it were--of a previously unknown work by the composer. The Times got so carried away as to call the piece "the new Messiah." Gloria consists of seven movements scored for solo soprano with two violin parts and basso continuo, lasting about 16 minutes, most likely written before the composer was 22 years old. This does not a mighty masterwork make, however pretty the writing or flashy the coloratura. Some of the writing is quite attractive--the jaunty opening movement, the appropriately gentle "Et in terra pax," and the lilting "Gratias agimus" are a few examples. As for the coloratura, each of the fast movements has some; the final movement is full of it--and just listening to Emma Kirkby whiz through those roulades can leave a listener breathless. The Divine Miss Em is in very fine form here, with clear tone, impressive accuracy in leaps and runs, and phrasing as eloquent and musical as any singer's. The Gloria may not be first-rung, or even second-rung, Handel--it lacks a certain spark that even similar works like Saeviat tellus and the Salve Regina have--but it's hard to imagine anyone else making a better case for it.
The world premiere recording of the Gloria was made just several weeks before the release date. In order to hit that deadline, Bis filled out the CD with a 1986 recording of Handel's lively setting of the Psalm Dixit Dominus, also written while the young Handel was in Italy. Any recording featuring the young Anne Sofie von Otter is worth hearing, and soprano Hillevi Martinpelto is a worthy colleague. Perhaps the Stockholm Bach Choir sounds a bit woollier than ideal, and some of conductor Anders Öhrwall's tempos are a tad too moderate for this exuberant Roman music. But this Swedish Dixit Dominus is quite creditable, if not as exciting as those by Andrew Parrott and Marc Minkowski. But then, you're probably not buying this CD for the Dixit Dominus. --Matthew Westphal
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A benchmark account of Handel's 'Gloria',
By Simon Barrow (Exeter, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Handel: Gloria; Dixit Dominus / Kirkby * Royal Academy of Music Baroque Orchestra * Cummings (Audio CD)
Emma Kirby's radiant performance on the premiere recording of Handel's rediscovered 'Gloria' is well worth the entrance price. The Royal Academy's Baroque Orchestra also give a strong performance, albeit one lacking the richer tones of John Eliot Gardiner's period ensemble on the Philips (462 597-2) recording which appeared a couple of months later. By Handel's standards this a fairly straight setting of a traditional text, but all the expected flourishes, trills, sustains and extended runs are there to add the colour we would expect. The outcome is a splendid combination of required simplicity and appropriate elaboration.Gardiner's 'Dixit Dominus' is superior to the well-known archive one on this recording, which comes across a little flat. It would have been good if the Academy could have produced a third Handel work to supplement the 'Gloria' - perhaps a Motet like 'Saeviat tellus inter rigores' or the Psalm 'Nisi Dominus'. Gardiner tags on the Vivaldi 'Gloria' instead. But it is something of a curious afterthought, and given the choice of the two I would definitely plump for this CD if it is the Handel you are after. A couple of other recordings have become available since this release and the Philips one. The Gottingen Handel Festival Edition is a live recording from their 3 June 2001 gala performance with Dominique Labelle, soprano, the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, and conductor Nicholas McGegan. And the Baroque Academy of Montreal offer another period instrument rendition on Atma Classique (ACD2 2215), accompanied by the Bach and Vivaldi settings. However, Emma Kirby remains the benchmark.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pure sound,
By Robin Nystrom (Chicago IL) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Handel: Gloria; Dixit Dominus / Kirkby * Royal Academy of Music Baroque Orchestra * Cummings (Audio CD)
A glowing review in a Sunday Chicago Tribune caught my eye and inspired me to seek out this CD and I'm very happy that I did. Every word of praise issued for the production is highly merited. The singers excel, the sound swells... it is pure sound.Forget Mozart for productivity-inspiring background music, this is it! That sounds a little like, "oh, you can put it on and forget about it," but that's not it. It just fills you with calm and lets you tap into the productive side of your brain. Don't know how or why, it just does!
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great performances of wonderful music,
By
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This review is from: Handel: Gloria; Dixit Dominus / Kirkby * Royal Academy of Music Baroque Orchestra * Cummings (Audio CD)
I have loved Emma Kirby's voice since I first heard her live in 1980 here in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She was the soprano soloist in a rather revolutionary performance of Handel's "Messiah". The whole chrous,orchestra,and the soloists totaled about 40 performers. It was wonderful to be part of such a small chorus and to perform with soloists as wonderful as Ms. Kirkby.Here we have her wonderful pure voice with tremendous facility and expressiveness. While the pieces total only 16 minutes or so, what wonderful minutes they are! You simply owe it to yourself to hear her sing this. The "Dixit Dominus" is a piece I was unfamiliar with and found myself absolutely captivated by it. Track 14 is a wonderful piece with four soloists and chorus that is Handel at his most unbuttoned. I find myself listening it to it over and over again with haunted delight. This is the kind of music that stays in your head and heart and you find yourself trying to hum it as you listen to it run through your mind. Just great!
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