Search - George Frideric Handel, Hans-Martin Linde, Sir Charles Mackerras :: Handel: Water Music; Royal Fireworks Music; Concertos

Great value: beautiful sound and performances

Alan Majeska | Bad Axe, MI, USA | 09/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This Seraphim CD offers great value, beautiful sound and great performances for very little outlay. William Steinberg and the Pittsburgh Symphony perform Sir Hamilton Harty's version of Handel's "WATER MUSIC" Suite (6 movements) with all the panache and majesty anyone could ask for. How can listeners prefer period instruments over a sound like this?



Charles Mackerras and the London Symphony do yeoman service to the oft recorded "Music for the Royal Fireworks", and if the tempos seem a little stiff and unyielding, Handel's music is still very well served. One problem (and question?) I have is repeating the Introduction in I, before launching in to the Allegro section of this movement. I have never heard it done this way, and think it adds several extra minutes unnecessarily to the piece. Mackerras' recording of the Handel Concerto for 2 horns is excellent in every way, even with a large orchestra: beautiful string and wind playing, and great sound. One movement is almost note for note the same as the chorus, "Lift up your heads" from MESSIAH; I was not familiar with this work until this week, and I have been listening to Handel for over 30 years.



Hans Martin Linde's recording of Concerto Grosso 2 in B flat (Op. 3:2) is also very fine; do not be afraid of the period instruments: they play very well, are in tune, and sound full and rich. Allegros are not too fast, but never drag - excellent.



The disc closes with the "Pastoral sinfonia", from MESSIAH, by Charles Mackerras/English Chamber orchestra: very lovely, but I'm curious as to why the disc's producer decided to end with a quiet piece. This would be better performed earlier in the track listings/program, which you can do by programming your player in a different order from the play list. Recommended."