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Carolyn Sampson was on fine form
A recital by The King's Consort at the Wigmore Hall of
Handel's little-known Nine German Arias, performed with three of
the composer's oboe works, was a pleasant rather than revelatory
evening.
The radiant soprano Carolyn Sampson was on fine form but the
music wasn't enough to lift the concert to the heights of which
this singer and ensemble are capable.
The King's Consort and Carolyn Sampson have collaborated many
times before, both in the concert hall and studio, and have a
number of outstanding recordings on the market together. Chief
among these is Handel's An Ode for St Cecilia's Day, an absolute
gem which shows off her voice to maximum effect.
The German Arias, soprano accompanied by a small ensemble of
chamber instruments, don't have the same impact. There's much
that's beautiful about both vocal line and accompaniment but
they lack drama and the virtuoso characteristics of operatic
arias.
They are written in a wide range of keys and it's not known
exactly why Handel composed them or whether they were even
intended to be performed together. They are among the few works
that he wrote in his native language and date from the 1720s,
several of them bearing similarities to material from
contemporary operas such as Giulio Cesare, Tamerlano and
Rodelinda.
The arias are based on a set of poems by Barthold Heinrich
Brockes, writer of the better known Passion set by Handel, and
celebrate God through His manifestation in nature. This makes
for an attractive set of lyrics praising rivers, flowers,
meadows and springtime.
Source: musicomh.com
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