# Best current recording of Giulio Cesare by G.F. Handel?



## musicphotogAnimal (Jul 24, 2012)

My interest is in Baroque Opera. I've been looking for a recording of Giulio Cesare (Julius Caeser) by Handel to add to my small collection of music which will then be transferred to my iPhone 4s' iPod. 

Just wondering if anyone can suggest a good recording of said opera.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Jacobs, rec. 1991. Enjoy. :tiphat:

View attachment 6453


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## musicphotogAnimal (Jul 24, 2012)

Thanks, I'll look for that recording.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Vaneyes said:


> Jacobs, rec. 1991. Enjoy. :tiphat:
> 
> View attachment 6453


Yes, I wold agree with that.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Vaneyes said:


> Jacobs, rec. 1991. Enjoy. :tiphat:
> 
> View attachment 6453


Yes, I wold agree with that.

BTW welcome musicphotogAnimal (I think I'll have to call you MPA for short). I love Baroque opera too.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Wow, there is no other set posted. This Jacobs set must be very good.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> Wow, there is no other set posted. This Jacobs set must be very good.


You know the song: 
It had to be you


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Pugg said:


> You know the song:
> It had to be you


Just wait and see.


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## JSBach85 (Feb 18, 2017)

Hi Florestan. I opened the same topic in recordings section. So far I have three recordings of Giulio Cesare:

1- Jacobs/ Concerto Koln:








2- Minkowski/ Les Musicien du Louvre








3- Petrou/ Orchestra of Patras








The last one recommended by Pugg and is my favourite even over Jacobs that have an excellent conducting but some singers are not of my taste: for example DQ Raign.

Another one I have in my pending list:

Curtis/ Il Complesso Barocco








This one could be the best as for vocal cast but conducting lacks of dynamics, contrast and textures of Petrou and Jacobs. Every of them are with period instruments orchestras.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

mamascarlatti said:


> Yes, I wold agree with that.


Same here. The Jacobs is one of my most treasured Handel opera sets.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I ordered a used Jacobs set. Larmore is one of my top mezzos. I was very tempted though by this nice box set of three operas:


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## JSBach85 (Feb 18, 2017)

Yes, is a great bargain. I would not recommend to buy sets because some of them could be bad recordings, plus for me is very important the booklet, if it was instrumental concertos I would not care too much about booklets but for operas, I rather buy recordings separately. That's the reason I am buying Jacobs Handel operas recordings separately and I will get rid off the box that lacks of proper booklet. This one has three of the best Minkowski recordings, I still have pending Hercules but Ariodante is one of the best Handel recordings ever. If you want to save money, go for it.


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## gardibolt (May 22, 2015)

The Curtis is well recorded but the performance is kind of tedious and lacking in drama.


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## The Wolf (Apr 28, 2017)

Why the march that goes right after the "Sinfonia Ultima" in act 3, is cut regularly??

Very rarely it is performed and today still more (It was performed in the recent concert of Yoncheva in Paris).

Very few recordings include it.


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## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

The Rene Jacobs set of GIULIO CESARE is one of my favorite recordings of an opera. Highly recommended. Even the "highlights" disc is good, if you can get it.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Bellinilover said:


> The Rene Jacobs set of GIULIO CESARE is one of my favorite recordings of an opera. Highly recommended. *Even the "highlights" disc is good, if you can get it.*


Yes, and it's readily available at attractive pricing on harmonia mundi musique d'abord. :tiphat:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Bellinilover said:


> *The Rene Jacobs set of GIULIO CESARE* is one of my favorite recordings of an opera. Highly recommended. Even the "highlights" disc is good, if you can get it.


My complete set arrived today and I have been listening for the past several hours . Quite wonderful!

As much as I like it though, I can't wait for my Chandos sung-in-English set to arrive because I have not heard this aria any better than with Valerie Masterson in that sung-in-English set. I like Masterson even better than Sills:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

So now I have three Cesare sets:

Rudel (148 minutes) Beverly Sills and Maureen Forrester

Chandos in English (183 minutes) with Janet Baker, Valerie Masterson (best Da tempeste--Got Sills beat), Della Jones, John Tomlinson, James Bowman (as the icky Tolemo).

Jacobs (243 minutes) with Jennifer Larmore

I don't see any need for more. These pretty much cover it for me and I like them all a lot. I won't be buying any more unless they come out with one that features Kasarova or Bartoli.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

BBC has a 51 minute discussion of Giulio Cesare and available versions.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01w4nv2


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Have I missed it? Hard to believe that Beverly Sills/Norman Treigle was not mentioned. It is a tour de force and hard to beat. Do not miss it.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

nina foresti said:


> Have I missed it? Hard to believe that Beverly Sills/Norman Treigle was not mentioned. It is a tour de force and hard to beat. Do not miss it.


And no HIP instrument in sight. :lol:


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

nina foresti said:


> Have I missed it? Hard to believe that Beverly Sills/Norman Treigle was not mentioned. It is a tour de force and hard to beat. Do not miss it.


I keep trying to listen to this recording, and every time I do, I give up after fifteen or so minutes due to the sonics. The voices in particular have a harsh edge that makes them virtually unlistenable.


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## MusicBear88 (Jun 14, 2017)

I adore the Sills _Giulio Cesare_ for what it is, in all its glorious excess. Let us remember that we're talking about the High Baroque here, and too much is just about enough when it comes to ornaments and high notes and trills. That said, I read that singers who went to hear her first Cleopatra at New York City Opera came away finding her "V'adoro, pupille" the most impressive since she sang the entire high-lying aria pianissimo with perfect control.

René Jacobs' version is more "correct," which isn't always better. But it's excellent.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

MusicBear88 said:


> I adore the Sills _Giulio Cesare_ for what it is, in all its glorious excess. Let us remember that we're talking about the High Baroque here, and too much is just about enough when it comes to ornaments and high notes and trills. That said, I read that singers who went to hear her first Cleopatra at New York City Opera came away finding her "V'adoro, pupille" the most impressive since she sang the entire high-lying aria pianissimo with perfect control.
> 
> René Jacobs' version is more "correct," which isn't always better. But it's excellent.


Of the three I have, the Chandos sung-in-English set is my favorite.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Florestan said:


> Chandos in English (183 minutes) with Janet Baker, Valerie Masterson (best Da tempeste--*Got Sills beat*), Della Jones, John Tomlinson, James Bowman (as the icky Tolemo).


I am going to back up a bit here. Having re-listened to the Sills Cleopatra, I have to take that back. Masterson does not have Sills beat. They are both great!


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

JSBach85 said:


> 3- Petrou/ Orchestra of Patras
> View attachment 94861
> 
> 
> .. recommended by Pugg and is my favourite even over Jacobs that have an excellent conducting but some singers are not of my taste: for example DQ Raign.


I am very interested in the Pugg-recommended set. Very lively, unlike the Jacobs set which seems a bit studio sterile.

Otherwise my favorite set in Italian is this one:





















I also very much like this set on both DVD and CD:


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

> I am very interested in the Pugg-recommended set. V


e

Do not forget the BookButler site.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Here is another Cesare set that is very good and includes the only countertenor I can countenance, James Bowman, and that only as the creep, Tolemo (he also plays same role in the Chandos sung-in-English set). Sample on You Tube.









Now I am torn between the above set and this one:


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> Here is another Cesare set that is very good and includes the only countertenor I can countenance, James Bowman, and that only as the creep, Tolemo (he also plays same role in the Chandos sung-in-English set). Sample on You Tube.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Knowing you a little bit, both.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Pugg said:


> Knowing you a little bit, both.


But the prices on these are way too high: $66 for the first one, and $27 for the second, plus shipping!


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Florestan said:


> But the prices on these are way too high: $66 for the first one, and $27 for the second, plus shipping!


Go for the second one, you will love it.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Pugg said:


> Go for the second one, you will love it.


I could do that and not be called insane as would be the case if I bought the first one. But who knows. Have to think about it more. No rush.

But the second one is more like my Dupay set. And it would really be great to get Bowman as the creepy Tolemy.


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