# Handel "Best of the Rest"



## Dustin (Mar 30, 2012)

Looking for some knowledgable folks to hopefully chip in here with what they feel are some top-tier Handel works excluding the big guns like Messiah, Water Music, Royal Fireworks. I'm especially interested in hearing about some of the lesser-appreciated but great operas and oratorios(notice my sly way of sneaking this thread in the big room). I've just watched Acts 1 and 2 of the Glyndebournes's Giulio Cesare today and am pretty blown away by Handel's constant masterful melodic invention. I know there's piles upon piles of barely known but great Handel works so let's hear them!


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

The Coronation Anthems fit your description, very much in the same vein as Messiah. Here's an excerpt from No. 3. It takes its time getting to the awesome full orchestra section.

But for myself looking for a great Handel work, I'll often go for the happiest sounding music of all time, the Organ Concerto No. 14 in A major, especially the 5th movement. I seldom like pipe organ, but this is fantastic to me.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Try Jephtha. Terrific oratorio. Also Semele. Fantastic music.


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## SilenceIsGolden (May 5, 2013)

Don't forget about his twelve Concerti Grossi, Op. 6. Considered along with Bach's _Brandenburg Concertos_ and Corelli's Op.6 to be one the finest works in the genre.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Early - Dixit Dominus (text from Psalm 109) - Monteverdi O. & Ch/Gardiner on Erato.
Middle - Coronation Anthems 1-4 - English Concert/Westminter Abbey Ch./Pinnock on DG Archiv.
Late(ish) - Ode for St. Cecilia's Day (on texts by John Dryden) - English Concert & Ch./Pinnock on DG Archiv Blue.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Sorry - duplicate post.


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## southwood (Jul 25, 2012)

Solomon. Brilliant.


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## Alfacharger (Dec 6, 2013)

Get "Israel and Egypt". Wonderful tone painting. Here is "He Spake the Word" referencing the plague of flies and the wonderful scurrying violins representing said flies.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Chandos Anthems and Music for Chapel Royal are right out of the Bible, as is Messiah and Israel in Egypt.


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## Schubussy (Nov 2, 2012)

I really like his trio sonatas op. 2 & 5


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Soooooo much terrific Handel; so little time to absorb it all!!!


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I think his keyboard suites have between overly neglected. They rank right up there with Bach's French and English suites. One of them (I'm at work so I don’t have access to the number designation) has one of the finest Gigues I've ever heard, a kind of cross between CPE Bach's Solfeggietto (sp?) and Bach's cello suites where one voice becomes many by the use of arpeggio, a wonderful spine tingling effect. I'll look for it when I get home.


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## Guest (Mar 27, 2014)

I like "Best Of The Rest" posts...very rarely do I want to hear an entire catalog, but also very rarely am I content with major works that you can count on one hand.


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## Listener (Sep 20, 2010)

The organ concertos are essential, some of my absolute favorite music.
I'm very fond of his italian cantatas.
The harpsichord suites, especially transcribed for guitar.


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## Dustin (Mar 30, 2012)

Thanks for all the great suggestions everyone. I'll definitely work my way through these soon. 

On the topic of Giulio Cesare, what an amazing aria "Se in fiorito a meno prato" is. The one with the solo violin on stage. I believe that piece just single-Handeldly convinced me to buy a violin within the next couple years when I can afford a decent one. I used to play for a few years as a young kid and I have a $500 violin but it sounds like complete trash for some reason. Even as bad as I am, I don't think it should be able to make these awful sounds it does. Maybe it's the bow or maybe it's just a bad violin. But when I can afford it, I'd like to purchase one within the $1000-$1500 range and hopefully that'll get me a quality sound. These days I spend a lot of time on guitar and piano but I think violin would be a nice way to finish out a trio of instruments I'm competent in.


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## Guest (Mar 29, 2014)

Oh yeah, seconding the organ concertos! And one of them is transcribed for harp too, which is fun.


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## Dustin (Mar 30, 2012)

Weston said:


> The Coronation Anthems fit your description, very much in the same vein as Messiah. Here's an excerpt from No. 3. It takes its time getting to the awesome full orchestra section.
> 
> But for myself looking for a great Handel work, I'll often go for the happiest sounding music of all time, the Organ Concerto No. 14 in A major, especially the 5th movement. I seldom like pipe organ, but this is fantastic to me.


You weren't kidding about this! Good stuff. Handel sure could write a blissful melody. Us classical music fans really won the lottery when the year 1685 happened.

Not to mention again from 1809-1811


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Handel's Italian cantatas are absolutely delicious. I cannot recommend this:










or this:










or anything from this series...










... highly enough.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Weston said:


> I think his keyboard suites have between overly neglected. They rank right up there with Bach's French and English suites. One of them (I'm at work so I don't have access to the number designation) has one of the finest Gigues I've ever heard, a kind of cross between CPE Bach's Solfeggietto (sp?) and Bach's cello suites where one voice becomes many by the use of arpeggio, a wonderful spine tingling effect. I'll look for it when I get home.


Arrgh! The gigue I was thinking of was a Bach gigue, but the Handel keyboard suites are still very good.


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## Dustin (Mar 30, 2012)

I've just found this album here with all of Handel's keyboard suites. I'll be giving these a listen shortly.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Dustin said:


> I've just found this album here with all of Handel's keyboard suites. I'll be giving these a listen shortly.
> 
> View attachment 38295


I've been a big fan of Handel's keyboard suites, especially on harpsichord, for many years. I recall listening to Schirmer's discs on NML - very fine but can't match quite a few on harpsichord.


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

Handel's Organ Concertos are very good; recently got his Op. 4, they're excellent. Highly recommended. I especially like the very baroque-like slower movements, they really capture that 'ancient' mood.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Weston said:


> Arrgh! The gigue I was thinking of was a Bach gigue, but the Handel keyboard suites are still very good.


Which gigue was it?


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

I've never been overly fond of the solo harpsichord for an extended period of time. For Handel's keyboard suites I prefer the great Sviatoslav Richter and renowned Andrei Gavrilov on piano... and at a bargain basement price:










Lisa Smirnova's recording on ECM also sounds spectacular:


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

I just discovered _Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno_, a non-choral (soloists only) oratorio from his early Italian period. It's more like his Italian cantatas and early operas than his late oratorios, which means lots of beautiful, amazingly inventive arias. I love Handel during this phase; its all so fresh and exciting (try the Dixit Dominus too).


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## Alypius (Jan 23, 2013)

One of my favorite baroque discs:

*Arte dei Suonatori / Martin Gester, Handel: Twelve Grand Concertos / 12 Concerti Grossi, op. 6 (BIS, 2008)*










The Arte dei Suonatori are best known for their award-winning collaboration with Rachel Podger on Vivaldi's _La Stravanganza_ (Channel Classics, 2003) -- also a magnificent performance:


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## GiulioCesare (Apr 9, 2013)

Ah, I'm a bit late to the party.

Many of my recommendations have already been mentioned. Let me add a very underrated and wonderful piece. When Queen Caroline died, Handel was very saddened. They were said to be very close. Handel composed the music for her funeral in a matter of five days. The music was later used as the first part of Israel in Egypt, but I feel it doesn't match the words as well there.

Especially the initial fugue is gorgeous.


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## KRoad (Jun 1, 2012)

I am a devoted lover of Handel - all of his output - including that which he "borrowed" is just superb. However, I feel it is in his operas and oratorios are where he comes into his own. Such an ear for melody; his arias are simply a delight to the ear.

Semele is a particularly good oratorio - but, what the heck, they all are IMO. Apparently he was a good natured, if moody, composer who enjoyed good food and drink and knew how to enjoy himself. Somehow this comes across in so much of his music.


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