Handel: Arias

Listen on Presto Music. Free thirty day trial. Find out more.

An earlier generation of superb Handelians, led by Joan Sutherland, Bernadette Greevy’s opulent contralto, William Herbert’s textured tenor and the refulgent basses of Hervey Alan and Forbes... — BBC Music Magazine, December 2017, 4 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 18th Aug 2017
Catalogue No: ELQ4824759
Label: Eloquence
Length: 2 hours 24 minutes

Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days

Excerpt, Handel: Ottone, Re di Germania

Work length6:51

Bernadette Greevy (contralto), Raymond Leppard (director)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1965-10-29
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

Vieni O Figlio

Track length6:51

Handel: Partenope / Act 1

Work length5:30

Bernadette Greevy (contralto), Raymond Leppard (director)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1965-10-29
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

Voglio dire

Track length5:30

Excerpt, Handel: Alexander Balus

Work length3:41

Bernadette Greevy (contralto), Raymond Leppard (director)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1965-10-29
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

Convey Me To Some Peaceful Shore

Track length3:41

Handel: Alcina / Act 2

Work length3:04

Bernadette Greevy (contralto), Raymond Leppard (director)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1965-10-29
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

Verdi prati, selve amene

Track length3:04

Excerpt, Handel: Ottone, Re di Germania

Work length3:43

Bernadette Greevy (contralto), Raymond Leppard (director)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1965-10-29
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

La speranza e giunta

Track length3:43

Handel: Admeto / Act 1

Work length5:13

Bernadette Greevy (contralto), Raymond Leppard (director)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1965-10-29
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

Cangio d'aspetto (How changed the vision)

Track length5:13

Handel: Rodelinda, HWV 34 / Act 1

Work length4:19

Bernadette Greevy (contralto), Raymond Leppard (director)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1965-10-29
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

"Dove sei, amato bene?"

Track length4:19

Handel: Rinaldo, HWV 7a / Act 2

Work length4:47

Bernadette Greevy (contralto), Raymond Leppard (director)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1965-10-29
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

"Lascia ch'io pianga"

Track length4:47

Handel: Atalanta / Act 1

Work length2:38

Bernadette Greevy (contralto), Raymond Leppard (director)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1965-10-29
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

Care selve

Track length2:38

Handel: Cantata: Clori, Tirsi e Fileno 'Cor fedele' Dramatic Cantata, HMV96 (1707)

Work length5:05

Bernadette Greevy (contralto), Raymond Leppard (director)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1965-10-29
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

La Rondinella

Track length5:05

Handel: Alcina, HWV 34 / Act 1

Work length5:17

Dame Joan Sutherland (soprano)
Philomusica of London
Anthony Lewis
Recorded: 1958-03
Recording Venue: Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London

Tornami a vagheggiar

Track length5:17

Handel: Alcina, HWV 34 / Act 2

Work length10:50

Dame Joan Sutherland (soprano)
Philomusica of London
Anthony Lewis
Recorded: 1958-03
Recording Venue: Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London

"Ah! Ruggiero crudel - Ombre pallide"

Track length10:50

Handel: Giulio Cesare / Act 2

Work length4:44

Dame Joan Sutherland (soprano)
New Symphony Orchestra of London
Richard Bonynge
Recorded: 1963-07-06
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

V'adoro, pupille

Track length4:44

Handel: Giulio Cesare / Act 3

Work length5:36

Dame Joan Sutherland (soprano)
New Symphony Orchestra of London
Richard Bonynge
Recorded: 1963-07-06
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

Da tempeste il legno infranto

Track length5:36

Handel: Samson HWV 57 / Act 2

Work length5:14

Dame Joan Sutherland (soprano)
New Symphony Orchestra of London
Richard Bonynge
Recorded: 1963-06-20
Recording Venue: Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London

"With Plaintive Note"

Track length5:14

Handel: Samson HWV 57 / Act 3

Work length5:52

Dame Joan Sutherland (soprano), Harry Dilley (trumpet)
Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Royal Opera House Covent Garden
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Recorded: 1960-08-18
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

"Let The Bright Seraphim"

Track length5:52

Handel: Esther, HWV 50 / Scene 2

Work length5:42

William Herbert (tenor)
Philomusica of London
Anthony Lewis
Recorded: 1958-03
Recording Venue: Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London

"Tune Your Harps To Cheerful Strains"

Track length5:42

Handel: Esther, HWV 50 / Scene 6

Work length3:32

Hervey Alan (bass (vocal))
Philomusica of London
Anthony Lewis
Recorded: 1958-03
Recording Venue: Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London

"Turn Not, O Queen, Thy Face Away"

Track length3:32

Handel: Alexander's Feast, HWV.75 / Pt. 2

Work length8:06

Forbes Robinson (bass (vocal)), Philip Ledger (director & harpsichord)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1966-09-09
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

"Revenge, Revenge, Timotheus Cries" - "Behold, A Ghastly Band"

Track length8:06

Excerpt, Handel: Ezio, HWV29

Work length3:45

Forbes Robinson (bass (vocal)), Philip Ledger (director)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1966-09-09
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

"Se un bell'ardire"

Track length3:45

Handel: Susanna, HWV 66 / Act 1

Work length2:59

Forbes Robinson (bass (vocal)), Philip Ledger (director & harpsichord)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1966-09-09
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

Peace Crown'd With Roses

Track length2:59

Handel: Hercules, HWV 60 / Act 1

Work length3:54

Forbes Robinson (bass (vocal)), Philip Ledger (director & harpsichord)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1966-09-09
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

The God Of Battle Quits The Bloody Field

Track length3:54

Handel: Acis and Galatea, HWV 49 / Act 2

Work length4:37

Forbes Robinson (bass (vocal)), Philip Ledger (director & harpsichord), Philip Ledger (director)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1966-09-09
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

O Ruddier Than The Cherry

Track length4:37

Handel: Theodora, HWV 68 / Pt. 2

Work length2:34

Forbes Robinson (bass (vocal)), Philip Ledger (director & harpsichord)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1966-09-09
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

Aria: "Wide Spread His Name" (Valens) - Sc.1

Track length2:34

Handel: Judas Maccabaeus HWV 63 / Pt. 1

Work length5:08

Forbes Robinson (bass (vocal)), Philip Ledger (director & harpsichord)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1966-09-09
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

I Feel The Deity Within... Arm, Arm Ye Brave

Track length5:08

Handel: Berenice, HWV 38 / Act 2

Work length4:46

Forbes Robinson (bass (vocal)), Philip Ledger (director & harpsichord)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1966-09-09
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

"Sì, tra i ceppi"

Track length4:46

Handel: Semele, HWV 58 / Act 3

Work length6:23

Forbes Robinson (bass (vocal)), Philip Ledger (director & harpsichord)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1966-09-09
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

Leave Me, Loathsome Light

Track length6:23

Handel: Alcina, HWV 34 / Act 2

Work length5:06

Forbes Robinson (bass (vocal)), Philip Ledger (director & harpsichord)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1966-09-09
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

"Pensa a chi geme"

Track length5:06

Handel: Samson, HWV 57 / Act 2

Work length5:55

Forbes Robinson (bass (vocal)), Philip Ledger (director & harpsichord)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Recorded: 1966-09-09
Recording Venue: Kingsway Hall, London

Honour And Arms Scorn Such A Foe

Track length5:55

About
Reviews
Explore

About

A newly compiled anthology of Decca recordings on Eloquence surveys the healthy state of Handel singing in England in the 1960s, before this music became the preserve of musicians and singers within the period-instrument movement.

This generous (145-minute) collection is based around a pair of newly re-mastered recital albums made by the contralto Bernadette Greevy and the bass Forbes Robinson. Greevy was a true contralto in the tradition of Kathleen Ferrier, Helen Watts, Janet Baker and Norma Procter. Her 1965–56 recital was drawn from a wide range of Handel’s Italian operas (Ottone, Partenope, Alcina, Admeto, Rodelinda, Rinaldo, Atalanta), and it displayed the richness of her voice to fullest advantage, as well as formidable vocal technique and excellent Italian diction. Robinson’s 1966 recital represents a wide spectrum of the composer’s music in opera, ode, masque and oratorio from 1719 through the 1740s, including familiar favourites (‘O ruddier than the cherry’ in Acis and Galatea) alongside much rarer delights such as ‘Si, tra i ceppi’ from the early Berenice.

Decca led the way in the Handel revival of the 1950s. A trail-blazing Messiah, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult, presented the oratorio in an authentic version with up-to-date scholarship. It was followed by Sosarme and Semele on the label’s early-music imprint, L’Oiseau-Lyre. The very first L’Oiseau-Lyre stereo LP was ‘Music of Handel’, issued in January 1959 and excerpted here. It featured two well-established singers, the Australian tenor William Herbert and the British bass Hervey Alan. There was also the newcomer from Australia, Joan Sutherland: the two Handel arias from Alcina she recorded for L’Oiseau-Lyre was her very first recording for the Decca group. Some of her freshest singing dates from her early years, with the 1958 and 1959 Handel performances representing her vocal art at its purest.

The compilation is completed with Sutherland in full flight, excerpted from the 1964 Giulio Cesare and the two albums that made her name, ‘The Art of the Prima Donna’ (1960) and ‘The Art of Bel Canto’ (1964).

Reviews

December 2017

An earlier generation of superb Handelians, led by Joan Sutherland, Bernadette Greevy’s opulent contralto, William Herbert’s textured tenor and the refulgent basses of Hervey Alan and Forbes Robinson.

Handel: Arias

2 CDs

Contents

Download queue