Handel: Oratorio Arias

George Frederick Handel (Composer), David Daniels (Performer), Ensemble Orchestral de Paris (Performer), Federico Marincola (Performer)

Product Details

• Performer: David Daniels, Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Federico Marincola
• Composer: George Frederick Handel
• Audio CD (September 17, 2002)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B000066I62
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #37,217 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This is a splendid recording. The music is beautiful, though of the 13 arias, only the one from Messiah is well-known. The rest come from relatively obscure oratorios (or operas--the distinction is often blurred). Artfully arranged for maximum diversity of tempo, length, tonality, mood, and character, they add up to a consistently engrossing program. The performances could hardly be better. David Daniels is an extraordinary artist. His voice, effortlessly produced and impeccably focused, has an incredibly pure, even quality over an enormous range. He can give it an infinite variety of nuance, inflection, and expression, from exquisite sweetness in the lyrical arias to assertiveness and defiance in the dramatic ones; it even matches the color of the instruments in answering phrases. His coloratura, delivered in smooth legato but clear and flawless like a string of pearls, is stunning. He gives every note vibrant life and brings out the character of each aria without fuss or exaggeration. In the da capo arias, he embellishes the repeats with imaginative but never excessive ornamentation that sounds genuinely improvised. The period orchestra is excellent. Using normal tuning but baroque style, the players can step forward as soloists or set and underline mood and atmosphere. Listeners will choose their own favorite gems from this treasure-trove, but listening to the concluding aria, "He was despised," one understands why Messiah is Handel's most enduringly popular oratorio. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful recital, September 23, 2002

By A Customer

For once, I'll be brief. Beautiful singing and playing. Daniels performance of "Oh, Lord whose mercies numberless" is alone worth the price of the CD. Mr. Daniels is a consummate musician and this release further gives proof of that. Lovers of Handel and baroque music in general and English oratorios in particular will be more than delighted with this CD. Sit back and enjoy.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Sublime Voice on the Planet, September 19, 2002

By A Customer

While David Daniels' brilliant coloratura is in evidence in several numbers on this disc (a breathtaking "Destructive War," from Belshazzar, and "Despair no more shall wound me," from Semele), it's in the slower, more contemplative arias that his singing reaches the sublime. "He was despised" and "Oh Lord, whose mercies numberless" show Daniels at his incomparable best, with his unbelievable breath control, melting legato, and exquisite vocal coloring. This is the most instantly recognizable and beautiful voice before the public today.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Handling Handel With Unparalleled Skill and Power, August 7, 2004

By	Ed Uyeshima (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

If you need evidence on why David Daniels has been rising so fast as the leading countertenor voice today, you need only listen to this wonderfully recorded disc of Handel's oratorio arias, which captures him at full vocal power with amazing coloratura. Although the countertenor voice is generally described as androgynous and often effeminate because of the high range, Daniels has an intensely passionate style that actually sounds warmer and more masculine than one would think possible for such a voice type. Consequently, he is playing a pivotal role in broadening the audience significantly for not only countertenors but also Handel's wondrous music.

Daniels' first solo recording for Virgin Classics in 1998 (strongly recommended) focused on Handel's Italian operas, while this one focuses on his English oratorios composed specifically for the concert stage. Except for the language difference, the distinction is not all that meaningful since both fully use Daniels' amazing interpretative powers to their maximum. On "The raptured soul" from "Theodora", for example, it's amazing how through his sheer virtuosity and deeply textured tessitura, he can make the repetition of six simple lines sound so compelling over an air that lasts nearly nine minutes. Speaking of which, it's quite satisfying to have four airs from "Theodora" recorded here for posterity, as an aural reminder of his stunning performance as Didymus in Peter Sellars' legendary 1996 Glyndebourne staging of this oratorio (now available on DVD and also strongly recommended).

Starting with a scale-swooping "Destructive war" from "Belshazzar", the entire program is mesmerizing with special mention going to "O Lord, whose mercies numberless" from "Saul" and "He was despised" from "Messiah". Conductor John Nelson and the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris accompany Daniels beautifully and unobtrusively with modern (versus period) instruments, a smart decision giving the pieces a more contemporary feel. The end result is a recital to play again and again...at least until you have the opportunity to hear him live.