Search - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum :: Handel: Concerti Grossi Op. 3 (Complete)

THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO HANDLE THIS!

Melvyn M. Sobel | Freeport (Long Island), New York | 11/14/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Handel's Op. 3 has remained for the most part in the veritable shadows of his Op. 6, and not without reason, of course, but a touch unfairly perhaps. Most consider the Op. 3 Handel's "warm up" concerti grossi. Minor outings. Strictly second fiddle. Those of us who realize that this is nonsense have seen a plethora of Op. 3 performances flooding the market--- where none existed before--- and confirming our conviction that there is more Handel here than less.



I suppose one could say that the Op. 3 Concerti Grossi is the light-hearted brother of the deeper, more thoughtful Op. 6, and that if we are looking for profundity, the latter, rather than the former, will give us this... in spades. But this doesn't mean we're going to toss off Handel's earlier effort, either. Uh,uh. Nope. There's a wealth of beautiful music in Op. 3, easily tapped, easily enjoyed. The two sets of concerti grossi should be viewed simply in tandem, not against each other, as... well... twins, sort of.



At any rate, under Max Pommer's baton, the New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum brings a nice bounce to this music, as well as enough depth to keep any Handel fan happy. The sound provided them is full and rich, but with detail.



[Running time: 66:38]



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Glorious music done to a fare-thee-well

Gregory M. Zinkl | Chicago, IL | 04/09/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In some ways, I enjoy Handel's Op. 3 more than his Op. 6. But not by much! They are all wonderful musical stuff.I agree with everything the previous reviewer had to say, except I think Pommer and his orchestra deserve all 5 stars!Handel's music can become a bore under the wrong forces. That is certainly not the case here. There is magic in these performances, from the very first note!Enjoy this recording, and thank you LaserLight!"

Very Good Performance On Modern Instruments

Gregory M. Zinkl | 10/17/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this CD on a whim simply because I own and enjoy Pommer's version of Vivaldi's 4 Seasons. The performance is on modern instruments and comfortably straddles German performance tradion and period performance practices with full (but relatively light)orchestral sound and generally quick tempos. While this middle of the road performance will not appeal to those who prefer period practice a la Pinnock and Gardiner, it's generally high merits and very low price make it easy to recommend."