# Best HIP recording of Handel's Concerti Grosso



## jegreenwood

Neville Marriner's set of Handel's Op. 6 was a very early classical purchase of mine, and even though I've switched to HIP for most of my Baroque listening, I've never had an HIP recording of those works (or for that matter Op. 3). I think now's the time. Suggestions please.


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## Merl

Although I have neither, the Gester and Forck recordings get a lot of positive reviews online and listening on Spotify I can hear that they are very dfferent approaches. The Gester recording is more warm, romantic and slower and not to my taste at all. The Forck one is much fleeter, boasts better sound and is far more my cup of tea and from what I'm listening to is very good. I only have a few older recordings but I do come back to Pinnock's set most often. He seems to get everything right to my ears. I've heard others swear by Manze's late 90s set and again, listening via streaming, it does sound very impressive. Dyer got lots of positive press for his Aussie set and the Soundbites there are equally promising but Antonini sounds even better to me. I know that the Avison set got rave reviews when it was released but I've not heard it at all and it's not HIP (if I just read that review correctly). Its apparently very string heavy. I'm impressed by Antonini and Forck especially in what I've just listened to.
















There is one not very old account which I really like (not HIP) and it's De Vriend and the Combattimento Consort Amsterdam. I love the string weight and recording on that one.


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## Simplicissimus

The 12 Op. 6 concerti grossi have been in my CD collection for years and I return to them regularly. My first and until recently only complete set on CD is by the Academy of Ancient Music led by Andrew Manze on Harmonia Mundi released in 1998. I also have four of the concerti by Ton Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. I tend to like these ensembles and prefer these recordings to two other good ones I am familiar with on streaming, etc., Hogwood and Pinnock.

But I recently bought two multi-channel SACDs of the set of 12 concerti by die Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, and this set is my new favorite and my top recommendation. The playing and sound are superb. The sound is also exceptionally good played in stereo on my regular CD player, though I enjoy it best on my SACD system. These are on the Pentatone label, recently released and not very expensive. This ensemble is really exciting. Their playing is highly expressive without, to me, being over the top. It’s less what I would call stately and more a wide range including exuberant, fun, witty, and heart-wrenching. I believe that any Baroque enthusiast would find these performances at least very worthwhile.


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## Merl

Simplicissimus said:


> The 12 Op. 6 concerti grossi have been in my CD collection for years and I return to them regularly. My first and until recently only complete set on CD is by the Academy of Ancient Music led by Andrew Manze on Harmonia Mundi released in 1998. I also have four of the concerti by Ton Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. I tend to like these ensembles and prefer these recordings to two other good ones I am familiar with on streaming, etc., Hogwood and Pinnock.
> 
> But I recently bought two multi-channel SACDs of the set of 12 concerti by die Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, and this set is my new favorite and my top recommendation. The playing and sound are superb. The sound is also exceptionally good played in stereo on my regular CD player, though I enjoy it best on my SACD system. These are on the Pentatone label, recently released and not very expensive. This ensemble is really exciting. Their playing is highly expressive without, to me, being over the top. It's less what I would call stately and more a wide range including exuberant, fun, witty, and heart-wrenching. I believe that any Baroque enthusiast would find these performances at least very worthwhile.


I'm still listening to it from before, Simpy! It's very good indeed.


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## jegreenwood

Sampled Pinnock and Forck this morning. I much prefer Forck. About $35 new from Amazon and Presto. For the same price I can download a 96/24 version from Presto. It won't be surround sound, but then I couldn't fit a surround sound system in my present apartment.


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## Allegro Con Brio

These are probably my favorite Baroque works outside of Bach. Time and again I return to them for life-enhancing joie de vivre. This is one of those instances where I’ve found one recording - Manze/AAM - so delightful that I haven’t even listened to any others.


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## Rogerx

The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra conducted by: Paul Dyer got raving reviews 
See:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classic...certi-grossi-op-6-nos-1-12-hwv319-330#related
Other shops available.


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## Rogerx

Double post, sorry.


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## Simplicissimus

jegreenwood said:


> Sampled Pinnock and Forck this morning. I much prefer Forck. About $35 new from Amazon and Presto. For the same price I can download a 96/24 version from Presto. It won't be surround sound, but then I couldn't fit a surround sound system in my present apartment.


As I purchased the Forck CDs recently on Amazon since I've subscribed to Amazon HD streaming, I automatically got the "Autorip" downloads, which are the 24-bit/96 kHz FLAC files of which you write. Very happy to have these - top quality stereo sound. Excellent presence, effective channel separation without sounding over-engineered, perhaps a bit dry but I really don't have many FLAC downloads that sound as good as this.


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## jegreenwood

Simplicissimus said:


> As I purchased the Forck CDs recently on Amazon since I've subscribed to Amazon HD streaming, I automatically got the "Autorip" downloads, which are the 24-bit/96 kHz FLAC files of which you write. Very happy to have these - top quality stereo sound. Excellent presence, effective channel separation without sounding over-engineered, perhaps a bit dry but I really don't have many FLAC downloads that sound as good as this.


Sold!!!!!!!!!!! (is that 15?)


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## jegreenwood

Allegro Con Brio said:


> These are probably my favorite Baroque works outside of Bach. Time and again I return to them for life-enhancing joie de vivre. This is one of those instances where I've found one recording - Manze/AAM - so delightful that I haven't even listened to any others.


They used to be for me. They were my introduction to Handel and were frequently played for years. When I switched to CDs I picked up Iona Brown's set with the same orchestra. Maybe the difference was in the recording or in the fact that I began to favor HIP recordings of Baroque music, but they slowly lost their appeal. I hope this recording (in excellent sound so far as I can tell from my computer setup) will restore it.


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## Josquin13

I. Op. 6 recordings on period instruments:

I've not heard the recent recording by Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, so I can't comment on it. But the following is a list of the Handel 12 Concerti Grossi, Op. 6, period recordings that I've most liked over the years (& yes, it is favorite music of mine):

1. Arte dei Suonatori, led by Martin Gester, on 3 hybrid SACDs, BIS--This is an excellent set and it comes in audiophile sound: my current first choice. The performances are not too square or conservatively played, & yet they're not too radical or spunky, either. For me, Gester strikes just the right balance between the two, interpretatively: https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7975769--handel-twelve-grand-concertos.






















2. My other picks, for alternative listening and/or comparative sampling:

--Handel & Haydn Society, led by Christopher Hogwood, on L'Oiseau-lyre. This set received glowing reviews when it first came out, and it is very good. Hogwood had a special affinity for Handel's music, and at the time he made this recording he'd previously gained a lot of experience conducting many other Handel works with his Academy of Ancient Music. He'd also written an excellent biography on Handel. However, I've never thought that this set quite lived up to all the hype (though it is excellent). Others may feel differently...





https://www.amazon.com/Concerti-Gro...Z1DJQP27RNS&psc=1&refRID=DBTD17KE5Z1DJQP27RNS

--Aradia Ensemble, Kevin Mallon, Naxos--a good discount buy, but maybe not a first or second choice:













https://www.amazon.com/Handel-Conce...Z1DJQP27RNS&psc=1&refRID=DBTD17KE5Z1DJQP27RNS

--Academy of Ancient Music, Andrew Manze--another excellent set, but I've never been crazy about the Harmonia Mundi sound engineering for this set. Granted, it may be a stereo dependent issue, but I find the period violins to be slightly harsh and even grating at times, which is surprising for Harmonia Mundi: 




--Avison Ensemble, led by Pavlo Beznosiuk--a good set in audiophile sound on Linn hybrid SACDs; however, the performances aren't as good as Gester's, in my opinion, despite the glowing reviews & awards that it received from the British classical rags, such as Gramophone Magazine: 



.

--The English Concert, led by Trevor Pinnock--Pinnock & The English Concert are always worth hearing in Baroque music (especially their benchmark recording of Arcangelo Corelli's 12 Concerti Grossi, and their excellent Vivaldi & Bach). However, I thought this set was the least successful of Pinnock's Handel recordings, as it's a bit square in places. Granted, it is well done and beautifully played, and admittedly, Pinnock isn't always on the square side, either: 



.

--Collegium Musicum 90, led by Simon Standage, on Chandos (as part of their Chaconne series). These are also excellent performances, and arguably preferable to Pinnock's, but they're likewise a tad square at times. Nevertheless, they're beautifully shaped performances, and worth hearing. You can't go wrong with Standage, Pinnock, or Hogwood, but they aren't my top choices anymore, not as they were once in the 1980s & early 90s. Nor would the Avison Ensemble be, either.

3. For more challenging Op. 6 period performances, interpretatively:

--Il Giardino Armonico, led by Giovanni Antonini, on L'Oiseau-lyre. These are spunky, 'in your face' performances, & it's probably not a good recording to buy if you only plan on owning one HIP set, as the interpretations tend to divide listeners. Personally, I like the set, but I do wax and wane on Il Giardino Armonico's at times aggressive 'garage band' attack. Nevertheless, this a #1 favorite for some listeners, so it will depend on what your HIP expectations are in regards to how radical you find their interpretations. I'd sample it first:






















https://www.prestomusic.com/classic...ndel-concerti-grossi-op-6-nos-1-12-hwv319-330

--Al Ayre Español, led by Eduardo López Banzo, on Challenge Classics. This two hybrid SACD set includes a selection from the Op. 6 Concerti (nos. 1, 8, 6, 10, 5 & 11). It may be volume 1 of what is intended to be a complete set, but so far a volume 2 hasn't come out. As with Il Giardino Armonico, the performances can be challenging, interpretatively. If you want performances that are more staid and conservative, this won't likely be a good pick for you. But I mention it anyway--as an alternative choice for those looking to hear this music played in a different way: 



. (I first heard Banzo & Al Ayre Español in Handel's opera, Amadigi di Gaula, and became an instant fan: 



.)

https://www.amazon.com/Handels-Memories-selection-Grand-Concertos/dp/B0097UNKF6

On the horizon: Lastly, I'd recommend looking out for a possible new period recording from Alfredo Bernardini & Ensemble Zefiro, which will likely happen at some point, considering that Bernardini has a special affinity for Handel's music. His other Handel recordings--of the early English Cantatas & Trio Sonatas, and Water Music--are among my top favorites. I'd also keep an eye out for any possible Op. 6 recordings from conductors Diego Fasolis, Jeanne Lamon, Marc Minkowski, Rene Jacobs, Lars Ulrich Mortensen, Nicholas McGegan, or Paul McCreesh in the future, who have each proven to be exceptional in Handel's music.

II. The Op. 6 set on modern instruments,

1. My 1st choice is the Guildhall String Ensemble, on RCA Red Seal:





https://www.amazon.com/Concerti-Gro...ensemble+handel&qid=1597090200&s=music&sr=1-1
https://www.amazon.com/Handel-Conce...ensemble+handel&qid=1597090200&s=music&sr=1-2

2 & 3. My 2nd & 3rd choices are the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, led by Iona Brown, on Philips--a recording that was awarded a rosette by the old Penquin Guide; as well as their later remake on the Hanssler label from the mid-1990s (though I may slightly prefer Brown's Philips set...).

4. My 4th choice is the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, DG--which is a very stylish & well played set, and you can't go wrong with this one, either: 




5. While the 1964 Argo recording by Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, now reissued by Decca, should be mentioned, too: 



.

With that said, I've not heard the I Musici Montreal set on Chandos, which also won a rosette from the old Penguin Guide.

Extra listening:

III Handel's 6 Concerti Grossi, Op. 3: Here my top choice is more difficult because there have been four exceptional period sets of the Op. 3 concerti, and it's difficult to pick between them. They are,

1. Tafelmusik, led by Jeanne Lamon, on Sony: 



2. Les Musiciens du Louvre, led by Marc Minkowski, on Erato: 








3. Concerto Copenhagen, led by Lars Ulrik Mortensen, on CPO: https://www.prestomusic.com/classic...andel-concerti-grossi-op-3-nos-1-6-hwv312-317
4. English Baroque Soloists, led by John Eliot Gardiner on Erato (early Gardiner at his best): https://www.amazon.com/Concerti-Grossi-G-F-Handel/dp/B000005E9Z


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## skymind

I second the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra op.6 collection on modern instruments. It's one of the best recordings I've ever heard and beautifully executed.


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## Chilham




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## ArtMusic

jegreenwood said:


> Neville Marriner's set of Handel's Op. 6 was a very early classical purchase of mine, and even though I've switched to HIP for most of my Baroque listening, I've never had an HIP recording of those works (or for that matter Op. 3). I think now's the time. Suggestions please.


There are many excellent examples.


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## Guest

I have no idea what is the best, but I love my old Harnoncourt recordings of Op 3 and Op 6.


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## Kreisler jr

My favorite op.6 is still Harnoncourt; although I have not heard some more recent ones like Forck, Gester, Giardino Armonico. 
Harnoncourt has some issues and mannerisms but of the half dozen or so I have heard he has the strongest concertino - tutti contrast and overall the most diversity of moods. Also the optional oboes in some concerti which gives e.g. the famous musette a wonderfully rustic character. Manze is good for a "light", lithe, chamber approach, I slightly prefer Hogwood's for a bit more weight but similar general style. I also think the 1960s Marriner holds up amazingly well. For some reason I was a bit disappointed with De Vriend which was supposed to be my "modern" super sound version. Not sure, why, it seems kind of cold.
Historical and interesting but an acquired taste at times: Scherchen.

For op.3 it is easier for me, as I a) decidedly prefer oboe to flute in #3 and b) the reconstructed 3 mvmt version of #6 instead of the single D major and the d minor organ concerto movement. Therefore Tafelmusik or Hogwood. 
Not such fan of Harnoncourt here (slow and scrappy at times), Minkowski has a strange mix (with recorder, I think) in concerto 3 but is otherwise also interesting. Honorable mention for Egarr (if one does not share my preferences for #3 and #6). For non HIP Marriner is even better than his op.6 if one likes that squeaky clean chamber sound he was famous for (I do not mean this as faint praise in this particular case).


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## joen_cph

Pommer wasn't mentioned, my favourite, though it's only partially HIP.


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## Kreisler jr

I used to have Pommer and while I have a lot of respect for the 1980s "semi-HIP" of what was then East Germany, I failed to appreciate their Handel concerti. They were quite interesting, the soloists sometimes using more embellishments than "real HIP"! but I didn't like the "soft" and distant sound and eventually got rid of them. But it is certainly different from most others and probably with luck very cheap (or not findable at all)...
(Some of these East German Bach cantatas from the 70s/80s with superb singers hold up very well indeed, I think)


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## joen_cph

Yes, also for example Handel's 'L' Allegro, Il Penseroso ...' on Eterna/Berlin Classics.

BTW I found Malgoire, not mentioned until now, pretty awful in those Handel concerti sets.


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