# I'm tired of Händel...



## PrimoUomo (Jul 7, 2013)

In the baroque opera world the only things they record is Händel, Händel, Händel, Händel, Händel, Händel, Vivaldi, Vivaldi, Vivaldi etc. I'm just tired of it. How can someone continue to record Händel. You just hear the same Ombra mai fu, Al lampo dell'armi and Lascia ch'io pianga all the time. And with Vivaldi it is Agitata da due venti and Orribile lo Scempio. I own very few Hasse, Ferrandini, Vinci and Marcello complete opera recordings i enjoy very much. I have so few because there simply not many of them. So come on and record some Leonardo Leo, Nicola Porpora, Giacomelli. And stop doing the same Giulio Cesare or Rinalod again.


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## Winterreisender (Jul 13, 2013)

If you haven't already, I would suggest trying this new Harmonia Mundi boxset of baroque opera:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Opera-Baroq...&qid=1378751906&sr=8-1&keywords=baroque+opera
This contains excellent performances of many lesser known works, such as operas by Keiser and Campra


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## PrimoUomo (Jul 7, 2013)

Yeah i have seen it before, its a fantastic realase of many out of print recordings, i'd have already ordered it. Pity that the recording of Orontea not are there.


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## rrudolph (Sep 15, 2011)

Only one Handel and one Vivaldi on this list:

http://www.gramophone.co.uk/blog/the-gramophone-blog/the-10-best-baroque-operas-and-recordings

Keiser was one of the greatest theatrical composers of his time. Too bad so much of his work has been lost.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I wouldn't complain too much. The Baorque opera revival is relatively recent - and it takes some time to re-discover and record these works which fell into obscurity for so many years. And bear in mind that so much has been lost because they were not expected to last either. Enjoy the ride as new recordings appear.


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## PrimoUomo (Jul 7, 2013)

@rrudolph 

I like that Vinci's Artaserse is there, but Rameau, Lully, Purcell, Monteverdi, Charpentier is very often recorded. You are right about Reinhard Keiser i would hear more of him. Have you heard the recording of Die großmütige Tomyris?

@mamascarlatti 

Yes many forthcoming recordings is planned, like Porpora's Germanico, Conti's L'Isspile. I can't wait to they come out!


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## KRoad (Jun 1, 2012)

PrimoUomo said:


> In the baroque opera world the only things they record is Händel, Händel, Händel, Händel, Händel, Händel,


Possibly true, but... since the dear man plagiarised soooo terribly much, there is freshness and "originality" in every piece.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

I guess it's more than you can Handel .


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## Musician (Jul 25, 2013)

Looks like you can't _Handle_ Handel...


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## Bas (Jul 24, 2012)

Some suggested recordings to ease your pain (which is hopefully a temporary problem, how can a man be tired of Handel? )

Domenico Mazocchi - La Catena d'Adone

Henry Desmarest - Venus et Adonis

Allesandro Scarlatti - Griselda

I don't know if your post was also to express being tired of Vivaldi, but if not: Naïve has some amazing releases of Vivaldi Operas.


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## PrimoUomo (Jul 7, 2013)

Okay it's no secret that i enjoy Handel and Vivaldi's music a lot, but there are composers there are at least as good as Handel, like J. A. Hasse, he is in my opinion one of the greatest composers of italian opera. This composers deserves more recordings an performances, and i will like to hear some "new" music, rather than Handel and Vivaldi, who recorded so often, so its completely natural that i am tired of them, its like hearing the same Twenty Century Fox tune over and over again.


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## nightscape (Jun 22, 2013)

Musician said:


> Looks like you can't _Handle_ Handel...


Damn, this is what I was going to say! Perhaps I'm not as singularly hilarious as previously believed.


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## GiulioCesare (Apr 9, 2013)

PrimoUomo said:


> How can someone continue to record Händel.


Because he is the best.



PrimoUomo said:


> but there are composers there are at least as good as Handel, like J. A. Hasse,


I might not agree with this statement.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Handel is one of the greatest composers of all times,.


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Okay it's no secret that i enjoy Handel and Vivaldi's music a lot, but there are composers there are at least as good as Handel, like J. A. Hasse, he is in my opinion one of the greatest composers of italian opera.

I don't know that Handel is "at least as good as Handel"... although what I have heard by him certainly is marvelous. As a Baroque aficionado I agree with Mamascarlatti that Baroque opera... and essentially the whole of the Baroque beyond Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi is essentially undergoing a revival. I can tell you from my own experience that you wouldn't have been able to find much by Handel (beyond the Messiah, Solomon, the Water Music and Royal Fireworks and perhaps the Concerti Grossi) some 25 years ago.

Beyond Handel and Vivaldi, Lully and Rameau I would suggest J.C Bach's arias (brilliantly recorded by Jaroussky), Hasse, Claudio Monteverdi, Cavalli, Purcell, Alessandro Scarlatti (one of my favorites), Antonio Caldara, Telemann, Porpora, Galuppi, etc... I would also suggest you look into the various discs of recitals or collections of arias by singers specializing in the Baroque such as Bejun Mehta, Philippe Jaroussky, Joyce DiDonato, etc...

Another possibility to consider is to broaden your search into the realm of non-operatic vocal music of the era. Doing so gains you J.S. Bach, Heinrich Biber, Zelenka, Buxtehude... as well as scores of further works by the composers you already know and admire.


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## earlybard (Sep 4, 2013)

Take a detour for a while! French Baroque opera appeals to me more than Handel, and there is some marvelous stuff to listen to between Lully, Charpentier, and Rameau to name a few.


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## mnsCA (Jul 30, 2013)

PrimoUomo said:


> In the baroque opera world the only things they record is Händel, Händel, Händel, Händel, Händel, Händel, Vivaldi, Vivaldi, Vivaldi etc. I'm just tired of it. How can someone continue to record Händel. You just hear the same Ombra mai fu, Al lampo dell'armi and Lascia ch'io pianga all the time. And with Vivaldi it is Agitata da due venti and Orribile lo Scempio. I own very few Hasse, Ferrandini, Vinci and Marcello complete opera recordings i enjoy very much. I have so few because there simply not many of them. So come on and record some Leonardo Leo, Nicola Porpora, Giacomelli. And stop doing the same Giulio Cesare or Rinalod again.


Consider listening to JD Zelenka. His melodrama _Sub olea pacis et palma virtutis conspicua orbi regia Bohemiae Corona: Melodrama de Sancto Wenceslao_ (_Under the Olive Tree of Peace and the Palm Tree of Virtue the Crown of Bohemia Splendidly Shines Before the Whole World: Melodrama to Saint Wenceslaus_) is below:

Wikipedia page on the work: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sub_olea_pacis_et_palma_virtutis


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

mnsCA said:


> Consider listening to JD Zelenka. His melodrama _Sub olea pacis et palma virtutis conspicua orbi regia Bohemiae Corona: Melodrama de Sancto Wenceslao_ (_Under the Olive Tree of Peace and the Palm Tree of Virtue the Crown of Bohemia Splendidly Shines Before the Whole World: Melodrama to Saint Wenceslaus_) is below:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This reminds me of Telemann quite a bit, which is a good thing . Very good music, I guess he's underrated. The part at around 08:00 reminds me of 'Cum sancto spiritu' from Bach's mass in B minor.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

If you like Zelenka and want some instrumental music, I highly recommend his trio sonatas, ZWV 181, a set of six.


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

KenOC said:


> If you like Zelenka and want some instrumental music, I highly recommend his trio sonatas, ZWV 181, a set of six.


thanks for the suggestion, will check those out . I'm quite fond of Telemann's, will be interesting to see how Zelenka's sound.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Gluck, I love Gluck.


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## mnsCA (Jul 30, 2013)

I would recommend the 1999 album of JD Zelenka's trio sonatas by Holliger, Bourgue, and Zehetmair released by ecm.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I've just bought this. A good starter box for Baroque opera:









1. L'Orfeo by Claudio Monteverdi
Performer: Graciela Oddone (Soprano), Simon Keenlyside (Baritone), Juanita Lascarro (Soprano), Martina Dike (Mezzo Soprano) - Conductor: René Jacobs

2. L'Incoronazione di Poppea by Claudio Monteverdi
Performer: Christoph Homberger (Tenor), Dominique Visse (Countertenor), Lena Lootens (Soprano), Michael Schopper (Bass), Axel Köhler (Countertenor), Danielle Borst (Soprano), Jennifer Larmore (Mezzo Soprano), Guillemette Laurens (Mezzo Soprano), Guy de Mey (Tenor), Martina Bovet (Soprano) - Conductor: René Jacobs.

3. Calisto by Pier Francesco Cavalli
Performer: Simon Keenlyside (Baritone), Graham Pushee (Countertenor), Allesandra Mantovani (Soprano), Sonia Theodoridou (Soprano), Gilles Ragon (Tenor), Barry Banks (Tenor), David Pittsinger (Bass), Judith Vindevogel (Soprano), Marcello Lippi (Baritone), Maria Bayo (Soprano), Dominique Visse (Countertenor) - Conductor: René Jacobs

4. La Griselda by Alessandro Scarlatti
Performer: Lawrence Zazzo (Countertenor), Veronica Cangemi (Soprano), Dorothea Röschmann (Soprano), Silvia Tro Santafe (Mezzo Soprano), Kobie van Rensburg (Tenor), Bernarda Fink (Mezzo Soprano) - Conductor: René Jacobs
Orchestra/Ensemble: Academy for Ancient Music Berlin

5. Atys, LWV 53 by Jean-Baptiste Lully
Performer: Guy de Mey (Tenor), Guillemette Laurens (Mezzo Soprano), Agnès Mellon (Soprano), Jean-Francois Gardeil (Baritone) - Conductor: William Christie

6. Idoménée by André Campra
Performer: Marie Boyer (Mezzo Soprano), Jérôme Corréas (Bass), Richard Dugay (Tenor), Marie Saint-Palais (Soprano), Anne Pichard (Soprano), Anne Mopin (Soprano), Jean-Claude Saragosse (Bass), Jérôme Corréas (Baritone), Jean-Paul Fouchécourt (Tenor), Monique Zanetti (Soprano), Sandrine Piau (Soprano), Bernard Delétré (Bass) - Conductor: William Christie

7. Les Indes galantes by Jean-Philippe Rameau
Performer: Claron McFadden (Soprano), Isabelle Poulenard (Soprano), Howard Crook (Tenor), Jean-Paul Fouchécourt (Tenor), Bernard Delétré (Bass), Nicolas Rivenq (Baritone), Jérôme Corréas (Baritone), Miriam Ruggeri (Soprano), Noémi Rime (Soprano), Sandrine Piau (Soprano) - Conductor: William Christie

8. Médée, H 491 by Marc-Antoine Charpentier
Performer: Gilles Ragon (Tenor), Agnès Mellon (Soprano), Jacques Bona (Bass), Sophie Boulin (Soprano), Philippe Cantor (Bass), Jill Feldman (Soprano) - Conductor: William Christie

9. Le malade imaginaire, H 495 by Marc-Antoine Charpentier
Performer: Jean-Francois Gardeil (Baritone), Dominique Visse (Countertenor), Howard Crook (Tenor), Jérôme Corréas (Bass), Alain Trétout (Spoken Vocals), Isabelle Desrochers (Soprano), Noémi Rime (Soprano), Monique Zanetti (Soprano), William Christie (Spoken Vocals), Howard Crook (Spoken Vocals), Claire Brua (Mezzo Soprano) Conductor: William Christie

10. Dido and Aeneas, Z 626 by Henry Purcell
Performer: Gerald Finley (Baritone), Lynne Dawson (Soprano), Gerald Finley (Bass), Maria Cristina Kiehr (Soprano), Rosemary Joshua (Soprano), Susan Bickley (Soprano), Dominique Visse (Countertenor), Stephen Wallace (Countertenor), Robin Blaze (Countertenor), John Bowen (Tenor) - Conductor: René Jacobs

11. Rinaldo, HWV 7 by George Frideric Handel
Performer: Vivica Genaux (Mezzo Soprano), Christophe Dumaux (Countertenor), James Rutherford (Baritone), Miah Persson (Soprano), Lawrence Zazzo (Countertenor), Inga Kalna (Soprano), Dominique Visse (Countertenor)
Conductor: René Jacobs

12. Flavio, Rè di Longobardi, HWV 16 by George Frideric Handel
Performer: Gian Paolo Fagotto (Tenor), Jeffrey Gall (Countertenor), Christina Högman (Soprano), Lena Lootens (Soprano), Bernarda Fink (Mezzo Soprano), Ulrich Messthaler (Bass), Derek Lee Ragin (Countertenor) - Conductor: René Jacobs

13. Giulio Cesare, HWV 17 by George Frideric Handel
Performer: Furio Zanasi (Bass), Jennifer Larmore (Mezzo soprano), Bernarda Fink (Contralto (Female alto)), Marianne Rorholm (Contralto (Female alto)), Barbara Schlick (Soprano), Dominique Visse (Alto), Derek Lee Ragin (Alto), Olivier Lallouette (Bass) - Conductor: René Jacobs

14. Cesare e Cleopatra by Carl Heinrich Graun
Performer: Iris Vermillion (Mezzo Soprano), Lynne Dawson (Soprano), Robert Gambill (Tenor), Ralf Popken (Countertenor), Jeffrey Francis (Tenor), Klaus Häger (Baritone), Elisabeth Scholl (Soprano), Janet Williams (Soprano), Maria Cristina Kiehr (Soprano) - Conductor: René Jacobs

15. Croesus by Reinhard Keiser
Performer: Dorothea Röschmann (Soprano), Roman Trekel (Baritone), Johannes Mannov (Bass), Werner Güra (Tenor), Klaus Häger (Bass), Markus Schäfer (Tenor), Salome Haller (Soprano), Kwangchul Youn (Bass), Graham Pushee (Countertenor), Brigitte Eisenfeld (Soprano), Kurt Azesberger (Tenor), Jörg Gottschick (Bass), Johanna Stojkovic (Soprano)
Conductor: René Jacobs

16. Orpheus, TV 21 no 18 by Georg Philipp Telemann
Performer: Ruth Ziesak (Soprano), Werner Güra (Tenor), Maria Cristina Kiehr (Soprano), Isabelle Poulenard (Soprano), Axel Köhler (Countertenor), Hanno Müller-Brachmann (Bass Baritone), Dorothea Röschmann (Soprano), Roman Trekel (Baritone) - Conductor: René Jacobs

17. Ludovicus Pius: Suite by Georg Caspar Schürmann

18. Der lächerliche Prinz Jodelet: Overture by Reinhard Keiser

19. Almira, HWV 1: Suite by George Frideric Handel

20. Musikalische Concerte (12): Suite no 1 in A minor by Johann Schieferdecker

21. Ouvertures (6): Suite no 4 in D minor by Philipp Heinrich Erlebach
Orchestra/Ensemble: Academy for Ancient Music Berlin

22. Venus and Adonis by John Blow
Performer: Gerald Finley (Baritone), Robin Blaze (Countertenor), Maria Cristina Kiehr (Soprano),
Christopher Josey (Countertenor), Rosemary Joshua (Soprano), John Bowen (Tenor),
Jonathan Brown (Bass) - Conductor: René Jacobs


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

mamascarlatti said:


> I've just bought this. A good starter box for Baroque opera:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

mamascarlatti said:


> I've just bought this. A good starter box for Baroque opera:


Should keep you going for a bit!


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

I bought some Handel arias on a HM set sung by Helen Hunt and Mark Padmore. Is enough to whet the appetite for more!


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## mnsCA (Jul 30, 2013)

I would also recommend Zelenka's serenata Il Diamante ZWV 177

Ensemble Inegal has posted samples of their recording on SoundCloud. Here's the lovely aria Venere:

__
https://soundcloud.com/ensemble-inegal%2Fensemble-inegal-jan-dismas-1


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

DavidA said:


> Should keep you going for a bit!


Yes indeed. I've never heard those operas by Campra, Graun, Charpentier, Keiser, Scarlatti, or Telemann, so lots of discovery ahead.


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