Handel: Concerto grosso, Op. 6 No. 8 in C minor, HWV326

“…these are performances of style and understanding into which Paul Dyer and his fine period orchestra have plunged with freshness, buoyancy and joyful enthusiasm. …immensely enjoyable and inspiriting performances.” Gramophone Magazine, March 2010

“Richard Egarr's charisma is infectious and the recorded sound sensational.” BBC Music Magazine

“With one stride, Harmonia Mundi has stolen a march on Chandos Chaconne's rival set of Handel's Op 6 with Simon Standage's Collegium Musicum 90; by juggling with the order, the 12 concertos have been accommodated on only two CDs. The AAM is on sparkling form, clearly enjoying itself under Andrew Manze's leadership.
Performances are invigoratingly alert, splendidly neat (all those semiquaver figurations absolutely precise) and strongly rhythmical but not inflexible, with much dynamic gradation which ensures that phrases are always tonally alive and sound completely natural (even if more subtly nuanced than Handel's players ever dreamt of). Manze's basically light-footed approach is particularly appealing, and he sees to it that inner-part imitations are given their due weight.
Speeds are nearly all fast, occasionally questionably so (though exhilarating), as in the first Allegro of No 1, the big Allegro of No 6 and the Allegro in No 9. But Manze successfully brings out the character of all the movements, and the listener can't fail to love the vigorous kick of his No 7 hornpipe. He's mostly sparing in embellishing solo lines except in Nos-6 and 11.
Altogether this is an issue of joyous vitality.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“The opening [Concerto Grosso] No 1 in G major establishes the character of these interpretations by Eduardo López Banzo's ensemble Al Ayre Español: the perfectly poised gait of the opening movement, with bounteous viols offering a richly textured timbre” The Independent, 14th July 2012 ***

“Martin Pearlman… supervises assured performances that do his Bostonian orchestra credit.” Gramophone Magazine, May 2008

“The first disc of the ever-fresh Op 6 Concertigrossi includes the oboe parts that Handel later added to Nos 1, 2, 5 and 6. The performances are brimful of vitality, and the clean articulation and light, predominantly detached style give the music buoyancy and help to bring out Handel's often mischievous twinkle in the eye. Speeds are generally brisk, with boldly vigorous playing, but Standage's team can also spin a tranquil broad line. Dynamics throughout are subtly graded, and except in one final cadence ornamentation is confined to small cadential trills.
On the second disc, except, in the sombre colours in the splendid G minor Concerto (No 6) – here with oboe and the agreeable addition of a theorbo to the continuo – there's a general air of cheerfulness that's most engaging. The fugue in No 7 is wittily buoyant, the Allegro in No 9, borrowed from the Cuckoo and the nightingale Organ Concerto, could scarcely be more high-spirited, the final Passepied of No 6 and the Hornpipe of No 7 are spring-toed; and Standage's feeling for convincing tempos is nowhere better shown than in the long Musette of No 6, which in other hands can drag. Phrasing everywhere is shapely, and the surprise chords that interrupt the flow of No 8's Allemande are admirably 'placed'.
On the final disc the playing is always on its toes – positively twinkling in dance movements such as the concluding fugal gigue of No 12.
The last two concertos, No 11 in particular, give Simon Standage an opportunity to shine as a soloist; his ad lib sections are tastefully done, without excesses; his semiquavers in the variants of the A major Andante are feather-light. All dynamics are well contrasted in a natural way, and the tempos nicely judged; a slightly faster repeat of the first half of No 10's fifth movement suggests the splicing of a different take. As a fillup, we're presented with the Alexander's Feast concerto grosso, for which the string group is joined by oboes and bassoon. The excellent concertino of two violins and cello is thrown into high relief and the Allegro movements are performed with a delightful spring.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“Mallon's new recordings with his Canadian period instrument ensemble offers honest, unfussy readings...while the Aradia Ensemble rarely wants for urbanity, warmth and clarity, a certain under-characterisation can merge one concerto into another.” BBC Music Magazine, April 2013 ***