Search - George Frideric Handel, Fabio Biondi, Europa Galante :: Handel - Arie e duetti d'amore / Piau, Banditelli, Europa Galante, Biondi

The best haendel record, the best baroque ensemble

Dirk Adriaensens | 03/09/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"1997 seems a long time ago. But it's the year Fabio Biondi has set the standards for Haendel interpretations (like he did before with Vilvaldi). What can you say if you hear Fabio Biondi playing Haendel? This music is a total rupture with all the interpretations you heard before. This is baroque music for the 3th millenium. Order this album, you won't be sorry. Just buy it!"

Sandrine Piau does it again . . .

Peter Holmes | Bay Area, California | 08/28/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sandrine Piau does it again -- or should I say she did it already! This collection of superb Handel arias from '96 could be considered an earlier version or forerunner of the recently released Handel Opera Seria, and certainly very complementary to it. The ensemble she plays with is different (Fabio Bondi and his charismatic Europa Galante players), possibly somewhat less refined from the "early music" style perspective -- but this consideration is blown away by the dramatic presence and the stellar precision of this non-pareil Baroque vocalist.

To tell you the truth, I have been following Sandrine Piau like some kind of secret addict for years now, wading through obscure CDs like Clerambault's "Orphee" and other soprano cantatas on the discount Naxos label (those were the good old days) where she sang with the excellent Solistes du Concert Spirituel with the amazing harpsichodist Blandinne Rannou (whatever happened to that happy association, anyway??).

I have to admit that this is one of my most prized Handel CDs -- and trust me, I have a lot of them!, and all of them good examples of authentic period style. How does she compare with Emma Kirkby, whom I consider her main rival? I would say more soul, weight and drama, while keeping the same technical agility. A rare combination. I would also say the same thing about Christine Brandes in comparison to Sandrine Piau, incidentally.

Also, I could find no overlap between these arias and the various Kirkby Handel Opera Arias/Duets recordings (which I have also enjoyed a lot over the years), which makes this disk even sweeter. If you like Handel arias with true Baroque soul and style, the way George meant them to be performed, this recording is a no-brainer."